What do you know about security issues related to operating ATMs? We all claim experts. But hold your breath. Because yesterday a 44-year-old woman who is also Bank Manager was attacked inside an unguarded ATM on the busy JC Road in Bangalore at 7.10 a.m. So let us discuss few ATM operating security measures.
1) One of the most intelligent way of managing your security is to typing your PIN (Personal Identification Number ) in reverse order once you sense the danger to you. This is also called REVERSE PIN OF ATM. It is the security feature of ATMs which accept your PIN reverse order too. But will automatically alarm to the nearest police station.
Update from Mr. Naresh our reader.
From his sharing it seems that such reverse PIN system never exists or not adopted by any banks in India. For further reading on the same visit the below link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATM_SafetyPIN_software
2) Inform your family or someone whom you can trust while you are going to the ATM. Because the above said incident in Bangalore happened in the early morning at 7.10 but come to light around 10. Because the ATMs shutter was closed and everyone thought that this particular ATM was out of order.
3) Plan your cash so that you may not need it during early hours or late night. We all know that ATMs are for 24×7. But majority of such incidents will happen during early mornings or late night.
4) Use ATMs which are located in the public area with clear lighting instead of corner areas.
5) Have an eye on your surroundings throughout the transaction time.
6) Avoid taking help from others, especially unknown who pretends to help you.
7) Avoid writing your PIN on backside of card or within card pouch.
8) Never use the PIN which are identical to your birthdate, Telephone number or year of your birth.
9) Use the ATMs which have security guards.
10) Never take too much time in collecting cash, writing slips or any other activity which consumes times. The best way is to have sufficient deposit slips or other transaction related slips with you at home so that you fill it before entering ATM.
11) Never have costly valuables with you while entering ATMs like jewelry, watches or phones.
12) Activate sms alerts or mail alerts for each transaction you do.
13) Keep the transaction receipt with you until it matches with the bank statement.
14) Shred the transaction receipt once you feel it is of no use for future.
15) Press CANCEL before you leave the ATM.
16) For any incomplete transaction call immediately to bank help desk which I think all ATMs display.
17) Avoid using ATM if you find any unusual part of ATM. Because these are the instruments sometimes attached to fetch your account details.
18) Shield the screen and keyboard from others while operating the ATM.
19) Data shows lot of such incidents occurred after 7 pm evenings and before 4 am. Hence, try to avoid using this time.
20) And finally whatever the tips we follow but the answer is being caution all time while doing such financial transactions.
29 Responses
The best way according to me is use the ATM which is in the banks premises and have a 24 hrs security guard and off-course be alert
Did anyone have experience of reverse pin, How police will come to know? Is it only alarm (if yes, how police will come to know where the fraud is happening) or computer base notification? Why bank is not training there customers how to react in a difficult situation.
Dear Sam,
Do we have to wait till banks train us?
Some addon points.
21)Do not throw your transaction slip in the ATM room as it contains your account information.
22)Do check if the card given to you by the merchant after completion of the transaction is your card.
23)Always wait till the ATM returns to the idle mode and the green light is blinking.
24)Check the transaction alert SMSs and bank statements regularly
25)Insist on swiping your card in your presence in hotels/shops/malls, etc.
26)Never swipe your card at POS machines kept at unknown temporary stalls.
Thanks
Budding Investor-Thanks for adding values to this post.
Sir, there seems to be a typo error in point 19, Data shows lot of such incidents occurred after 7 pm evenings and before *4 pm*. Hence, try to avoid using this time. 4pm or 4am?
As a reader I posted this. You can delete my post if it’s a typo.
Budding Investor-It’s alright. I correct it.
I’m at axis bank ATM and I pushed some button red behind the ATM
And some siren starts what that what will happen now
Ajj-It seems that accidently you pushed alarm button. Nothing to worry.
What would a person whose PIN is a palindrome number (which reads same both ways), such as 1441 or 2332, or who has all identical digits in PIN such as 2222, do? How will he alert the police? Or will the police come to “nab the robber” every time he uses his ATM?
Maggi-It is wrong information of PIN alert facility. I commented for the same in below comment. There is no such facility available.
The reverse order does NOT work. No ATM has that process available to contact law enforcement.
Tiffany-Yes, it was already updated by one of the reader.
Thank you Basavraj for valuable information
Dear Sir,
I have one more suggestion to add. If you have multiple account, transfer all the cash which are not immediately required to different account through Auto Rule. And carry the ATM of the account which has only limited amount.
For example if you have 2 Saving accounts and one has salary account make a auto rule to transfer the cash from salary account to another account on every end of each month and have only 5-10k available on Salary account. Carry the ATM of only Salary account so that incase go forbid if theft happens you will not loose entire amount.
Thanks,
Singh
Singh-Thanks for sharing this valuable tip 🙂
Diebold, a manufacturer of ATMs, states on their website that no such emergency alerting system is currently in use. This is a hoax. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATM_SafetyPIN_software
Naresh-Thanks for sharing this information. Yes it looks some hoax mails which spread this type of news. I will update the link in the above post for all readers benefit.
what is my pin is 1221 … does the pin reverse thing works ? ..so i feel some points are user own tricks …
Satyaq-Please refer my reply to Mr.Sevan.
Why should we input a reverse PIN.. Definitely we won’t strike it right or remember at the panic time..
I urge Bank’s to implement a PANIC/SAFETY button at all ATM’s so that we can alert nearby police station.
Better is to raise a SIREN alarm in front of the ATM..
point 1 is a HOAX What will a person do whose PIN is a palindrome number (which reads same both ways), such as 1441 or 2332, or who has all identical digits in PIN such as 2222? How will he alert the police?
No to use those number as simple as that
If the lady attacked day before yesterday had gone thru ur points, not one wld have helped her. It was a planned attack in which the victim had no recourse. Period. I can’t see what other precaution she could have taken which wld have saved the day. The guy entered very quickly when the lady was transacting. How can she notice that? And inform relatives everytime ur gonna visit an ATM??? really?? And you want to ‘TRY’ new PINs when the guy is holding a knife at ur neck??I hope none of ur readers follow this!!. It can’t get more impractical. The real folly lies in the laws of the land which don’t discourage enuf prospective wrong doers.Period.
Shiv-Thanks for your analysis 🙂 If my above said points are not helpful, then do you think the law of the land come to your rescue when the guy holding a knife at your neck? Precaution needs to start from us then expect help from the outer world. That is what I pointed above.
Sir, I think the first point is wrong. What if my ATM pin is palindrome like 1221 or same digits like 1111?
Sevan-Yes seems wrong with your examples. But let us try it with having password which can be applicable to this point also and making us secure in emergency. I have not tried on this particularly by entering the reverse in any of ATMs. But let us see if someone tried 🙂
A well needed post at the right moment! Well done
Padmapriya TS
http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in
Kaingarya-Pleasure 🙂