The card firm is the third to grant gas stations more time to upgrade fuel pumps for chip cards
By NACS Online // May 14, 2020
RIVERWOODS, Ill.—Discover said yesterday that it is delaying the EMV fraud liability shift deadline for chip payments at automated fuel dispensers until April 16, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visa and American Express had already said they would delay the EMV deadline, leaving Mastercard the only major card company that hasn’t yet announced plans to postpone the liability shift at the pump. Like Discover, American Express’ new deadline is April 16, 2021, but Visa’s new deadline is April 17, 2021.
“With the current pandemic impacting merchants around the country, we looked at our mission to be a good partner and believe that moving this date will ease the concerns for gas stations as they look to update their automated fuel dispensers,” said Andrew Hopkins, senior vice president of global products and pricing at Discover. “EMV has significantly reduced counterfeit fraud, and we encourage our merchants to continue their efforts to migrate their fuel dispensers to EMV.”
The extension gives gas stations more time to install EMV-compliant systems as they deal with the pandemic’s economic and logistical challenges, Discover said.
In late March, NACS sent letters to Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover to request a delay in EMV fraud liability shift, citing complications from the coronavirus.
