A system and computer-implemented method for analyzing chip card transactions to identify defective chip cards and/or defective chip readers in need of replacement. Constraints are established to define a subset of card transactions. From a full set of card transactions the subset is identified consisting of each card transaction falling within the constraints and occurring at a merchant having a chip reader. From this subset the unique chip readers are identified, and for each unique chip reader a percentage of fallback transactions is calculated. The percentage of fallback transactions is compared to a maximum value, and if the percentage of fallback transactions exceeds the maximum value, the chip reader is identified as defective. Each defective chip reader is reported to the merchant, along with at least a recommendation to replace the defective chip reader. A similar process may be used to identify defective chip cards.