Apple Pay at Coto?

[crypto]

I have used it at McDonalds, any restaurants that take credit card. Basically any stores that have a handheld POS for CC. One store I bought mattresses from had a separate machine for foreign credit cards as they were aware their other machine doesn't work with foreign CC. So you might need to ask. We also used it a Correfour or maybe Jumbo (can't remember which or maybe both), anyway sometimes ask them to charge as a debit card also works. We notice the new white machine with blue (mercado pago logo) works seamlessly. We have also used it at farmacity. Oh, I just bought Starlink from Fravega using my cc withe the recent 25 points exchange rate increase so that was nice (they had old black machine for the pos).

This matches my experiences too. Those newer white machines always work for me. Please post updates @Oatmeal how good the Starlink works. I am thinking about some rural properties but the downside is no Internet out there but this would solve it. I just want to see how fast you get.

 

[Darksider415]

This is exactly what my friend down there said. She does the same thing as you Darksider415. She uses US passport card which is a formal government ID that people seem to all accept and she said the same about her USA Mastercard on the black machines. What % of machines down there accept Apple Pay if you had to guess?

I’ve only seen one, in almost two years, that didn’t, but it had a problem where it would crash with any contactless card. I’ve had people say it won’t work in various places, but then it worked perfectly when I asked to try.

 

[Bob]

I’ve only seen one, in almost two years, that didn’t, but it had a problem where it would crash with any contactless card. I’ve had people say it won’t work in various places, but then it worked perfectly when I asked to try.

Sometimes the system goes down or at least that is what they tell me. I love Apple Pay and try to use it whenever I can. I like that my credit card number is not given out. Or at least I think that is how it is. It can be a hassle with fraud and replacing credit cards while living remote!

 

[Oatmeal]

I use my US passport card and Apple Pay at this Coto, when I do the self-checkout. When I go through the line, I just use the physical card since I don't want to deal with explaining something unusual to the clerks. My US Mastercards work through Apple Pay but my US Visa and AMEX cards don't for some reason, on the black machines. The white MercadoPago machines work for everything.

Thanks for this info. I can confirm VISA does not work on self-checkout.

 

[Oatmeal]

Sometimes the system goes down or at least that is what they tell me. I love Apple Pay and try to use it whenever I can. I like that my credit card number is not given out. Or at least I think that is how it is. It can be a hassle with fraud and replacing credit cards while living remote!

Exactly why I prefer to use Apple Pay. The other day I was buying home insurance and the agent at the retail location was writing all my info (to process in the computer later?). At one point he asked for my credit card #? We asked if he was going to write it down, which he said yes. So we said no and just wait for the voucher or the invoice to pay every month/quarter. TBH he was trying to be helpful with auto payment but writing our info on a notebook was just archaic, when we left he messaged me again asking for some info again (which he already had), I guess he wrote the info wrong or couldn't read his own writing.

 

[Larry]

Exactly why I prefer to use Apple Pay. The other day I was buying home insurance and the agent at the retail location was writing all my info (to process in the computer later?). At one point he asked for my credit card #? We asked if he was going to write it down, which he said yes. So we said no and just wait for the voucher or the invoice to pay every month/quarter. TBH he was trying to be helpful with auto payment but writing our info on a notebook was just archaic, when we left he messaged me again asking for some info again (which he already had), I guess he wrote the info wrong or couldn't read his own writing.

I have been fortunate @Oatmeal that I haven't yet had any fraud in Argentina. I have in other countries in South America like Peru and Colombia and Brazil too but not in Argentina.

 

[Sunny]

@Pink Panther , @Betsy Ross , @earlyretirement , @Digital Nomad , @Darksider415

You guys have commented that you shop at Coto and have no problems presenting either your US driver's license or your US Passport Card so I thought, well, we will try again. This morning we went to Coto and paid with our US cc and were asked for the passport, which we presented. We had to go back in the afternoon and I told my husband about this thread, we only took our phones and cc. Mind you, we shop at that Coto twice a week, the supervisors and some of the cashiers know us.

