Journalist falls victim to ATM scammer
AUCKLAND PARK – 2014 Corolla Quest driver scammed a resident in Auckland Park.
Caxton journalist Jeanette Chabalala fell victim to an ATM robbery at the Auckland Park Absa Bank ATM on 25 January at midday.
“When I got to the ATM there were two people. An old man was struggling with getting his money and this other man was next to him attempting to help him. I waited and the old man left without getting his money,” recalled Chabalala.
“This man then told me to wait because there was a problem with the ATM.”
According to Chabalala, a few moments after the old man’s departure the man, who had attempted to help him, withdrew a stack of money from the machine.
“After taking the money, he informed me that the ATM was now working.”
Chabalala made way to make her withdrawal and the man waited next to her.
“He said to me, ‘Let me show you how to make it work’ and I refused but he grabbed my card from my hand very quickly and put it inside the machine. I was so confused and didn’t know what was happening.
He told me to put in my Pin. And he was clicking Tshivenda on the ATM, yet I don’t even know the language. I told him I wasn’t comfortable with him around. After he moved back a little, I typed in my pin but nothing happened and just like that my card was gone. I don’t think my card went inside, he might have taken it, but I have no idea how.”
In a confused state, Chabalala went to the nearest garage to purchase airtime with the little cash she had on her so she can call the bank and block her card.
“When I got to the garage, I got messages from the bank stating I had entered the wrong pin. I was shocked.”
The third message Chabalala received from the bank stated that all funds in her account had been withdrawn.
“I finally managed to block my card but it was too late. Everything I had was gone. I just want people to be more careful at ATMs because I think he might have done the same thing to the old man that was in front of me.”
According to Chabalala, the man who scammed her was driving a white 2014 Corolla Quest.
The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) remains concerned about banking robberies.
“In order to fight the scourge posed by violent criminals, Sabric, the banks and the CIT companies work closely with the police. We continue to review all working structures to appropriately address the threats posed by organised criminals”, said Sabric CEO, Kalyani Pillay.
Sabric stated that between June and July of last year, banking clients lost more than R26 million through robberies, an increase of more than R5-million compared to 2013 statistics of the same period.
