USB Credit Card Swipes

Theatre Manager supports using USB credit card swipes - which effectively are a replacement for keyboard input. The user swipes a credit card into the USB reader which translates it into keyboard input - exactly as if you typed the data.

Installation is easy - just plug it into your computer.

It works by reading the card information, including the track II information into Theatre Manager. Theatre Manager encrypts the credit card. It forwards the track II information to the credit card company and then promptly forgets about it - Track II data is never retained in Theatre Manager per PCI DSS requirements. A number of credit card companies use Track II information as proof that the cardholder is present and may adjust discount rates. Note also that they adjust rates for full address verification, CVV2 verification and other factors - making it equivalent to Track II authorization.

	All Service Providers operate as card not present. That means Track II information is never send to them, even if the credit card is swiped using a USB reader. The card #, plus address and CVV2 are more important and will provide competitive discount rates. In this case, a USB swipe becomes only an efficiency tool for data entry rather than a need for proving card present.
	Moneris has an additional option: sending card information using and external pin pad, if you wish to have those as part of your account. It allows Schedule B-IP compliance and is considered Card Present, allowing tab, chip and pin, swipe, apple-pay, etc.

Any computer that has a USB credit card reader OR a keyboard attached to should have limited ability to connect to the internet with direct access for browsing and/or strong virus protection This protection is to detect any 'bad actors' in viruses which are keystroke loggers. If your machine is infected, it will send every keystroke to the 'bad guys' and this is one easy way for them to compromise credit card information, one card at a time when they are entered.