Jan 16, 2017, 6:55 am
Last edit by: storewanderer
Older (archived) threads: 2014-16
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- What is EMV contactless?
EMV contactless is a form of contactless/NFC that uses the same security and encryption that is used when inserting a chip card into an EMV-enabled terminal. Other than not having to sign/enter a PIN for smaller transactions, the security is effectively the same as chip and PIN/chip and signature.
In contrast, MSD contactless is an older version that is designed just and only for the United States. This effectively uses much the same flow as a swiped card transaction with the same rules.
- What is CDCVM?
CDCVM stands for Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method. It's a method of telling the terminal that the customer verified their identity using their mobile device. Terminals that support it will waive the signature/PIN requirement typically in place for larger transactions, potentially saving time at checkout.
More info: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202527
- Does EMV contactless need to be supported to support CDCVM?
Typically, yes. (However, there are some exceptions below.)
- Why can't I tap my foreign-issued contactless card at most places in the US?
This is likely because the store does not support EMV contactless. Foreign issued contactless cards typically do not support MSD contactless since other markets have had EMV for quite some time. In contrast, most stores in the US have yet to get the necessary certifications/software for EMV contactless so they are typically MSD-only--if contactless is enabled at all. (See below for a list of stores where your card will likely work.)
- I paid for a purchase with Apple/Android/Samsung Pay and still had to sign for it.
Most likely, the store in question does not have EMV contactless enabled (see above question). However, there are instances where CDCVM does not work even with EMV contactless enabled. Restaurants that allow tip adjust, for example--where the tip amount is written on a paper receipt and entered by the staff later--cannot support CDCVM. It may simply be a matter of the merchant's processor or the POS software in use not supporting it too.
Another common reason is if you used a US-issued AmEx card with a mobile wallet. AmEx currently does not allow EMV contactless support in mobile wallets for these cards, so they always run as MSD contactless. Because of this, CDCVM is not supported (with very few exceptions, as noted below).
Note: if you used Samsung Pay, you may have paid with MST instead of NFC. Since MST emulates the magnetic pulses that the terminal receives when swiping a regular card, the normal magstripe rules apply.
- How can I tell whether EMV contactless was used?
An easy way to tell if you have Apple Pay is to pay with a Visa or MC while in airplane mode. Wallet will then show a transaction amount next to "Payment" for the card that was used. Alternatively, EMV-related information will typically print on the receipt (AID, etc.) if EMV contactless was used.
(Non-exhaustive) list of EMV contactless supporting merchants in the US:
- 7-Eleven
- 99 Ranch
- Albertsons (Safeway, Vons, Pak N Save, Jewel, Acme, Shaws, Star, Carrs, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Haggen, Eagle, Lucky UT/SoCal)
- Apple Store*†
- Athleta
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
- Banana Republic
- Costco Wholesale
- CVS
- DuaneReade*
- El Pollo Loco
- EG Group US (Quik Stop, Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb, Turkey Hill) Note: cashier must press "Electronic Payment" to activate NFC
- Five Below*
- Five Guys
- GAP
- Grocery Outlet*
- Harmon's Grocery
- H&M*
- Jolibee
- Kohl's*
- Lush Cosmetics*
- Maverik
- McDonald's*
- Meijer
- Old Navy
- Panera Bread
- PetSmart
- Ray's Food Place
- Round Table Pizza
- Royal Farms
- Red Ribbon Bakeshop
- Sheetz
- Sherm's Thunderbird Discount Markets Inc.*
- Sprouts
- Staples*
- Starbucks*
- Subway
- Walgreens*
- Weis Markets
- All businesses that use Square and support contactless*
- All businesses that use Clover and support EMV†**
- All businesses that use First Data standalone terminals (e.g. FD100+FD35, FD130) with EMV enabled**
* CDCVM support confirmed
** CDCVM support depends on store/restaurant
† CDCVM supported in MSD mode
USA contactless credit/debit/transit (2017 - 2021)
May 20, 2019, 6:21 pm
#6286
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 266
Kroger Pay is active in the Atlanta market now. I doubt, I will activate it. The only reason that I activated Wal-Mart Pay was that it was easier vs Samsung Pay at the non updated pos.
May 20, 2019, 7:13 pm
#6287
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,723
Best Buy now supports EMV contactless as well if anyone is interested. Oh and speaking of Taco Bell mine now has the self ordering kiosks but yeah no contactless yet.
May 21, 2019, 1:30 pm
#6288
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I ran into a Charleys that still swipes cards on the POS but has a Clover Go for Apple Pay (presumably attached to the tablet they use for online orders). I would have expected them to adopt the same PIN pads I've seen elsewhere but I guess not.
