Jan 8, 2022, 9:16 pm
Last edit by: SPN Lifer
Older (archived) threads:
2017- 21
2014-16
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FAQ
(Non-exhaustive) list of EMV contactless supporting merchants in the US:
* CDCVM support confirmed
** CDCVM support depends on store/restaurant
† CDCVM supported in MSD mode
2017- 21
2014-16
- - - - - -
FAQ
- What is EMV contactless?
EMV contactless is a form of near-field communication (NFC)/contactless 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. (EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard & Visa, the 1994 founders of the EMV chip or smart chip technology.)
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 payment cards (2022 - 2023)
Oct 28, 2022, 10:08 pm
#436
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: BUF
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Lowe's (Home Improvement) has started replacing the older NCR self checkouts. The new self checkouts are built by their hardware provider UTC Retail using ELO touch screens. The new software will be the same as the updated POS software currently being installed.
Last edited by tommyboy74; Oct 28, 2022 at 10:34 pm Reason: clarification
Oct 28, 2022, 10:18 pm
#437
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: BUF
Programs: Marriott, Wyndham, Choice Rewards, IHG One, SWA RR, JetBlue TB, Enterprise +, Alamo Insider, Avis PC
Posts: 7
On another forum, someone posted a photo of the terminals USPS is switching to. Seems to be one of the newer Verifones, but with a camera/QR reader that I haven't seen before on that model (or at least never noticed before). I kinda wonder if they're going to need to swap out the Ingenico readers on the kiosks too before those ever become enabled for contactless.
(I don't expect my local post office to have them yet but I do need to mail something in the next day or two, so I should be able to check.)
EDIT: my post office does indeed have them (and they work):
Unfortunately, there's no indication whether CDCVM was used (or perhaps they only use it over a certain amount).
(I don't expect my local post office to have them yet but I do need to mail something in the next day or two, so I should be able to check.)
EDIT: my post office does indeed have them (and they work):
Unfortunately, there's no indication whether CDCVM was used (or perhaps they only use it over a certain amount).
Oct 29, 2022, 3:30 am
#438
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,722
Well Arby's inside Love's now uses Lane/8000s with par pay the same as the Carl's Jr inside Love's.
Oct 29, 2022, 7:09 am
#439
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Oct 30, 2022, 10:00 am
#440
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 137
Went to Wendy's for the first time in a while. The location I visited still doesn't have contactless! Must be the slowest rollout of all time 🙃
Oct 30, 2022, 1:09 pm
#441
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Oct 30, 2022, 11:24 pm
#442
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
I was at the gift shop for Maid of the Mist today in Niagara Falls. They had Lane 5000 terminals with Shift4 as the payment processor. There were post it notes above the terminals saying that tap didn't work with Amex or debit cards. The notes also said that PINs couldn't be bypassed with debit cards. What the reasoning behind no contactless payments with Amex or debit cards?
Oct 30, 2022, 11:31 pm
#443
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I was at the gift shop for Maid of the Mist today in Niagara Falls. They had Lane 5000 terminals with Shift4 as the payment processor. There were post it notes above the terminals saying that tap didn't work with Amex or debit cards. The notes also said that PINs couldn't be bypassed with debit cards. What the reasoning behind no contactless payments with Amex or debit cards?
Though speaking of which, a local credit union debit card which used to have problems at H-Mart when tapped (but was okay when inserted) works fine now, apparently. I think H-Mart's solution was to always run contactless as credit, though.
Oct 30, 2022, 11:53 pm
#444
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
I think others have reported problems with Amex here in certain contexts. I also think at this location there would be a higher number of Canadian debit cards, which might have issues?
Oct 31, 2022, 8:21 am
#445
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Livonia, MI
Posts: 197
Mobil and PIN credit cards
I had an interesting experience this morning when filling up at Mobil. I used my First Tech PIN preferring card. After entering the PIN, I noticed that the pump changed to the cash price. I filled up and as soon as I put the nozzle back, the price reverted to the credit price again. I'm guessing that since I used PIN, it assumed I was using a debit card and gave me that price. This probably wouldn't work with an offline only PIN card, but I will try it next time and see. My SDFCU card is still valid through the end of March, but after that it will, unfortunately, be switched to a contactless card that is only chip & signature capable. Bummer. 
Oct 31, 2022, 10:50 am
#446
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
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I had an interesting experience this morning when filling up at Mobil. I used my First Tech PIN preferring card. After entering the PIN, I noticed that the pump changed to the cash price. I filled up and as soon as I put the nozzle back, the price reverted to the credit price again. I'm guessing that since I used PIN, it assumed I was using a debit card and gave me that price. This probably wouldn't work with an offline only PIN card, but I will try it next time and see. My SDFCU card is still valid through the end of March, but after that it will, unfortunately, be switched to a contactless card that is only chip & signature capable. Bummer.
Oct 31, 2022, 6:59 pm
#447
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
I'm in Toronto right now. I went to an Esso station to fill up, but I was surprised there was no contactless. This is my first time driving in Canada in 5 years, so I don't know if contactless is the norm or not for pay at the pump. It did ask me to preauthorize an amount before fueling.
Nov 5, 2022, 3:41 pm
#448
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 137
PayPal/Venmo is "moving away" from QR payments! 🥳🥳🪅🪅🪩🪩🎉🎉
Good riddance! NFC or bust!
Good riddance! NFC or bust!
Nov 8, 2022, 9:56 am
#449
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The Sheraton I was at this past weekend was unfortunately insert/swipe only with what looked like default Elavon software.
On the other hand, other than Roscoe's (which does do pay at the counter but keeps the obviously tap enabled PIN pad behind the counter) and a gastropub, everywhere else I went to in Pasadena (CA) did let me tap my card. I noticed a large number of those places used Toast, too, but I don't know if I can conclude anything from that.
On the other hand, other than Roscoe's (which does do pay at the counter but keeps the obviously tap enabled PIN pad behind the counter) and a gastropub, everywhere else I went to in Pasadena (CA) did let me tap my card. I noticed a large number of those places used Toast, too, but I don't know if I can conclude anything from that.
Nov 8, 2022, 3:30 pm
#450
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 201
These seem to be similar at both Home Depot and Lowe's, and I don't understand the large, somewhat flimsy, feeling touchscreens being an improvement over a self checkout system like what's at Target or Walmart. He kind of reminds me how Kroger seems to have their own specific hardware set up that feels dumber. Nonetheless, when they replacing all of that, why not enable contactless?