Residents have been urged to be cautious when frequenting banks.
As the holiday season approaches, Newcastle SAPS says criminals will be waiting in line to prey on innocent, unsuspecting victims.
“As a result, it is critical to practice the required safety precautions while out and about in town,” commented Lizzy Arumugam of the Corporate Communications unit.
Criminals are taking advantage of the opportunity to rob people of their hard-earned money at ATMs.
These have become one of the most prevalent criminal hotspots in recent years.
Arumugam has therefore issued a set of safety guidelines to be followed when visiting an ATM:
- When using the ATM, stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
- Never, ever, ever give your card or PIN (Personal Identification Number) to anyone.
- Do not write your PIN on the card or anything else that will be kept with it.
- Do not enter your card until the display screen instructs you to do so.
“Never use an ATM with a blank screen, and if the ATM is hidden or poorly illuminated, leave right away and find another ATM,” said Arumugam.
- Stand near the ATM and conceal it with your body and hand to ensure no one sees you enter your pin.
- Keep your palm over the card slot to ensure that no-one can swap or steal your card.
- When using an ATM, never accept assistance from strangers. Strangers seeking assistance should be avoided.
- Criminals work in groups, with one distracting you while the other steals your credit card or cash.
“If your card is kept (swallowed) by the ATM, call your bank’s toll-free stop card service right away and have your card stopped.”
- If you allow a bystander to contact the toll-free stop card number on your behalf, it can lead to you believe your card has been stopped.
- Guards are stationed at ATMs to deter illegal activity, so they are unable to assist you with transactions.
- If you require assistance, contact a bank employee.
“Setting a daily ATM withdrawal restriction at your branch is a good idea,” she concluded.