At the register, I say credit and show her the photo of the passport, the young boy says he has to ask the supervisor because he is not supposed to accept a photo of an ID. I tell him that's not necessary, we always shop there, just enter the passport number. He says no, and calls the supervisor. She recognizes us, but still recites to me the bloody script, blah, blah, blah, and I will make an exception just for today. And that's the part that f'ing irks me so I tell her that it is stupid, ridiculous, frigging moronic and ignorant that they would continue to inconvenience regular customers like that.

So guys, this has happened to us in our neighborhood Coto and in two other Coto supermarkets, including the Hiper Coto on French. How is it that you don't have to go through this nonsense?

I know that it really depends on the cashier because, on occasion, we forgot the passport and the cashier did not make any fuss when we showed him the driver's license. Actually, a couple of months ago, I was standing next to a couple who had just showed the cashier a driver's license and no problem at all, but that day I was paying cash.

Oh, well, I guess we'll have to wait until Coto's management finds out about the new law, if it ever does.

 

[Digital Nomad]

@Pink Panther , @Betsy Ross , @earlyretirement , @Digital Nomad , @Darksider415

You guys have commented that you shop at Coto and have no problems presenting either your US driver's license or your US Passport Card so I thought, well, we will try again. This morning we went to Coto and paid with our US cc and were asked for the passport, which we presented. We had to go back in the afternoon and I told my husband about this thread, we only took our phones and cc. Mind you, we shop at that Coto twice a week, the supervisors and some of the cashiers know us.

At the register, I say credit and show her the photo of the passport, the young boy says he has to ask the supervisor because he is not supposed to accept a photo of an ID. I tell him that's not necessary, we always shop there, just enter the passport number. He says no, and calls the supervisor. She recognizes us, but still recites to me the bloody script, blah, blah, blah, and I will make an exception just for today. And that's the part that f'ing irks me so I tell her that it is stupid, ridiculous, frigging moronic and ignorant that they would continue to inconvenience regular customers like that.

So guys, this has happened to us in our neighborhood Coto and in two other Coto supermarkets, including the Hiper Coto on French. How is it that you don't have to go through this nonsense?

I know that it really depends on the cashier because, on occasion, we forgot the passport and the cashier did not make any fuss when we showed him the driver's license. Actually, a couple of months ago, I was standing next to a couple who had just showed the cashier a driver's license and no problem at all, but that day I was paying cash.

Oh, well, I guess we'll have to wait until Coto's management finds out about the new law, if it ever does.

By chance are you speaking to them in perfect Spanish? I always tell my friends to play the "dumb tourist American". My friends that speak perfect Castallano have told me they experience the same as you but when I tell them to speak English or fake really bad Spanish the employees don't want to mess with getting manager and just accept the tourist card.

This makes no sense that they are so difficult with you. Maybe try playing the dumb tourist. My girlfriend told me that advice as my friend that speaks perfect Spanish and looks like a local had the same issue but then he took this advice and it worked!

 

[Spend Thrift]

By chance are you speaking to them in perfect Spanish? I always tell my friends to play the "dumb tourist American". My friends that speak perfect Castallano have told me they experience the same as you but when I tell them to speak English or fake really bad Spanish the employees don't want to mess with getting manager and just accept the tourist card.

This makes no sense that they are so difficult with you. Maybe try playing the dumb tourist. My girlfriend told me that advice as my friend that speaks perfect Spanish and looks like a local had the same issue but then he took this advice and it worked!

So true about the dumb tourist! Actually I am one. My Spanish is no bueno. The employees here are lazy and I think there is some directive to just say let the dumb gringos show their DL. I never carry my passport around and don't have any problems. I have gone to the Coto in Recoleta and only use my Driver's license as I don't want to carry around my passport. That almost seems ridiculous having to show a passport to buy groceries.

