3 ms·
Bay Area is just now getting chip readers active in many places. They started installing them a year ago or so, but many had the slot taped off. The experience
by seanp2k2 10y ago
Bay Area is just now getting chip readers active in many places. They started installing them a year ago or so, but many had the slot taped off. The experience now at most places goes something like this:
1. cashier done scanning items
2. person swipes card since reader has a slot to do that on the right side and that's what they usually do
3. machine beeps or displays an error or does nothing
4. cashier has to explain to insert the card
5. person fumbles with card, eventually getting it into slot
6. sometimes people just push it in and pull it out or otherwise don't leave it in long enough since every single POS has a different workflow and dialogue for this, and this error condition requires re-starting the process (GOTO 3)
7. Waiting 3-10+ seconds
8. Sign
9. Hit yes or accept or I agree
10. Wait another few seconds
11. Remove or forget card. Sometimes the machine beeps, sometimes not
12. Done!
Despite all this hassle, we still didn't get chip and pin that I had been complaining about for years, so if someone steals your physical card, they can still use it until you realize. I'm not really sure how this whole process improves security (does the actual CC number no longer enter the POS at any point?) but consumers here are definitely having some growing pains with the new system and the current state of supporting both old and new systems.
- germanier 10y agoWith chip-and-signature cards it's much harder (as in currently not practical at all) to clone the card to use it at another POS (at least if the magstripe readers are finally switched off). Cloned cards are a much larger issue than stolen cards.