SOUTHDALE – James Adlam (47) lost R4 000 in a bank scam on Sunday morning, April 18 in Southdale at the hands of scammers who blocked the ATM card hole so they could offer to help insert James’s card.
James said he walked up to the ABSA ATM in the Southdale Shopping Centre Mall and tried to insert his card, but when it would not go in, a man who had just finished using the ATM walked up to him and said: “You need to bend and push it like this,” and that was when he cloned or swapped the card.
Suddenly the ATM froze the card, which could have been a card the scammers knew the ATM would detect to be faulty and then freeze.
James said he waited for a moment in shock, and by the time he decided to leave and report the card, as he walked to KFC, he received a cellphone notification message which alerted him that R4 000 of his hard-earned money was being withdrawn at another ATM in South Hills.
“I want people to be aware of these scammers and be very cautions when withdrawing money.
“There was another man on the other ATM on the side, I believe he could have looked at me trying to enter my pin and then they went off together to withdraw my money elsewhere,” said James Adlam.
However, James is happy with the assistance of the ABSA branch manager. He said the branch manager is aware that there have been criminals targeting seniors for their money. The bank is planning extra security to make sure that people do not fall victim to this crime.
ABSA’s media liaison person, Ajith Dridgraj, could not be reached for comment.
