“There have been a number of incidents where people are followed from banks,” acting spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Roberts, said.
He advised that, where possible, residents make use of the technology available to them.
“Register for internet or mobile banking. Fortunately many residents have smart phones and tablets which allow them to do banking almost anywhere,” Lt Col Roberts said.
In cases where residents need to draw large sums of money, he said they should always be aware of their surroundings.
“If you suspect that you are being followed after withdrawing a large sum of money, call the SAPS sector police vehicles immediately or drive directly to the nearest police station,” Lt Col Roberts said.
When contacting the SAPS, be clear about what the problem is and stay calm.
“Tell police officers where you are and in which direction you are heading. Try to give officers a description of the vehicle following you,” Lt Col Roberts said.
He also warned that residents should be alert to suspicious activity in shopping centres when withdrawing money from an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM).
Safety tips for using an ATM
Have your card ready in your hand before you get to the ATM.
Cover the keypad with your hand and do not let anyone see you enter your PIN.
Be alert if strangers offer to help you and do not get distracted, even if you are struggling with the transaction.
Cover the card slot with your hand if someone distracts you after you put your card into the ATM.
Do not use the ATM if there are suspicious-looking people nearby.
Do not use the ATM if the area is dark.
Do not use the ATM if you think someone may have tampered with it.
If the ATM is not working as it should, press the cancel button, take your card and go to another ATM.
Take your time to finish your transaction and put your card and cash in your wallet, handbag or pocket before leaving.
Always make sure that the card returned to you is your card
Skimming
Card skimming is a reality and takes place daily.
Card skimming is unlawful and is done by copying information from the magnetic strip at the back of a bank card.
Fraudsters then use this information to create a clone of your card.
“This card can be used to access your account and your money but only if they also know your PIN,” Lt Col Roberts said.
A user’s PIN is often obtained by fraudsters or accomplices looking over the cardholder’s shoulder when they enter their PIN on a card machine or at an ATM.
Skimming devices come in different shapes and sizes and can be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
“Once a fraudster has your card, he or she will quickly swipe it through the device to capture the information on the magnetic strip,” Lt Col Roberts said.
Skimming devices can also be attached to the front of an ATM and disguised to look like part of the ATM.
In these cases, the card is skimmed when the card is inserted.
The PIN is then captured by a tiny hidden camera in the false front, usually through a small hole above the ATM’s keypad.
“Chip card technology greatly reduces the instances of card skimming as they offer far greater levels of security that are much more difficult to get around,” Lt Col Roberts said.
However, the magnetic strip on a chipped card is still vulnerable to skimming.
How to protect yourself from card skimming
Keep your card in plain sight at all times.
Restaurants or garages have portable card machines that can be brought to you. If none are available, insist on accompanying the salesperson, waiter or petrol attendant to another location so you can pay with your card.
Register for SMS updates, which sends notifications to your cellular phone for money-out transactions when your card is used.
Monitor your accounts and check that the transactions are valid.
Report suspicious card transactions immediately.