 

[Sunny]

By chance are you speaking to them in perfect Spanish? I always tell my friends to play the "dumb tourist American". My friends that speak perfect Castallano have told me they experience the same as you but when I tell them to speak English or fake really bad Spanish the employees don't want to mess with getting manager and just accept the tourist card.

I think that's what it is. Yes, I speak in Castellano, but they always ask me where I'm from because I speak with a gringo cadence. My first month here, last October, I spoke with a very strong gringo accent, but then we'd shop mostly at Carrefour and use their self-checkout so no problem there, only once we were asked for the passport and when I said we didn't have it, we got the "this time, as an exception..." BS.

This makes no sense that they are so difficult with you. Maybe try playing the dumb tourist. My girlfriend told me that advice as my friend that speaks perfect Spanish and looks like a local had the same issue but then he took this advice and it worked!

Now we always shop at the same Coto and they already know that I speak Castellano, I can't play the stupid gringo. Oh, well.

 

[Sunny]

That almost seems ridiculous having to show a passport to buy groceries.

Yes, this must be the only country in this continent that does that. Twenty years of commie rule...

 

[Spend Thrift]

I think that's what it is. Yes, I speak in Castellano, but they always ask me where I'm from because I speak with a gringo cadence. My first month here, last October, I spoke with a very strong gringo accent, but then we'd shop mostly at Carrefour and use their self-checkout so no problem there, only once we were asked for the passport and when I said we didn't have it, we got the "this time, as an exception..." BS.



Now we always shop at the same Coto and they already know that I speak Castellano, I can't play the stupid gringo. Oh, well.

It boggles my mind that a grocery store would think it is necessary to ask for a PASSPORT to buy food. I could see if you were buying large ticket items like a TV or something. I think some Cotos have electronics but it is nuts if they know you're a normal customer that shops there. You should find a way to talk to the manager and find some way around this. It's these types of things that drive me nuts here. No common sense!

 

[Bob]

I think that's what it is. Yes, I speak in Castellano, but they always ask me where I'm from because I speak with a gringo cadence. My first month here, last October, I spoke with a very strong gringo accent, but then we'd shop mostly at Carrefour and use their self-checkout so no problem there, only once we were asked for the passport and when I said we didn't have it, we got the "this time, as an exception..." BS.



Now we always shop at the same Coto and they already know that I speak Castellano, I can't play the stupid gringo. Oh, well.

Crazy crazy that they do this to you. Especially if they know you. I get asked for my passport sometimes at Jumbo on Cerviño. It's annoying but most haven't bothered lately. I'm clearly a gringo. I'm curious how much fraud there is going on with credit cards. I don't think it can be that high.

 

[MikeYoung]

I only went to Coto once or twice but I used my US driver's license without issues. I used that ID in the mall and NO restaurants ever asked for ID. The only place that forced the passport issue was Jumbo/Easy.

 

[Tommy]

I use my US passport card and Apple Pay at this Coto, when I do the self-checkout. When I go through the line, I just use the physical card since I don't want to deal with explaining something unusual to the clerks. My US Mastercards work through Apple Pay but my US Visa and AMEX cards don't for some reason, on the black machines. The white MercadoPago machines work for everything.

This is the same thing I do. I noticed that only my Mastercard works with Apple Pay for the black machines. Good to see it wasn't just me.

What I understand is that Apple Pay should work anywhere they accept contactless payments.

When it doesn't work, the problem is about your card being foreign and not about using Apple Pay itself. I don't usually use cards from abroad but I did use Apple Pay at Disco self checkout without problems.

By the way many Argentine banks support it too - I applied for a Brubank account and I was able to start using it within 24 hours thanks to Apple Pay, no need to wait for the card to arrive!



Good to know! At Coto self-checkout there was a sign saying the "foreign cards don't work" so I never tried it. This means only some cards/machine don't work I guess.

Is Brubank something you need a DNI for @dai?

