Cannot add cards to apple pay due to device score 1

I tried everything I apple reps told me, does not work. I called my banks they told me its my iphone's device score 1 which caused the issue.

Who knows how to solve device score 1? All apple reps I talked to told me they do not know what it is, and keep reassuring me it is not apple's fault. I am out of means.

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Aug 7, 2025 1:25 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 7, 2025 2:01 PM

The reps aren’t trained in what the device score is and have no information on their screens or manuals about the issue. There are some basic issues that can cause it. Key factors that may contribute to a low score include:

• Issues with your Apple Accounts (e.g., recently created, inactive for a long time, used with multiple devices, or associated with multiple Apple Accounts).

• Your Apple ID and/or credit card being new or unused.

• No recent card activity or your card not being activated.

• Suspicious activity such as fraud flagged on your credit card, or your device/account previously associated with fraud.

• Trying and failing to add cards too many times in a short period.

• Problems or inconsistencies with your iTunes/App Store account.

• Device usage patterns: very low usage (few calls, emails, or little regular activity), password recently changed, or not running the latest iOS update.

• Hardware or accounts flagged for repair issues or by your card provider or Payment Network Operator (PNO).

17 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 7, 2025 2:01 PM in response to LLe815

The reps aren’t trained in what the device score is and have no information on their screens or manuals about the issue. There are some basic issues that can cause it. Key factors that may contribute to a low score include:

• Issues with your Apple Accounts (e.g., recently created, inactive for a long time, used with multiple devices, or associated with multiple Apple Accounts).

• Your Apple ID and/or credit card being new or unused.

• No recent card activity or your card not being activated.

• Suspicious activity such as fraud flagged on your credit card, or your device/account previously associated with fraud.

• Trying and failing to add cards too many times in a short period.

• Problems or inconsistencies with your iTunes/App Store account.

• Device usage patterns: very low usage (few calls, emails, or little regular activity), password recently changed, or not running the latest iOS update.

• Hardware or accounts flagged for repair issues or by your card provider or Payment Network Operator (PNO).

Aug 7, 2025 2:13 PM in response to LLe815

They can’t change it. Your device does not qualify to use Apple Pay. Your device reports the information to the PNO and issuing bank and they deem your device too risky to verify for use with their credit or debit card. Time is said to fix the issue. In the case of fraud alerts, the bank the bank or PNO can remove the alerts. Another option is to use the banks app or your online account with the bank.


Apple basically can’t see the data your iPhone is sending to the bank and PNO. The information is on your device and your device is sending it to first the PNO and then the bank. The banks and PNO use their own algorithms or risk evaluation to score the risk associated with your device.


What’s the history of your device? Did you purchase it new? Ever had any fraud alerts on any of your accounts over the last 12 months?


Aug 9, 2025 8:43 AM in response to LLe815

So a quick internet search indicates that a “device score” is a fraud risk rating assigned to a particular device based on a number of factors. It’s very much like a credit rating for a device. If your device score is too low banks will take measures, including denial of service to that device.


As Jeff Donald points out you are not being candid with us as to how this may been applied to your device (iPhone?). Like improving your credit rating there are suggestions for improving your device score. You might try searching on “how to improve device score”. Perhaps you’ve made one too many fraud claims, etc.


Bottom line, this is not something Apple can fix. Financial institutions use a device score like they use a credit rating to evaluate your device’s fraud risk. Which institution establishes a device score is unclear but it’s likely similar to the three main credit rating companies.


So start researching how to improve your device score as no one here can help you with that, including Apple. There is no switch that can be thrown to make this away.


FWIW one the things that can lower your device score is using public WiFi for financial transactions according to the internet. Very risky to do that.


Start researching and good luck.

Aug 9, 2025 11:01 AM in response to LLe815

For those people who kept saying or indicating it is bank's fault, Apple can do nothing narritive, here is a report you need to read, before giving more misinformation to others. Apple's new anti-fraud Trust Score: Separating facts from FUD | iMore


APPLE is making a device score, not only the banks! I suspect you know this already, please stop saying "Bottom line, this is not something Apple can fix. Financial institutions use a device score like they use a credit rating to evaluate your device’s fraud risk." Apple is providing the device score and their reps refused to tell us openly they are doing it. How rediculous you say Apple cannot fix its own score. At least banks tell the truth for this matter.

By the way, if you read Legal - App Store & Privacy- Apple, you will also notice "To help identify and prevent fraud, information about how you use your device, including the approximate number of phone calls or emails you send and receive, will be used to compute a device trust score when you attempt a purchase. " Any more misinformation you want to spead about Apple do not have a device score or nothing Apple can fix?



Aug 9, 2025 11:24 AM in response to Jeff Donald

To LLe815,


The link to Legal - App Store & Privacy- Apple is irrelevant and has nothing to do with the use of Apple Pay. The score you refer to, specifically is for Apple App Store, not Apple Pay. Here is the relevant link.


Legal - Apple Pay & Privacy- Apple Please note Apple Pay, no App Store.


Card provisioning security overview - Apple Support this will help you better understand the process.


The tier one support staff, to the best of my knowledge, is not trained in every facet of how, why, where and when, in regard to Apple Pay. They state they have no knowledge or information about a device score and that’s truthful to the best of my knowledge. When I’ve talked to tier one support team members, I’ve never encountered one that knew anything about device scores. Their usual reply is, never heard of it or something to that effect.


On a side note, the moderators will get tired of your constant violation of the terms of service you agreed to when you joined the community. There is no need for personal attacks and your continued assumption of facts that aren’t in evidence.




Aug 7, 2025 2:06 PM in response to Jeff Donald

Ok, if the applepay and technical reps aren't trained for this issue, who is?


