Square Credit Card reader for iPhone

[Synaesthesia]

This looks totally killer, I wish we could get it in South Africa already!
https://squareup.com/

Basically it turns your iPhone into a credit card/debit card machine.

 

[BobJones]

Frankly, this scares the bejesus out of me... All I see is a card skimming machine attached to a powerful handheld computer freely available to scammers and fraudsters.

 

[Mars]

The ability to manually process cards on a cell phone was available from mtn a while ago.. don;t see how this is much different.

 

[Synaesthesia]

Well it would be really nice for small business, food stalls etc.

 

[dh_za]

Scenario :

You at a flea market ....

you purchase some African art items from one of the stalls ....

you had over your credit card... the person pulls out a Iphone with the square thing attached...

I would get very nervous... especially in the SA environment.

Was considering one .... but then when my card was skimmed in the waterfront (V&A) , i don't think something like this will work in SA ... there is just to much room for abuse.