Last edit by: storewanderer
Older (archived) threads: 2014-16
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FAQ- 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 Annes 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)
#5776
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,742
CSR report - I just added Mrs. Lee as an additional user. Her card arrived with contactless enabled - symbol on the back of the card, note on the letter it was stuck to saying how to use it, etc. A couple days after receipt she even used it successfully at a little shop near us that uses Square of Clover or something (one of the white box/iPad setups).
Cool, now I want one, too. Call up Chase and ask - the rep tells me that my account isn't set up for contactless, it's a gradual rollout, and I should call back in a week. I mention that my wife's card arrived with the logos and all, and she repeats they can't issue me a contactless card because my account isn't set up. I'm assuming this is BS since with Chase, additional cards don't even get separate card numbers, expiration dates, or CSVs - it's literally the same card with a different name. I ask if there's a way for her to activate my account since without tap & pay, I just use Amex everywhere esp. when abroad. She claims there's no way for her to update my account that way, but she does tell me she can order a replacement card, but it'll just be a duplicate since she can't force contactless. I play dumb and say let's try anyway...I guess we'll find out in three to five days who's right, but jeez...does it really have to be this difficult?
Didn't help that the rep was really abrupt and almost verging on rude during the conversation. I had just gotten off the phone with Amex as well (completely separate issue) and it was a night and day difference in personalities.
Also, since I was mentioning it earlier - Mrs. Lee's card came as a plastic CSR, not metal. So it seems that Chase will issue additional cards with whatever material the primary card is in, also.
Cool, now I want one, too. Call up Chase and ask - the rep tells me that my account isn't set up for contactless, it's a gradual rollout, and I should call back in a week. I mention that my wife's card arrived with the logos and all, and she repeats they can't issue me a contactless card because my account isn't set up. I'm assuming this is BS since with Chase, additional cards don't even get separate card numbers, expiration dates, or CSVs - it's literally the same card with a different name. I ask if there's a way for her to activate my account since without tap & pay, I just use Amex everywhere esp. when abroad. She claims there's no way for her to update my account that way, but she does tell me she can order a replacement card, but it'll just be a duplicate since she can't force contactless. I play dumb and say let's try anyway...I guess we'll find out in three to five days who's right, but jeez...does it really have to be this difficult?
Didn't help that the rep was really abrupt and almost verging on rude during the conversation. I had just gotten off the phone with Amex as well (completely separate issue) and it was a night and day difference in personalities.
Also, since I was mentioning it earlier - Mrs. Lee's card came as a plastic CSR, not metal. So it seems that Chase will issue additional cards with whatever material the primary card is in, also.
#5777
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 2,495
CSR report - I just added Mrs. Lee as an additional user. Her card arrived with contactless enabled - symbol on the back of the card, note on the letter it was stuck to saying how to use it, etc. A couple days after receipt she even used it successfully at a little shop near us that uses Square of Clover or something (one of the white box/iPad setups).
Cool, now I want one, too. Call up Chase and ask - the rep tells me that my account isn't set up for contactless, it's a gradual rollout, and I should call back in a week. I mention that my wife's card arrived with the logos and all, and she repeats they can't issue me a contactless card because my account isn't set up. I'm assuming this is BS since with Chase, additional cards don't even get separate card numbers, expiration dates, or CSVs - it's literally the same card with a different name. I ask if there's a way for her to activate my account since without tap & pay, I just use Amex everywhere esp. when abroad. She claims there's no way for her to update my account that way, but she does tell me she can order a replacement card, but it'll just be a duplicate since she can't force contactless. I play dumb and say let's try anyway...I guess we'll find out in three to five days who's right, but jeez...does it really have to be this difficult?
Didn't help that the rep was really abrupt and almost verging on rude during the conversation. I had just gotten off the phone with Amex as well (completely separate issue) and it was a night and day difference in personalities.
Also, since I was mentioning it earlier - Mrs. Lee's card came as a plastic CSR, not metal. So it seems that Chase will issue additional cards with whatever material the primary card is in, also.
Cool, now I want one, too. Call up Chase and ask - the rep tells me that my account isn't set up for contactless, it's a gradual rollout, and I should call back in a week. I mention that my wife's card arrived with the logos and all, and she repeats they can't issue me a contactless card because my account isn't set up. I'm assuming this is BS since with Chase, additional cards don't even get separate card numbers, expiration dates, or CSVs - it's literally the same card with a different name. I ask if there's a way for her to activate my account since without tap & pay, I just use Amex everywhere esp. when abroad. She claims there's no way for her to update my account that way, but she does tell me she can order a replacement card, but it'll just be a duplicate since she can't force contactless. I play dumb and say let's try anyway...I guess we'll find out in three to five days who's right, but jeez...does it really have to be this difficult?
Didn't help that the rep was really abrupt and almost verging on rude during the conversation. I had just gotten off the phone with Amex as well (completely separate issue) and it was a night and day difference in personalities.
Also, since I was mentioning it earlier - Mrs. Lee's card came as a plastic CSR, not metal. So it seems that Chase will issue additional cards with whatever material the primary card is in, also.
The first time I called Chase (which was last year) trying to get updated cards, they gave me a similar song and dance. They told me I would have to wait, it was a gradual roll out, and as I pressed the guy at one point he even told me I had to "wait my turn." Anyway I called back a couple weeks later (after people here started posting they had success calling) and had no problem getting cards reissued.
