- Short answer
- It means your Tap & Chip or WisePad 3 reader can no longer be used — Shopify sends you to a replacement portal or to Shopify Support.
- Tap & Chip signal
- First and fourth lights flash; red LEDs on both sides mark the tampered state
- WisePad 3 signal
- A Tamper Detected screen; Shopify's help page titles the error "System Tampered"
- Before contacting Support
- Have your order number or the order's email address ready
- Two portal addresses
- Troubleshooting pages link hardwarestore.aftership.com; the warranty page links hardwarestore.returnscenter.com
- POS Terminal, POS Go
- No tamper state on their troubleshooting pages we read (September 2026)
- While you wait
- Manual card entry, Shopify's general fallback, at the online credit card rate
What does "System Tampered" mean, and which readers show it?
On a Tap & Chip Card Reader, the first and fourth lights flash, and Shopify says that means the reader is tampered and can no longer be used. Its security page marks the tampered state with red LEDs on both sides and names three causes: the reader was tampered with, dropped with a severe impact, or connected to an unstable power source. For the reader's other light patterns, see what the Tap & Chip lights mean.
On a BBPOS WisePad 3, the sign is a Tamper Detected screen, which Shopify's help page titles a "System Tampered" error, and says the reader can no longer be used, and you'll need to replace it.
No tamper state is described for POS Terminal or POS Go on any Shopify page we read — as of September 2026, that is their two troubleshooting pages and Shopify's hardware warranty page.
How do you get a tampered card reader replaced?
Shopify's security page is direct: after the reader has entered the tampered state, it needs to be replaced. The troubleshooting pages for both readers (Tap & Chip, WisePad 3) link a replacement portal on hardwarestore.aftership.com and say you'll need your original order number from the order confirmation email; if you can't find it, you'll need to contact Shopify Support. The warranty page links its Tap & Chip request to hardwarestore.returnscenter.com.
On that warranty page, the tampered-reader line sits right under the Standard POS and POS Pro warranty terms:
Exception for "System Tampered" card readers: Contact Shopify Support for help if this message displays on your card reader.
Before you contact Support, the same page asks you to have your order number or email address tied to the order ready.
Can you keep taking payments while you wait?
Yes, by manual entry, a general POS option rather than a step written for tampered readers. Shopify's card payments page says that if you're having trouble using your card reader, you can enter payment card details manually to take payment. That makes it a card-not-present transaction, and card-not-present transactions all use the online credit card rate.
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