The woman was at the Alberton Nedbank ATM, when the card machine displayed the message to enter a ten digit telephone number instead of her pin code.
After attempting to cancel the transaction and recover her card; she turned away from the machine to obtain assistance from her sister on the phone. The ATM reportedly retained the card and she received a message shortly thereafter saying that she had made cash withdrawal at an ABSA ATM.
She cancelled her card; reported the complaint to the police, and applied for a refund from the bank.
The Banking Association of South Africa has provided some tips to avoid ATM fraud:
Be vigilant and avoid using the ATM where suspicious-looking individuals are loitering.
Have your card ready before you approach the ATM.
Do not use the ATM if it appears to be tampered with or damaged.
Do not accept help from strangers at an ATM, especially when you experience difficulty with the transaction, and do not allow anyone to distract you.
Shield the ATM keypad with your hand to prevent people seeing when you enter your PIN.
Never disclose your PIN to anybody, not even to the bank or police.
Press the Cancel key, withdraw your card and proceed to an alternative ATM if you feel the ATM is not functioning correctly.
Use the help line and/or nearest phone to contact your bank and/or police if your card gets jammed, retained or lost, or if someone interferes with you at an ATM.
