ATM scammers are out and about again in central Dundee. While only one case of fraud was reported at the ABSA Bank ATMS last Saturday, the Courier has received several reports of scammers hanging around various ATMS.
One ATM user said while at the Standard Bank ATM on Saturday morning, a man who was in front of him was using the machine to do an ‘instant money voucher’ transaction.
When he left the machine, he left behind the slip in the slot. The customer called him back and he returned and made a joke saying ‘this machine is very slow – am not sure why – I think they have changed the system’.
By that time the customer said he had his bank card in his hand, ready to use it. However, the man tried to grab the card, saying ‘you must first scan it here’ and tried to force the card towards the mirror on the ATM.
“Luckily I suspected a scam and made sure he never got hold of my card and told him to please leave me. This he did and disappeared,” the customer said.
Later, the same day another customer reported that he was swindled out of around R500 at the ABSA ATM on Victoria Street. He told the Courier he had just put his card into the machine when a woman at a neighbouring ATM ‘started shouting out’.
“I was distracted and looked away to see what was going on. I only learned later that a man who was hanging around had quickly cancelled my card. When I tried to use the machine again, my card had disappeared and about thirty minutes later, money was withdrawn from my account.”
ATM users are warned to be very vigilant when using ATMS. Do not be distracted. Never let anyone else touch your card. If possible do a cash back from a supermarket.
