PCI requirements are in place to prevent data breaches that lead to the theft of credit card data and fraudulent charges. PCI compliance is mandatory for all restaurants that accept credit card payments, but businesses are not required to meet EMV standards. EMV is a security standard that focuses on preventing criminals from producing counterfeit cards, which is why there are over 400 million chip cards in America today.
Chip cards, or smart cards, were developed because the magnetic strip on the back of credit and debit cards contains unchanging data. This means that anyone who has access to this data has all the information necessary to make purchases, which is why criminals started counterfeiting these cards. In contrast, the chip in newer smart cards creates unique information for every charge made making it much more difficult to counterfeit.
Though EMV standards are not mandatory they are encouraged because in October of 2015, damages associated with fraudulent activity shifted from financial institutions to business owners if they failed to use EMV-compatible point of sale equipment.
The Six Categories of PCI Compliance
EMV Standard
Credit card processing machines must be able to take payments by using the chip on a smart card as opposed to the magnetic strip on the back of the card
If you have any questions about PCI compliance and EMV Standards please reach out to the CRA at (303) 830-2972.
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