<p>A combined credit card (60) check (50) terminal is disclosed. The check uses an MICR reader. The terminal has a single card passageway (60) that contains magnetic stripe and embossed character readers which reads the card as the card travels in the passageway. The embossed character reader can be retracted from the card passageway. The terminal includes a plurality of serial ports (62a-62d) that allow various connections to electronic cash registers and other devices like PIN pads and signature capture pads. The terminal is operative to intercept and respond to serial data, or to reroute the serial data between any of the serial ports. The terminal is especially suitable for use in a system wherein chargeback protection is afforded to certain transactions in the event that information from the stripe reader, embossed reader or MICR reader are combined with other data and forwarded to a transaction processor.</p>
