ATM SAFETY MEASURES

Protect yourself and your money, by resolving to be extremely alert whenever performing a transaction at an ATM and, by remembering the following easy tips:

1. Your ATM card and your PIN (personal identification number) are the ONLY keys to your account. Without these, a criminal CANNOT access your account in any way, so protect your PIN and make sure your ATM card is always in a safe place.

2. Never keep a record of your PIN on your card, in your wallet, in your handbag, in the cubby- hole of your car, on any piece of paper - in fact in any place where ANYONE else can access it. PIN numbers supplied by South African and International banks are very easy to memorise and it is in your very best interests to commit your PIN to memory rather than having it written down somewhere.

3. Your PIN must NEVER be given to ANYONE!! - AND that includes your husband, your wife, members of your family, your best friend, your boss etc.

4. It is NOT necessary for ANY bank official to know your PIN. Bank officials do NOT require your PIN to assist you with anything.

5. When approaching an ATM be especially wary of ANY suspicious characters that may be loitering in the area. Please avoid using the ATM if these characters are around. For the sake of your personal safety rather go to another ATM centre where you feel much safer.

6. Do not perform a transaction at an ATM that is close to other ATM's that seem to be out of order.

7. Do NOT allow yourself to be DISTRACTED in any way when transacting at an ATM.

8. Do not accept help or advice from anyone at the ATM, especially from people you do not know or people claiming to be bank officials but cannot provide conclusive proof of their identities. If you MUST have assistance ask someone in the bank whom you know for certain is working for the bank.

9. If people persist in attempting to ' assist ' you at the ATM and you do not feel safe or comfortable - press the CANCEL button, retrieve your card and leave immediately. IMPORTANT: ensure that the card in your possession is indeed, YOUR card! In the event that it is not, contact your bank immediately and cancel your card.

10. Plan your day so that attempts to withdraw your funds or to perform any other ATM transaction will be executed within normal working hours. Using ATMs that are in remote, lonely locations and, after normal working hours is especially HIGH RISK behaviour!!

11. If you absolutely MUST use an ATM under these circumstances, please have someone accompany you to the ATM. There have been reports of ATM customers being mugged soon after they withdraw their cash.

12. AT THE ATM:

a) NEVER key in your pin until the ATM requests you to do so.

b) Your PIN is the KEY to your account so make sure that at EVERY transaction at EVERY ATM: you stand close to the ATM and use your hand and the rest of your body to block the keypad when you punch in your PIN. If criminals do not know your number, they CANNOT access your account.

c) After your transaction, ensure that the card in your possession is indeed your very own card. Mark your card in an unusual way for quick and easy identification.

d) Place your card and your cash safely in your pocket, your wallet or your handbag. Be quick but purposeful. NEVER count your cash at the ATM, rather check your cash at a location where you feel absolutely safe.

12. Certain South African banks, such as the Standard Bank, offer the option of a STOP Card. STOP cards allow you to cancel your ATM cards, should they be lost or stolen, at any ATM that is linked to the relevant bank. Contact your relevant bank for further details.

PROTECTION MEASURES FOR ATM CARDS AND CREDIT CARDS

1. Don't bend your card.

2. Don't leave your card in the sun.

3. Don't write on the magnetic strip and don't damage the magnetic strip in any way.

4. Keep your card in it's own slot in your wallet, your purse or your handbag; this ensures that your card is not damaged by other cards.

COMMON ATM SCAMS THAT ARE USED BY ATM CRIMINALS:

1. ATM criminals usually vandalise certain ATM machines in order to get you to attempt your transactions at an ATM machine where they can, to a great extent, control what happens to you, your card and your money:

a) They do this by inserting or forcing small objects such as paper clips, matches, pieces of paper, pieces of cardboard etc into the card reader slot.

b) This allows them to trap your card in the card reader slot and you get the impression that your card has been swallowed by the machine.

c) By this time, however, you have already punched in your PIN thereby leaving your bank account open to withdrawals by criminal elements.

d) The second method used within this scenario is, seeing that your card has been 'swallowed' by the ATM, the criminal instructs you to key in your PIN and press the CANCEL button so that the ATM releases your card. Remember that pressing the CANCEL button will not release your card because the criminal has ensured that the card remains stuck. You leave the ATM to report that you card has been swallowed by the machine, and the criminal who has stayed behind uses a sharp object such as a tweezer to retrieve your card and using the PIN that he very clearly saw you punching in a few seconds ago, he methodically cleans out your accounts: from your current account to all the other accounts (such as your credit card) that you have linked to your card.

e) The third method is after seeing your card stuck, the criminal offers you the use of his cellular phone so that you can call the bank and cancel your card. However the person he reaches via his cellular phone is an accomplice who pretends to be a bank official. This ' bank official ' asks you for your PIN so that he may cancel your card. You leave the ATM believing that you card has been cancelled and that your money is safe but the criminal present at the ATM fishes out your card from the card reader slot, calls his accomplice to get the PIN that you just gave him and then proceeds to clean out all your accounts. Once again, by giving away your PIN you have now created easy access for the criminals to steal your money.

2. ATM criminals are very adept at swapping your card. They distract you while you are attempting an ATM transaction and are so fast at the card swap that you're left absolutely unaware that your card has been swapped:

a) MOST IMPORTANT: please ensure after EVERY transaction that the ATM card you leave the ATM Terminal with is indeed YOUR card!!

b) ATM criminals distract you in many ways:

i) They create a minor disturbance OR ' incident ' behind you, forcing you to turn around at the crucial time of your transaction and in that very instant swap your card.

ii) While you are processing your transaction, a well- dressed ' civilian ' politely asks you to ' assist ' him / her with their transaction - in that very second that you turn around an accomplice of the criminal quickly swaps your card.

VERY IMPORTANT: do not allow yourself to be distracted by anyone while processing your transaction, by far the most crucial moment is when you key in your PIN. Remember your PIN is the KEY to your account: without that, even if they have your ATM card, no one can gain access to your account.

iii) You are more likely to be a victim of ATM crime at an ATM terminal that is at a remote, lonely location.

iv) At ATM terminals where there is no visible security and / or security guard you should be especially vigilant.

v) At ATM terminals that are opposite a block of offices or flats or mirrored shop windows, make an extra effort to safeguard your PIN. ATM criminals use binoculars from these offices / flats / windows to watch you key in your pin and, very soon after, you are mugged for your handbag or wallet not realising that the criminal stealing your bag / wallet also has access to your bank accounts.

vi) Do not make the mistake of assuming that it could not happen to you. Bodybuilders, rugby players, burly policemen, tough guys, EVEN other criminals have all been victims of ATM crime.