9 Tips for ATM Safety
With shorter days approaching, bringing more hours of darkness, it’s more important than ever to brush up on ATM safety. Using a compromised machine can mean risking identity theft or having cash stolen. A victim's financial life takes a few short minutes to have enormous consequences of this simple machine. Here are 9 tips for ATM safety.
1. Keep your PIN private.
Your personal identification number should always be kept personal. Please don’t share this number with anyone, and don’t write it down anywhere or keep it stored in your phone. It’s also a good idea to choose a unique PIN for all your accounts and change your number once a year to keep it fresh.
2. Check the ATM for a card skimmer.
Scammers are experts at hiding their tracks and often do so by attaching a card skimmer to the payment terminal of an ATM. The skimmer fits over the card slot and will read the card information when put in the machine. The criminal now has your information and may be hiding just a few hundred feet away. Sometimes, a skimmer is placed over the keypad to pick up the PIN. Look for a skimmer by checking if the card slot feels loose, is colored differently from the rest of the machine, or if the keypad is too thick or looks newer than the ATM.
3. Bring a buddy.
A lone target is always more vulnerable. So, if possible, and especially if you’re using an ATM late at night, bring a friend along.
4. Be aware of your surroundings.
As you use the machine, it’s crucial to be aware of your surroundings and to look for anything suspicious, like characters lurking nearby or dark cars parked in the area for far too long.
5. Use your body as a shield.
Stand close to the machine to block it from view and cover the keypad with your hand while you input your PIN.
6. Have your debit card ready for use.
Make sure you can remove your card in just a few seconds when you reach the ATM. Those precious moments of rummaging through your purse or wallet until you find your card can give a criminal the time they need to make their move.
7. Put away all cash after your transaction.
Never count cash in public; you can check that you’ve received the right amount when safely in your car.
8. Lock all doors and roll up passenger windows using a drive-thru ATM.
If you stay in your vehicle to complete your transaction, keep it as secure as possible.
9. Be sure to take your receipt.
Don’t leave any evidence of your transaction. If something or someone looks suspicious, cancel your transaction, grab your card, and leave the area as soon as possible.
Here at Elevate Credit Union, we take our members’ safety very seriously. When using one of our ATMs, we use multiple protective measures to keep you, your information, and your money safe. For example, we keep our machines well-lit and have security cameras in place, and we’re careful to place them in areas with lots of foot traffic to keep isolation to a minimum.
While we take precautions with our ATMs, as a credit union member, you have access to over 30,000 ATMs all over the nation. Choose wisely and make sure you follow these 9 tips for staying safe at an ATM. If you like this post, check out our other posts on our Money Smart Tips blog.