May 21, 2019, 2:41 pm
#6289
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Safeway today, Chase Freedom Visa doesn't work but Amex Everyday worked, both in Apple Pay.
May 22, 2019, 11:00 am
#6292
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Apparently "high speed internet" is a factor in widespread contactless adoption per this article.
- Wasn't contactless originally authorized offline elsewhere, making internet access a moot point?
- Wouldn't dialup make it less likely cards are used in general, not just contactless?
Last edited by tmiw; May 22, 2019 at 11:08 am
May 22, 2019, 5:21 pm
#6293
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 3,251
Well at least everything is enabled.
My local Carl’s Jr. got iPP350s with everything enabled.
I don’t think this is the standard setup. But it worked. I used Apple Pay
I don’t think this is the standard setup. But it worked. I used Apple Pay
May 22, 2019, 5:57 pm
#6294
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,723
The iPP350s on Elavon is the standard Hardee's/Carl's Jr system and Amex cards tapped does not work. The register hardware seems to vary some on that system. Now the Carl's Jr locations in the Denver area uses Verifone Point with MX915s which isn't the standard setup.
May 22, 2019, 6:05 pm
#6295
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The ones here use standalone VX520s IIRC. They also managed to disable PIN on them so they can be used in the drive through without handing to customers.
May 23, 2019, 11:52 am
#6296
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BTW, I confirmed QC at Burger King using cardpeek. No PIN either, but that could easily have been due to the low purchase amount. (That said, I suspect newer EMV implementations in general don't support PIN at all except maybe if the common AIDs are enabled.)
Also, apparently the first 10% of contactless use is the "hardest" to get; it gets adopted much more quickly after that. That's based on adoption elsewhere, however, and I could see it working out differently in the US. Though there's this:
Also, apparently the first 10% of contactless use is the "hardest" to get; it gets adopted much more quickly after that. That's based on adoption elsewhere, however, and I could see it working out differently in the US. Though there's this:
Bhatia said that JPMorgan cardholders have picked up the tap-to-pay motion “reasonably quickly,” and that the functionality has made in-store transactions quicker and easier for cardholders. It’s even popular among consumers who have never used mobile payment options such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, he said.
May 23, 2019, 2:50 pm
#6297
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I had to tap my CSR a second time on the VIVOpay device at Tender Greens today. It seemed like the cashier was expecting me to hand my card to her to swipe so she hadn't pushed the necessary button on her end before my first attempt. I also noticed an older woman in front of me using Apple Pay, which makes it twice this week (that I remember) where someone paid with a mobile device. ^
(The first was at Vons yesterday; someone used Samsung Pay at the self-checkout and the terminal sounded like it went through as MST. Of course, I ended up at that same kiosk where I discovered that it didn't respond to my contactless card at all. I don't think this is related to the recent posts above about it, just a broken terminal.)
(The first was at Vons yesterday; someone used Samsung Pay at the self-checkout and the terminal sounded like it went through as MST. Of course, I ended up at that same kiosk where I discovered that it didn't respond to my contactless card at all. I don't think this is related to the recent posts above about it, just a broken terminal.)
May 23, 2019, 9:07 pm
#6298
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 3,251
I had to tap my CSR a second time on the VIVOpay device at Tender Greens today. It seemed like the cashier was expecting me to hand my card to her to swipe so she hadn't pushed the necessary button on her end before my first attempt. I also noticed an older woman in front of me using Apple Pay, which makes it twice this week (that I remember) where someone paid with a mobile device. ^
(The first was at Vons yesterday; someone used Samsung Pay at the self-checkout and the terminal sounded like it went through as MST. Of course, I ended up at that same kiosk where I discovered that it didn't respond to my contactless card at all. I don't think this is related to the recent posts above about it, just a broken terminal.)
(The first was at Vons yesterday; someone used Samsung Pay at the self-checkout and the terminal sounded like it went through as MST. Of course, I ended up at that same kiosk where I discovered that it didn't respond to my contactless card at all. I don't think this is related to the recent posts above about it, just a broken terminal.)
May 23, 2019, 9:12 pm
#6299
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It could be a combination of living/working in a tech area (Qualcomm HQ is across the street from my workplace, for example) and contactless support at merchants now being common enough to be worth trying at least some of the time.
May 24, 2019, 3:06 pm
#6300
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Another failure with Chase Freedom at Trader Joe's; no response when I attempted to tap. I finally got around to requesting a replacement online due to this so we'll see how that goes.
That said, the UI on their terminals has changed again since I was last there. It's possible they finally have EMV contactless but I'll have to go back to confirm.
That said, the UI on their terminals has changed again since I was last there. It's possible they finally have EMV contactless but I'll have to go back to confirm.