Credit Chits

Chits are flat, rectangular devices that can fit in the palm of one’s hand. Made of plastic with a water-resistant screen, they function somewhat like a gift card—a certain amount of credits is placed onto a chit, which can then be electronically withdrawn to make purchases.

The advantage of chits is that unlike other handheld devices, they do not retain any extraneous information about where the credits came from or where they were paid to. This allows for anonymity, making them a favorite method of payment for the privacy-conscious and those undertaking criminal activities. “Blank” chits can be purchased at banks, post offices and electronics stores, and can be filled with credits either in person at the former or through an online bank account. Some employers also offer direct-to-chit payment as an alternative to depositing wages into an employee’s bank account.

Security
For security reasons, chits do not connect to other devices wirelessly. A laser scanner interacts with the chit in order to perform a transaction. To make a purchase, the person paying first taps the screen a few times with a stylus or fingertip to turn it on (simply brushing the chit with something or resting an object on it will not activate it) and then uses the touchscreen capability to enter the amount to withdraw. The person receiving payment then scans the chit by waving it across the scanner, which emits an audible beeping sound, rather like a grocery store checkout scanner. Depending on the program used, the specified number of credits may then be directly deposited in an account or a one-use set of randomly generated textual codes may be stored, which can be entered into an account to add the credits at a later date. Scanners are often available as a built-in addon to devices like tablets and personal computers and may also be purchased separately.

Other Technical Specs
Chits are battery-powered and have a solar element that charges the battery via light. They must be powered to be used, but credits will remain on the chit even when they shut off. If a chit remains on for a minute or two without any transaction activity occurring, it will time out and turn off.

Empty chits can be reused indefinitely until the hardware begins to deteroriate.