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)
Jan 26, 2020, 12:13 pm
#7861
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 2,495
Speedway's MX915 tonight had a pretty hard time reading my phone; Google Pay kept complaining that I was moving the phone too fast, even though I wasn't. It eventually did read, however. Given that it worked fine at Smart & Final a couple of hours before, I'm going to blame Verifone's inconsistent hardware and software once again (or at least making it easy for merchants to write buggy software, anyway). 
Unfortunately, the gas pumps at the location I went to still don't have contactless turned on. I wouldn't be surprised if it were one of the last to since Southern California just recently started to get Speedways in the first place.
Unfortunately, the gas pumps at the location I went to still don't have contactless turned on. I wouldn't be surprised if it were one of the last to since Southern California just recently started to get Speedways in the first place.
Speedway is the only one on Radiant where it appears you can tap before they press that stupid electronic payment button.
I think that location is actually the only one with Speedway gas branding, the rest have kept Shell branding and are stuck in a supply agreement. We will see what happens in the next few months.
Jan 28, 2020, 7:23 pm
#7862
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 266
This seems to happen only with my Capital One Quicksilver.
I made a purchase at Papa Johns about 2 weeks ago. It never appeared in my purchase history at all.
Just magically appeared this week.
I made a purchase at Papa Johns about 2 weeks ago. It never appeared in my purchase history at all.
Just magically appeared this week.
Jan 29, 2020, 4:05 pm
#7863
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Einstein's Bagels seems to be getting new NCR POS hardware; I've now seen it at several locations (one in Las Vegas and one in my area). No chip/contactless acceptance yet but it might be coming soon.
Also, I saw this donation thing at a local grocery chain. It's a little sad seeing chip and swipe slots when such a reader would be contactless-only elsewhere--but then again, they kinda have to.
BTW, a new bookstore in the same shopping center as this grocery store apparently taps cards for customers. I imagine they'd turn their (what looked to be an) Ingenico PIN pad towards you if you wanted to tap your phone instead, however.
Also, I saw this donation thing at a local grocery chain. It's a little sad seeing chip and swipe slots when such a reader would be contactless-only elsewhere--but then again, they kinda have to.
BTW, a new bookstore in the same shopping center as this grocery store apparently taps cards for customers. I imagine they'd turn their (what looked to be an) Ingenico PIN pad towards you if you wanted to tap your phone instead, however.
Jan 29, 2020, 9:53 pm
#7864
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,071
On another note, a Chase payment terminal from an HMS Host vendor failed tonight at Orlando International Airport. The terminal said tap, insert, swipe, but tapping my CSR resulted in CARD READ ERROR. I ended up having to insert my card instead.
Jan 29, 2020, 11:48 pm
#7865
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Jan 30, 2020, 12:32 pm
#7866
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
I went to Aldi for the first time in a while this morning and it looks like you can pre-tap now. There's also a (new?) credit/debit prompt that appeared after tapping my UNFCU Visa card, so still MSD only.
Jan 30, 2020, 1:51 pm
#7867
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 133
I hate credit/debit prompts when you insert a real credit card. They’re just there to sucker you into accidentally pressing debit and take a cash advance, costing you interest. Does the merchant actually benefit from this?
Jan 30, 2020, 2:47 pm
#7868
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
I always thought it was because some stores can't seem to tell whether a card is a debit card or a credit card just from the BIN (whereas with EMV, they can go off of whether the common AID exists and be pretty much 100% sure for routing purposes). I'm not even sure you could run a credit card as debit at a store; I've never tried.
Jan 31, 2020, 5:49 pm
#7869
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: SEA/ATL
Posts: 61
Randomly came across this:
. I think Toast now has a contactless reader for the tablet? It looks different from the hockey puck style reader that was mentioned last week.
Jan 31, 2020, 5:53 pm
#7870
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Randomly came across this: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7_XiiRg43l/. I think Toast now has a contactless reader for the tablet? It looks different from the hockey puck style reader that was mentioned last week.
Jan 31, 2020, 6:31 pm
#7871
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 67
This looks like the Direct Attach model, which is also available in addition to the counter model.
Jan 31, 2020, 6:39 pm
#7872
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: SEA/ATL
Posts: 61
“And now we have Apple Pay!” proceeds to tap Samsung phone 😂
This looks like the Direct Attach model, which is also available in addition to the counter model.
This looks like the Direct Attach model, which is also available in addition to the counter model.
Jan 31, 2020, 7:19 pm
#7873
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
BTW, the troubleshooting guide for the Direct Attach model seems to imply that you can pre-tap, though I'm not 100% sure how the quick order feature works to know for sure.
2. The blue light on the reader is showing, but the Toast Tap™ still doesn't accept payment.
Try a test payment by going to the quick order screen on your terminal and then add an item. At this point, there should be a solid blue light on the reader. Try to dip for payment.
Try a test payment by going to the quick order screen on your terminal and then add an item. At this point, there should be a solid blue light on the reader. Try to dip for payment.
Jan 31, 2020, 8:30 pm
#7874
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,071
I was pleasantly surprised when the cashier at Venezuelan Burger here in Orlando looked at my card and upon seeing the contactless logo tapped the card without prompting! I think that's the first instance I've seen outside of Costco in the US.
Feb 1, 2020, 10:58 am
#7875
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Boo Hoo! My Chase and Wells Fargo Visa cards have the symbol on the back!