An identity reader is coupled to a card reader that is coupled to a peripheral device, and includes a transceiver for scanning ephemeral ID signals including a first ephemeral ID signal from a user smart-device, wherein the first ephemeral ID signal is not permanently associated with the user, for outputting a reader identifier and a second ephemeral ID signal not permanently associated with a reader device to the smart device, and for receiving an authorization server token from the smart device, a processor coupled to the transceiver for determining whether the authorization server token is valid, and for determining card emulation data from a payload portion of the authorization server token, a radio frequency (rf) transmitter coupled to the processor for transmitting the card emulation data to the card reader device via rf signals, and wherein the reader device is for directing the peripheral device to perform a user-perceptible action.