Resident loses R3 000 to ATM thieves
The thieves distracted the card holder while she was at the ATM before fleeing on foot.
A NORTH Durban resident fell victim to ATM thieves after her card was stolen on Wednesday. Two transactions were made at different locations and R3 000 was withdrawn from the account within a day. Durban North SAPS spokesman, Capt Raymond Deokaran, said the thieves distracted the card holder while she was at the ATM before fleeing on foot.
“The thief forcefully tried to help her. He managed to press the cancel button and in the ensuing confusion steal the card. Within minutes, R3 000 was taken from the account,” said Deokaran. “We had a number of incidents last year. I urge residents to be vigilant at ATMs and to never accept any help. It’s also important to keep your information confidential and avoid lesser used ATMs. People are well within their rights to ask someone to step back.”
Deokaran urged residents to register for the notify service, which several banks offer, which automatically sends an SMS to customers when there was any activity on their accounts, such as withdrawals, debit orders and credit-card purchases.
“If you see anything suspicious, contact the police or cancel the transaction,” he said.
