While ATMs provide a fast and convenient way to transact 24 hours a day without going into a bank, their increased usage has also made it possible for criminals to create various scams to access your money. Fortunately, there are methods you can use to avoid becoming a victim of ATM fraud. The Cape Town Central City Improvement District’s (CCID) Safety & Security manager, Muneeb “Mo” Hendricks, highlights some of them below.
ATM fraud continues to be a big challenge including in the Cape Town Central City, says Mo.
“One of the latest scams members of the public should be aware of is that of scammers operating in groups pretending to be security officers. Since the CBD is a popular tourist destination, they tell tourists that they need a permit to walk on the street due to a film shoot or protest and that these permits are freely available at any ATM. They then lead tourists to the nearest ATM and distract them so they can see their PIN. Another ploy is to convince tourists that the ATM has swallowed the card after which they take out the victim’s money at the next available machine.”
Another important thing to note according to Mo is that scammers dress incredibly well as they go about duping unsuspecting people. And tourists aren’t the only target; everyone is at risk.
BEWARE OF THESE ATM SCAMS
According to information by the South African Banking Risk Information Centre, other ATM scams to be aware of include:
- Skimming at an ATM – unsuspecting victims are coerced into swiping their cards through handheld devices at ATMs.
- ATM mounted skimming – a skimming device can also be mounted over the ATM card slot, so your pin is compromised by means of a spy camera installed within the mould containing the skimming device.
- Lebanese loop – this is a technique used by criminals to trap a bank card inside the ATM by inserting a thin film of plastic into the ATM card slot. The plastic is rigged in such a way that both the plastic and trapped card can later be removed.
- Card swopping – while conducting a card transaction at the ATM, the victim is distracted and the card swopped.
TIPS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF ATM FRAUD
Mo has the following advice to help you avoid becoming a victim of ATM fraud:
- Don’t accept help from strangers.
- Never divulge your PIN to anyone.
- Use ATMs in well-lit areas and where you feel the most comfortable.
- Don’t be distracted when using an ATM. If you’re disturbed, cancel the transaction immediately and report the incident using your bank’s stop-card toll-free number.
- Be aware of your surroundings and avoid using the ATM where individuals are loitering.
Mo says the reputation of the Cape Town Central City is everyone's responsibility. “Evil prevails when good people do nothing. If you happen to spot any of these fraudsters or any suspicious activity, call or send a WhatsApp message to the CCID’s 24-hour emergency number for an immediate response,” says Mo. The CCID’s 24-hour emergency number is 082 415 7127.
CCID CRACKING DOWN ON ATM FRAUD
Members of the public can rest assured that while ATM fraud continues to be a challenge, efforts to fight it are already underway in the Central City.
A project aimed at fighting ATM fraud in the Central City was introduced in December 2017 and has made a considerable difference. It is funded through a partnership between the Western Cape Government’s Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism and the Department of Community Safety (DOCS). With its expertise with on-the-ground public safety operations, the CCID’S Safety & Security department performs an operational support role.
The project entails students trained by Chrysalis Academy (which is funded by DOCS), being deployed as ambassadors to hotspot ATMs within the CBD at certain times of the day in order to provide a visible presence to substantially deter ATM fraudsters and give ATM users peace of mind. The project follows a successful pilot programme which resulted in a significant reduction in the number of ATM fraud incidents in seven hot-spot ATMs within the CBD during the 2017/18 festive season, and the project has since been expanded to incorporate a total of 23 ATMs.
IMAGE: Scott Arendse, CCID Online Coordinator