POLOKWANE – More readers have since come forward claiming they were victims of the same scam.
“My bank card was stolen at an ATM at Thornhill Plaza and money was withdrawn from my account. Luckily, I reported the theft and the bank gave me a refund.” The reader says the advice given by police in the previous article is not practical. “It’s not bad advice, but when something like this happens to you, you go into shock and you forget all the advice you’ve been given,” the reader explains. “What makes it worse is not knowing how the criminals are orchestrating these thefts. This is not a pleasant experience, truly something should be done to protect people who are unable to use internet banking. ATMs should be protected by security personnel around the clock”.
Review reached out to Thornhill Shopping Centre Manager, Koerie Muller, who says it is not the centre’s responsibility to provide security for ATMs but they do everything they can to ensure the safety of their shoppers. “We have security guards as well as car guards situated at strategic points to keep an eye on ATM users. There are also security cameras surveying the area.
“The safety of ATM users is the responsibility of the banks. ATM users should look at who is close to the ATM before they use it,” Muller explains.
Muller asks that shoppers report these cases to the management offices during office hours or to the security guards on duty.
“If we know there is a problem we can address it. People should not run to Facebook and the newspaper before they contact management regarding an issue at the centre,” Muller said.
maretha@nmgroup.co.za
