Discover Will No Longer Require Signatures at Checkout

December 6, 2017

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Beginning in April 2018, Discover will no longer require signatures at the point of sale for credit and debit transactions on the Discover Global Network in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The change is part of Discover’s efforts to continually improve the payment experience by speeding up the time spent at checkout all while maintaining a high level of security for both customers and merchants. Discover has already implemented a number of digital authentication technologies such as tokenization, multi-factor authentication, and biometrics that are more secure than requiring a signature and provide a more seamless payment transaction.

“As the payments industry continues to evolve and introduce new methods of transacting, we’re making sure that Discover is providing customers and merchants with a smooth and more secure payments experience,” said Jasma Ghai, vice president of Global Products Innovation at Discover. “With the rise in new payment security capabilities, like chip technology and tokenization, the time is right to remove this step from the checkout experience.”

Merchants interested in no longer requiring a signature for Discover Global Network transactions may need to update their point of sale systems.

Some additional safety and security features from Discover include:

  • Chip technology in cards that, among other security features, helps prevent card cloning by validating that it is genuine every time it is used
  • Discover® Digital Exchange that manages payment credentials on mobile and digital devices, and enables tokenization to secure the transaction
  • For credit cardmembers who activate, Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites and alert Discover cardmembers if their Social Security number is found, or if any new accounts are opened on their Experian® credit report1
  • Freeze It®, which enables cardmembers to freeze their Discover card account in a matter of seconds to prevent new purchases if they misplace their card
  • Monitoring of every Discover card purchase every day for every customer
  • $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee on unauthorized purchases made with a Discover card

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.

1Discover® Identity Alerts are offered by Discover Bank at no cost, only available online, and currently include the following services: (a) daily monitoring of your Experian® credit report and an alert when a new account is listed on your report; (b) daily monitoring of thousands of risky websites known for revealing personal information and an alert if your Social Security Number on is found on such a website. This information is intended for, and only provided to, Primary credit cardmembers whose accounts are open, in good standing and have an email address on file. The Primary cardmember must agree online to receive identity alerts. Identity alert services are based on Experian information and data which may differ from information and data at other credit bureaus. Monitoring your credit report does not impact your credit score. This benefit may change or end in the future. Discover Bank is not a credit repair organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. To see a list of Frequently Asked Questions, visit discover.com/freealerts.

Source: Discover Financial Services

Discover

Rob Weiss

224-405-6304

robertweiss@discover.com

@Discover_News