 

[Betsy Ross]

@Pink Panther , @Betsy Ross , @earlyretirement , @Digital Nomad , @Darksider415

You guys have commented that you shop at Coto and have no problems presenting either your US driver's license or your US Passport Card so I thought, well, we will try again. This morning we went to Coto and paid with our US cc and were asked for the passport, which we presented. We had to go back in the afternoon and I told my husband about this thread, we only took our phones and cc. Mind you, we shop at that Coto twice a week, the supervisors and some of the cashiers know us.

At the register, I say credit and show her the photo of the passport, the young boy says he has to ask the supervisor because he is not supposed to accept a photo of an ID. I tell him that's not necessary, we always shop there, just enter the passport number. He says no, and calls the supervisor. She recognizes us, but still recites to me the bloody script, blah, blah, blah, and I will make an exception just for today. And that's the part that f'ing irks me so I tell her that it is stupid, ridiculous, frigging moronic and ignorant that they would continue to inconvenience regular customers like that.

So guys, this has happened to us in our neighborhood Coto and in two other Coto supermarkets, including the Hiper Coto on French. How is it that you don't have to go through this nonsense?

I know that it really depends on the cashier because, on occasion, we forgot the passport and the cashier did not make any fuss when we showed him the driver's license. Actually, a couple of months ago, I was standing next to a couple who had just showed the cashier a driver's license and no problem at all, but that day I was paying cash.

Oh, well, I guess we'll have to wait until Coto's management finds out about the new law, if it ever does.

Is it possible for you to just talk to the manager personally @Sunny and explain the situation? It seems like you must speak Castellano fluently. You are obviously a great customer and maybe if you talk to her and get her name then when you check out you can reference her name. I have seen a lot of things that don't make sense here but I can't believe they are so difficult with you. There must be some branch manager for you to talk to. Ask him/her how you can best resolve this.

I haven't had issues at all with this. Even buying some electronics before in various stores just showing my US driver's license or passport card worked. I have a DNI but I don't want to have issues here. I have friends that have DNI and order many things under their DNI and had all sorts of issues with the bank. They are just retired and don't earn income here in Argentina but it's never a good idea to have to deal with AFIP if you can avoid it.

I always just play the tourist card even living here many years.

 

[earlyretirement]

@Pink Panther , @Betsy Ross , @earlyretirement , @Digital Nomad , @Darksider415

You guys have commented that you shop at Coto and have no problems presenting either your US driver's license or your US Passport Card so I thought, well, we will try again. This morning we went to Coto and paid with our US cc and were asked for the passport, which we presented. We had to go back in the afternoon and I told my husband about this thread, we only took our phones and cc. Mind you, we shop at that Coto twice a week, the supervisors and some of the cashiers know us.

At the register, I say credit and show her the photo of the passport, the young boy says he has to ask the supervisor because he is not supposed to accept a photo of an ID. I tell him that's not necessary, we always shop there, just enter the passport number. He says no, and calls the supervisor. She recognizes us, but still recites to me the bloody script, blah, blah, blah, and I will make an exception just for today. And that's the part that f'ing irks me so I tell her that it is stupid, ridiculous, frigging moronic and ignorant that they would continue to inconvenience regular customers like that.

So guys, this has happened to us in our neighborhood Coto and in two other Coto supermarkets, including the Hiper Coto on French. How is it that you don't have to go through this nonsense?

I know that it really depends on the cashier because, on occasion, we forgot the passport and the cashier did not make any fuss when we showed him the driver's license. Actually, a couple of months ago, I was standing next to a couple who had just showed the cashier a driver's license and no problem at all, but that day I was paying cash.

Oh, well, I guess we'll have to wait until Coto's management finds out about the new law, if it ever does.

@Sunny,

What a bummer you have to deal with this issue over and over. Half the time I never even get asked for any ID at all in the Coto near my apartment. I've owned an apartment there since 2002 and used to go in so frequently. It's obvious that I'm not a Porteño so maybe that helps but in many, many stores I've never had to show a passport. I just always carry around a California driver's license and never had issues. I have had a DNI since 2002 and do speak Spanish.

