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Comment by ehnto | Hacker News Reader

I suspect people planning to steal a mattress didn't use their real name and credit card.

Forging government IDs and credit cards would dissuade many people, especially with the difficult in cloning the chips in credit cards.

Is the cloning of the chip actually necessary if the POS device is a swipe only unit? It is amazing how many retailers/vendors still do not accept chip. My current debit card is chip enabled, and works fine using the chip. However, it is now old enough that the mag stripe is worn off enough that the swipe only readers cannot read the information. I'm constantly being asked if I have another card to use. I always sarcastically ask if they have a different POS device to use that is modern with a chip reader.

I'm not sure what causes it, but Australia always seems to be really homogeneous regarding tech at the POS. As soon as NFC enabled EFTPOS was available from the banks, it felt like everyone already had the POS machine that could read them and chips.

I can't imagine going somewhere and having to use the swipe. Even some dinky rural bodega will have a swanky touch screen EFTPOS machine. I am thinking the banks must cover the cost.

> I am thinking the banks must cover the cost.

Rented, like your cable box. I'm not sure who funds the initial cost of new equipment, but as a retailer you'd just get new units in the mail.

May be a similar system to Denmark, where one of the major POS system sellers operator sort-of on a subscription basis. The retailers don't own the card machines themselves, but the machines are swiftly replaced when card standards are upgraded.

Yes, that would be a weakness on behalf of the hotel, but many hotels have enabled chip readers now.

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