#5778
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
You were given complete misinformation. You should call back. If you have any trouble next time, tell them your friend has a CSR and they called a few weeks ago and reordered a card as Contactless and it showed up and you want one too. Sometimes you just have to dial things down to get what you want. After that if they still refuse, just escalate to a supervisor.
The first time I called Chase (which was last year) trying to get updated cards, they gave me a similar song and dance. They told me I would have to wait, it was a gradual roll out, and as I pressed the guy at one point he even told me I had to "wait my turn." Anyway I called back a couple weeks later (after people here started posting they had success calling) and had no problem getting cards reissued.
The first time I called Chase (which was last year) trying to get updated cards, they gave me a similar song and dance. They told me I would have to wait, it was a gradual roll out, and as I pressed the guy at one point he even told me I had to "wait my turn." Anyway I called back a couple weeks later (after people here started posting they had success calling) and had no problem getting cards reissued.
Although if you want overnight delivery, you'll still have to call.
#5779
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
BTW, it may still be rolling out. A second Habit location here didn't look to have the Dynapros as of tonight (but I also didn't attempt to order anything, so they very well could have had them hidden from customers).
#5780
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,027
Yep. In fact, that's what the knowledgeable CSRs do when making these requests. ^
#5781
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,742
You were given complete misinformation. You should call back. If you have any trouble next time, tell them your friend has a CSR and they called a few weeks ago and reordered a card as Contactless and it showed up and you want one too. Sometimes you just have to dial things down to get what you want. After that if they still refuse, just escalate to a supervisor.
The first time I called Chase (which was last year) trying to get updated cards, they gave me a similar song and dance. They told me I would have to wait, it was a gradual roll out, and as I pressed the guy at one point he even told me I had to "wait my turn." Anyway I called back a couple weeks later (after people here started posting they had success calling) and had no problem getting cards reissued.
The first time I called Chase (which was last year) trying to get updated cards, they gave me a similar song and dance. They told me I would have to wait, it was a gradual roll out, and as I pressed the guy at one point he even told me I had to "wait my turn." Anyway I called back a couple weeks later (after people here started posting they had success calling) and had no problem getting cards reissued.
I sort of did open the ask the way storewanderer suggests, except I was telling her that my wife, who I'd recently added as an AU on my account, just received her CSR card with the exact same account number, expiration date, and CSV with contactless enabled. Yet the rep continued to insist that *my* account wasn't eligible. It was borderline amusing - I asked her to explain the difference in "account" since both cards share the same # and feed to the same bill, and she just defaulted back to "it's not activated yet".
Fun times.
#5782
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,027
The only one I'm waiting for with Chase is the conversion from the Marriott Premier Plus to the Bonvoy Boundless card. I don't ever use this card except for a few Marriott stays, so I'm not in a rush to update it. The SPG AmEx has already changed its branding on Google Pay to the Marriott Bonvoy design, but the Chase Marriott card is still showing the previous branding. Now 11 of my 12 cards are in Google Pay - only the ICBC UnionPay card isn't - and 8 of my 12 cards have contactless on the card itself. This will be 9 once I receive the replacement Chase Marriott card. Things are moving in a positive direction. ^
#5783
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
We've confirmed before that SSP America uses EMV contactless, right? I didn't see any EMV info on the half of the "transaction record" receipt that I was able to see here at SAN. (It did say "no signature required" and "proximity" due to tapping my physical CSR.)
Speaking of SAN, other than AS moving terminals, there's nothing different EMV or contactless-wise from last time I flew out of T1. The Spirit/Frontier kiosks do look to be owned by SAN for common use and have Verifone readers, but I don't know if EMV's enabled on those.
Speaking of SAN, other than AS moving terminals, there's nothing different EMV or contactless-wise from last time I flew out of T1. The Spirit/Frontier kiosks do look to be owned by SAN for common use and have Verifone readers, but I don't know if EMV's enabled on those.
#5784
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 447
Went back to my Local giant, Discover contactless still fails, while Mastercard works. I did not check mastercard the last time I was there, so I don't know if it changed or not, but Discover still fails even though it worked previously.
#5785
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,123
Mid-Atlantic or PA Giant? My Discover in Apple Pay worked fine at one in Baltimore today.
#5786
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
My physical Chase Sapphire Reserve card worked today when tapped at another merchant that uses PAX PIN pads. I wonder why it didn't work at the first one (though maybe the lack of a tip prompt at the latter helped).
#5788
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,486
Has anyone ever had a successful contactless transaction with the NCR POSes that have the huge contactless logo on the right hand side? It seems that it's never actually enabled even though it actually says tap on the display.
BTW having to insert cards upside down and magstripe facing the customer has to be the worst EMV related UX I've ever seen.
BTW having to insert cards upside down and magstripe facing the customer has to be the worst EMV related UX I've ever seen.
#5789
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, AS, UA, WN, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 88
I currently have a metal non-contactless Sapphire Preferred. Thinking of getting a contactless replacement but not sure if I want it metal one or I should try to get a plastic one. If I want plastic do I just need to call in and ask for plastic? If its a nice flat card I may do it to save weight etc. Thanks!
#5790
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 28
Tapping my contactless AMEX still failed at Safeway today. Non-Visa contactless has been broken for quite some time now.