I like @Betsy Ross 's suggestion to maybe see if you can talk to a Manager. I'm NOT shy and I think that situation would drive me mad. No way I'm carrying around my passport in Buenos Aires. There had to be a way a regular customer can avoid this.

Things like this are annoying there. I lived there for 9 years full-time and been working there for 22 years. I can tell you once I moved back to the USA, I was never more relieved to get back to efficiency. Things have drastically improved in Buenos Aires over the years but many times dealing with post office, banking, and governmental offices were really painful. Everything in the USA is fairly painless compared to BA. Things here work very well.

Buenos Aires has so many wonderful things and one day I'll live there full time again. But I think things like this would cause me to pull my hair out. I'd go directly to the store manager and find some resolution. Good luck.

 

[Sunny]

Is it possible for you to just talk to the manager personally @Sunny and explain the situation? It seems like you must speak Castellano fluently. You are obviously a great customer and maybe if you talk to her and get her name then when you check out you can reference her name. I have seen a lot of things that don't make sense here but I can't believe they are so difficult with you. There must be some branch manager for you to talk to. Ask him/her how you can best resolve this.

I haven't had issues at all with this. Even buying some electronics before in various stores just showing my US driver's license or passport card worked. I have a DNI but I don't want to have issues here. I have friends that have DNI and order many things under their DNI and had all sorts of issues with the bank. They are just retired and don't earn income here in Argentina but it's never a good idea to have to deal with AFIP if you can avoid it.

I always just play the tourist card even living here many years.

 

[Sunny]

Is it possible for you to just talk to the manager personally

I asked for the manager a couple of times, he/she was not in. I will keep trying, but I don't think it will make much of a difference. They would have to change company rules. The new law says that no point of sale can, at any time, handle a customer's credit card or ID and Coto is complying with it. I read the law, back in March, and it does not say anything about IDs not being required.

Below is the article I read, but nothing else has been published so who knows. Here's Google's translation:

12/03/2024

A Project So Buyers Don't Have to Present an ID​

Juntos por el Cambio deputy Damián Arabia introduced a bill in Congress on Friday called "Free and Safe Handling in Payment with Debit, Credit, and Prepaid Cards."

The legislator's initiative seeks to repeal the chapter of the Credit Card Law, enacted in 1998, which requires the presentation of an ID or any document that proves the buyer's identity at the time of payment.

In an interview with Clarín, Arabia explained: "That part of the Credit Card Law made sense at that time, but today, with the technological advancements we have, it has an adverse effect. The reality is that all banking and fintech applications allow you to 'pause' a card if someone believes it has been used improperly and quickly report the incident."

"Handing over an ID poses an unnecessary risk for the buyer and does not reduce cases of fraud or the number of disputes for the merchant," he argued.

(https://www.clarin.com/economia/cam...ucion-partir-entra-vigencia_0_O23PHkOQGF.html)

Until that bill passes, if it ever does, things will continue the way they are with the supermarkets. We do not have any problems in other stores or in supermarkets that have self-checkout, but this pain in the butt Coto is a nice supermarket and we like to shop there so we'll keep waiting, I guess.

The only times that we've been asked to present ID in a store was for a couple of large purchases. At Coto we may pay cash or credit depending on what we need to buy, we hate carrying and having to count too many bills at a shop.

To be fair, at Coto we only have to show the passport; because of the new law, the cashier cannot handle it, then I get to read the number out loud so I make up a number. Any number is accepted by their system because they can't validate foreign cc. It is that stupid. The whole thing takes 20 seconds. If I try a drivers license or a photo of the ID, it takes 5 minutes and I get lectured by a moron with an attitude.

Oh, well...

 

[Sunny]

Buenos Aires has so many wonderful things and one day I'll live there full time again. But I think things like this would cause me to pull my hair out. I'd go directly to the store manager and find some resolution. Good luck.

Thanks! I should've included you in my reply to Betsy. Here it is: https://www.expatsba.com/threads/ap...299:~:text=Add bookmark-,#39,-Betsy Ross said