[ale] [OT] Weird Trick to make Debit Card Scan

[Christopher Bergeron]

I think it's something about distancing the card from the mechanism that 
reads it, or possibly shielding the mag stripe from static electricity.

I've had this happen a time or two, also.  I'm just not 100% certain why.

Kind regards,
Chris Bergeron



Tom Freeman wrote:
> Ok. WAY way off topic for here I know, but this is about the only place  
> I know of where there are people who _might_ be able to guess an answer.
>
> I was shopping this evening, and as is becoming common, my debit card  
> didn't want to read when I passed it throught the little device by the  
> register. The cashier grabbed a plastic bag for bagging purchases with,  
> and told me to put the card into that, and try again. Worked like a  
> champ. I don't really want to look a gift horse in the mouth (I don't  
> want to look in a horse's mouth at all), but does anybody here have an  
> idea _why_ the bag trick worked? Frankly I'm stumped.
>
> Thanks in advance
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