Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

cbc.ca

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 109 posts

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#31

Post by Canada »

azernik wrote: post #27
Canada wrote: post #12

They need to just give her the $14k immediately and then eat it if it's a problem. Stop processing the transactions going forward or until it's sorted out, but do not steal her money. Also, I found this distasteful: "I want to clarify that Square is not experiencing a technical glitch. While I cannot speak with you about Monica's individual case, I can tell you that Square's Customer Success team spoke with Monica ye…

If the question is legal liability for violating sanctions, releasing the $14K could put them on the hook for much more than $14K in liability.

No excuse. This is Square Canada. They made a promise to this client and it's not like they stopped taking money on her behalf as soon as they realized there was a problem. Whatever backend problems they have are their own problem and their own liability.

If they aren't able to do that then maybe this company should not be operating in Canada in the first place.

[edit: oops, I meant Square not Stripe!]

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#32

Post by bearcobra »

I once bought cigars at the Duty Free on my way into the US. Spent the next 2 hours dealing with an agent who'd clearly just been transferred from the southern boarder since the receipt said "Havana Style". I really hope the US is able to normalize relations with Cuba some day.

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#33

Post by eloff »

Canada wrote: post #31
azernik wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the question is legal liability for violating sanctions, releasing the $14K could put them on the hook for much more than $14K in liability.

No excuse. This is Square Canada. They made a promise to this client and it's not like they stopped taking money on her behalf as soon as they realized there was a problem. Whatever backend problems they have are their own problem and their own liability. If they aren't able to do that then maybe this company should not be operating in Canada in the first place. [edit: oops, I meant Square not Stripe!]

Square, not stripe.

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#34

Post by mirimir »

WrtCdEvrydy wrote: post #21
mirimir wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then he ought to be fired.

American workers are scared of being perceived as anything else other than a YES MAN. The guy being told he has two-three days to implement OFAC can't say NO or they'll find someone to replace him that will say YES so he'll implement the shortest answer that causes that 'feature' to be marked as 'complete'

Even a random Excel geek would know that a "name" field is not the place to go for OFAC implementation. Or at least, not for a restaurant. I'm sure that they can link to corporate and banking data.

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#35

Post by eloff »

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #29
jesseb wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such as?

30 seconds on Google suggests Payfirma, Moneris, and TD Merchant Services, all headquartered in Canada. I haven't deep-dived on any of them, so those specific ones may not be suitable. But Canadian banks exist, and Canadian payment processors exist. This can't be hard.

They probably also suck by comparison. But she should move to one of them now that she's aware of the problem.

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#36

Post by jsjohnst »

refurb wrote: post #30
paxys wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or, you know, literally any Canadian payment processor

But the article states the problem are the funds are going to a US bank. If believed, she could just have the funds go to a Canadian bank and the problem is solved. Doesn’t really have anything to do with Square.

The article specifically states the issue is on Square’s side with their (Square) using JP Morgan Chase.

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#37

Post by bigiain »

Might be just a coincidence, but it seems Square is turning it's back on the coffee/cafge industry that it did a lot of it's brand building on the back of:

https://sprudge.com/square-just-increased-their-transaction-...

They've used the industry for good PR like this: https://squareup.com/au/en/townsquare/2018-australian-coffee...

I guess they'd prefer to not have sub $5 transactions any more...

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#38

Post by onemoresoop »

wideasleep1 wrote: post #20
riffic wrote: post #13

It's beyond time to end the embargo against Cuba.

And it's beyond time Cuba end it's 2 ounce coffee rations every 15 days for Cuban citizens. That wouldn't last me 15 minutes. per Wiki: "Domestic distribution is currently limited to two ounces of coffee rations every 15 days for Cuban citizens.[13]

They have rations to make it accessible to all, they are a poor country crippled by a long lasting embargo. Cubans are very sweet people. Their politics attempted to keep they away from american greedy companies. Just look around the caraibean region. Countries that played ball with the US are in a very bad shape, a la economic hit man and such. Cuba managed to keep the people poor but with dignity, education, health care, for all its citizens. They manage with what they have and they’d do much better if it wasnt for the embargo.

I don’t get why this is being downvoted. I’d rather get a comment on why you disagree

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#39

Post by faramarz »

There is a bigger story here and I'm glad it's made visible to more of the general public, and I really hope more people listen intently; the underlying technology running your favorites apps are sitting on servers on US soil and prone to US laws.

that needs to be a title of the next headline, especially for anyone installing apps under the disguise of "privacy".

Re: Square Canada has a Cuban coffee issue

#40

Post by [deleted] »

koolba wrote: post #6
lemmox wrote: post #4

The vendor claims to buy beans from a Canadian distributor. It's not immediately obvious how to get from "bought beans in Montreal, sold Coffee in Toronto" to "funds frozen for doing business with Cuba." The devil must be in the details of the embargo.

Once something gets flagged as a potential violation, it turns into a guilty until proven innocent situation. Square has much more to lose than just some bad PR or the spread on $14K so they’re fine with freezing the money until they get a clear ruling from the US regulators that could put them in a proverbially vice. The name “Havana” probably tipped off something and now it’ll be stuck like that until a high enough…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN