Using ATMs

• Before using an ATM, examine its external appearance carefully.
  If you notice any suspicious devices on the keyboard or near the card receiver (the slot for card entry), do not use the ATM and report it to the information centre of the bank to which the ATM belongs.
• Fraudsters install equipment near the card receiver that can scan the data from the magnetic strip of the card. On its own, this data does not provide access to your card. In order to use this stolen data, the criminals need to know your PIN code. Therefore, when entering your PIN code at ATM or when making a purchase, make sure that others cannot see the numbers when you enter them. Cover the keyboard with your palm or wallet, or keep both hands on the keyboard so that others cannot determine what buttons you are pressing.
• Has an ATM failed to dispense money, even though you received an SMS notification that your account was debited and heard the device counting bank notes? Stay near to the ATM and call the information centre of the bank to which it belongs. In some cases, the outlet may be blocked by a device that prevents you from collecting the cash. If you walk away from the ATM, the fraudsters will collect your cash.

Learn about the most popular techniques used by con artists to acquire your personal data using ATMs. Protect your money!

Is an ATM failing to dispense cash? Do not walk away from the ATM!

Instances of cash trapping have declined lately, but the risk of falling victim to cash trapping remains high. Fraudsters continue to steal cash from ATMs by intercepting cash before it is dispensed to the client. A client inserts a card into the ATM, enters all the necessary data and hears the ATM counting the cash, but the money is not dispensed. The client assumes the ATM is out of service or ran out of money, or that there was a technical failure during the transaction. The client takes the card to withdraw the cash somewhere else.

This is a scam!

Once you walk away, the con artist approaches the ATM and in a matter of seconds removes the plank installed on the outlet and... Collects the cash that is glued to the tape! This device is called a "cash trapping plank". This metal strip is equipped with two-sided tape, designed to entrap the cash. As a rule, con artists conceal cash trapping planks by making them look like part of the ATM machine.

In most cases, fraudsters install cash trapping devices on ATMs in high traffic areas: near office and entertainment centres, supermarkets, busy streets and public transportation stops. These scams are particularly common on holidays, weekends and pay days.

How can you spot a compromised ATM?

The key signs of cash trapping include:

• Failure to dispense cash, although the ATM display indicates that your transaction was processed successfully. The ATM is otherwise operating normally and successfully processes other transactions (you can even hear the ATM counting banks notes and see a message saying the cash has not been collected).
• You have not received cash, but receive an SMS notification that the requested amount has been debited from your account (if SMS notification has been activated for all card transactions). If you have not activated this feature yet, activate it immediately so that you are always informed of transactions involving your card.
• What to do if you notice that the "hood" on the cash dispenser is not installed
  "tightly" or does not fit the overall design of the ATM. If you pull it, the plank disengages easily and you may even see your cash. Before making a transaction, verify where the cash dispenser is located on the ATM (the screen saver displays a schematic diagram of the ATM’s components).

What should I do if an ATM fails to dispense cash?

• First and foremost, do not walk away from the ATM until you find out why you were unable to collect the cash! Sometimes, clients walk away to call the bank, and this is exactly what the fraudsters expect them to do.
• To verify the serviceability of the ATM, call the servicing bank. The contact phone number is displayed on the ATM. Bank employees can advise you whether the ATM is functioning properly. If no technical failure is detected, you may be dealing with attempted fraud. Follow the instructions of the bank employee.
• Try to check the plank on the cash dispenser. Fraudulent parts are fitted to allow fraudsters to remove them from the ATM quickly and easily: as a rule, they are "loosely" attached and do not match the rest of the ATM. If you see any strange objects (a plank, adhesive tape), report them immediately to the bank by calling the number specified on the ATM. Then follow the instructions of the bank employee.

Secure use of cards at ATMs

Materials published Ukrainian Interbank Payment Systems Member Association