I had a PayPal HERE card reader in the cupboard since 2017 and thought to use it for some payments, but unfortunately I received the “Damage to reader detected. Contact PayPal for assistance.” error. This was a pristine PayPal HERE card reader, used once or twice, stored in it’s original box.
From everything I have read online, it looks like a very common problem if the PayPal HERE card reader is being used infrequently.
I realised the PayPal HERE was a rebranded Miura Systems M010 reader, so thought I would email Miura and see what they thought, I was pleasantly surprised when they openly replied with:
The M010 device is a secure PCI PTS payments device which utilises encryption keys. Within the device there is a main battery (rechargeable) to run the device. In addition there is a coin cell battery to support the device if the device is left to deplete the main battery, this holds the config/key encryption. Once fully depleted, the device is designed to Tamper (lock) as way of protection to the security keys. Miura informs all of our distribution partners to ensure if the device is left, it should be charged up every 6 months to ensure that full depletion does not incur.
The software encryption keys are erased if both the rechargeable and backup battery are depleted. Once erased there is no way to recover the keys even if the battery is recharged.
I opened the unit up confirmed there is indeed a 3V CR1632 battery. Given this backup battery is unable to be replaced, this whole hardware isn’t designed great given once the backup battery dies, the unit needs to rely on the rechargeable battery to maintain a charge. This explains why some people can use it for a few years periodically, and then it fails, as the backup battery is now depleted.
I started looking at the PayPal HERE Getting Started guide and other boxed contents, and there was no mentioned of needing to keep the PayPal HERE reader constantly charged.
I reread the PayPal HERE User Guide web page and there is also no mention of this requirement either. All that is mentioned is ‘The card reader battery should last 5-6 hours of use’, but no mentioned of keeping the unit constantly charged.
PayPal Warranty is only 1 year as well which doesn’t help, as the backup battery will be fine during this period.
Definitely a product to avoid if you only need to use it infrequently.
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