Right now I think the problem is not what caused it, the problem is how to fix it, and no one I ever talked to, supervisors, managers, knew whats going on, the only thing they do is to tell me there is no such score, it's all the banks' fault.


So who are trained to solve this problem? Jeff? I appreciate your reply, but I also notice you copy paste the same reply to several post regarding this issue in the past years, none of them getting solved. I wonder if you are curious for these years what's really going on and who is in charge of it, the almighty score assigner?

Aug 7, 2025 3:10 PM in response to Jeff Donald

I used this phone since new for more than 3 years. It is no longer important what caused it, since we cannot find out who is in charge of it, to give us the real reason. There must be someone who is in charge, but simply we cannot find him or the team.


One thing is clear, for Apple, there is nothing wrong from their side, all reps, supervisors, manager confirmed that with me. unfortunately, there is nothing wrong from the banks side either, all major banks told me so. There must be at least one side who is lying, and Isuspect there is something wrong they already knew, one of the banker told me the head quarter has been working with Apple for a few years trying to solve the problem, based on others' post on this issue, it could be very likely true.


If it is the bank, then what are the information my device report to the banks? I am surprised all my cards work fine, my cards in applepay on other devices work fine, but just for this phone, all banks have beef with it and want to lie about it together that there is nothing wrong from their end? What is the purpose for them? I do not trust Apple in this case, at least they did not tell me all the truth, whereas banks told me about apple device score 1 at least.

Aug 7, 2025 3:23 PM in response to LLe815

It’s absolutely important what caused the issue. You’re no better than the banks and Apple. I’m willing to assist, but you won’t be honest with me and disclose the facts. How else can anyone advise you on how to fix it? It’s like saying your car won’t move. Is it because it’s got a flat tire, out of gas, stuck in park, dead battery, or what exactly. If you want to play games, I can’t help you. Sorry, I wish you well.



Aug 7, 2025 4:14 PM in response to Jeff Donald

Care to elabrate? We are already told the battery is dead for the car, in order to drive it, we better replace the battery, instead of guessing why it is dead, which might be important for future prove, but knowing why wont move the car, agree?


Why you get this mad when someone has a different opinion than yours. The problem is clearly in Apple or Bank's end. The solution is to get rid of device score 1. And why would you assume I am not being honest, I have already answered your question I used it for 3 years since it was new, and banks told me no issues at all from their ends, what else make you this mad? Your reaction is confusing and alarming. Trouble shooting may help to prevent future issues, but not the way to solve an already existing problem, because all we do is purely speculating, there is no way to confirm. Better just let the time fly.


I wish you well, too. Please take a deep breath and have a good rest. It is the same issue like the past several posts, same story again and again, no need to be rude like this. You will be appreciated for being helpful, but that does not give you a free pass to be insulting and I am not "playing the game" you want to play here, I think the dishonest person is not me.

Aug 8, 2025 8:40 AM in response to Jeff Donald

Why are you starting to blame the victim? I think I answered all your questions. Even if I failed to do so, does it justift your behavior to start to get personal? Do you call people dishonest over trivial issues like this all the time? I am not sure why Apple hired you as a store manager, but I am glad they no longer do so.


Aren't you the one who want to play a guessing game? Who is the dishonest person here? Gaslighting from people like you is a typical example of "every accusation is a confession".


I am looking for advice from who has solved this issue. According to you records, your guessing games never solved a single case who had deveice score 1 issue in the past years, so I think I do not need your involvement, especially with your attitude. I will save my time by stopping responding to you. Have a nice day.

Aug 9, 2025 10:34 AM in response to lkrupp

Like I said earlier, Apple confirmed with me that there is nothing wrong with my device, and the banks confirmed with me that there is nothing wrong with my bank accounts, I can use them without any issue, or add them to my other apple device perfectly fine. I use my phone regularly just like the past 3 years, I did nothing wrong that I know of. And of course I did something wrong according to you, and you know me well that I am "not being candid", or else why it's me who became be the victim, right?


To me there is no point for guess what I have done wrong, unless both apple and the banks are lying. And if they lie to cover it, then I could never know the true reason. So far the only way I can do is wait, this issue been around for years, and not one person have it solved by any advices provided by Jeff, and I think he knows it, thats why he acting furious for nothing just to cover or make he feel better that he has never solved this problem, but it shouldn't be his fault or Apple's.


I appreciate it your input, despite the blaming the victim mentality. But I do feel you are too sure that "Bottom line, this is not something Apple can fix." It's an issue related to applepay, I can hardly imagine someone could be 100% sure Apple is not the party to be involved for a solution. It may not be as simple as you think, or simply you are biased.

Aug 9, 2025 11:35 AM in response to Jeff Donald

To your point, it says app store & PRIVACY, how could you be so sure it is "irrelevant and has nothing to do with the use of Apple Pay"? Just one example, Apple Pay can be used to make purchases within the App Store, of course it is relevant?


Talking about who is not being candid, I asked who is the one trained to answer device score 1 question then, you never asnwer this question, nor did the other guy. Both of you ignored that question, but I do not think you are hiding something or suggest that you are not being candid or dishonest, because I trusted you guys.


"There is no need for personal attacks and your continued assumption of facts that aren’t in evidence. " Well said, but are you under the same terms of service? You started it by saying I am "dishonest"? Is it not a personal attack? what did I say that are worse than it?

You also said I quote "When you specifically state “It’s no longer important what caused it” and “Right now I think the problem is not what caused it” and “To me there is no point for guess what I have done wrong.” Your statements imply you know the cause." Isn't this assumptions with pure speculation?

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Cannot add cards to apple pay due to device score 1

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