There is an advance of credit and debit card fraud being carried out at ATM’s or cash point machines as they are more commonly known. It is not only card fraud at machines but can also happen whem shopping for a pair of women’s shoes. How do you recognise if the ATM machine has been tampered with and by using it without being aware, you could end up being the next victim to card fraud. The papers and associations promote us to protect our pin and keep it covered particularly when using your card at the cash point machines but are we aware of the best way to do this?
Do you know if you cover your pin right? I am mostly more concerned about the people about me, who may be peering over my around me. Who is watching me so that as soon as I walk away from the cashpoint, are they going to follow me? I am normally more concerned about the area and who is nearby rather than the thought that the machine has been tampered with. Yes I couldn’t see them and wasn’t even mindful of anything.
There didn’t look to be anything different with this cash point machine when I was buying my new pair of Vans women’s shoes, to all the others I had used. I entered my pin and made my request, but then my card was not given back, the machine had got stuck.
I’d never been in this situation and didn’t know what to do or how to get help. I couldn’t abandon the machine as I had not got my card returned. The machine didn’t have a phone number to call for help. My card has a 24 hour helpline phone number but guess what, I can’t get to it because it is still in the machine.
I was trying to reach the card and retrieve it but just could not get hold of it. If you find yourself in this situation be on your guard that you could become a victim and suffer a loss, A camera will have watched the keypad and recorded your pin number.
It is probable that you have been watched and they now know your pin number unless you have hidden it. If you have a colleague with you or nearby, try and get their attention and ask for them to get assistance, find telephone numbers but ensure you do not move away from the cashpoint machine and it is left unattended. With your pin number and card these scammers are able to use it at other ATM’s and keep using it until they have reached the daily limit, [or] all the money is removed from the account or the bank cancel it and put a stop on its use.
Make sure that you or a friend, of course trustworthy friend, stay with the machine preventing it from any more use until you get your card back. Pull and twist around the area that your card slides into and see if there is anything strange or abnormal. Does anything move a little or flick off?
This scam works by using an extra cover where you insert your card in and it will have an extra piece of card on to prevent your card from being returned to you. You may wish to force your card back into the machine so it cannot be pulled out by anyone else and make you time to terminate your card.
Sometimes you can see some light shining at the top of the machine display which fools you to think this is lit up when in fact it is the recording part of the scam craftily hidden. Take a look to see if you can see any cameras or little holes which could be watchingthe pin pad. This can be where the camera is concealed. A very small camera or mobile phone camera can easily be concealed to record your pin.
If you are stuck at the machine, then you may need to call and report your opinion to the police. They could also be able to assist you to cancel your card.
If you conscious of what to look for and how to protect yourself fully when using machine, you should be able to avoid this stress Check the machine for any signs of extra metal strips, out of the ordinary lights, a cover over the card insert place. Also the next best advice, is to make sure you cover the hand you are entering your pin with, by your other hand over the top horizontally. This is because, if there is any camera looking on to the keypad, they won’t be able to read your pin and if by opportunity they do get your card then they should be less likely to get your money!