Crime Prevention : Safety Tips

At the ATM

• Be alert and conscious of your surroundings when using the ATM.
• Never give your card or PIN( Personal Identification Number) to anyone, for any reason.
• Dont write your PIN on the card or anything that is kept with the card.
• Do not insert your card until asked to do so by the display screen.
• Never use an ATM with a blank screen and, if the ATM is obscured from view or poorly lit, leave immediately and find another ATM.
• Stand close to the ATM and use your body and hand as shield to make sure nobody sees you keying in your pin.
• Also, make sure you keep your hand over the card slot to make sure nobody can swop or take your card.
• Never accept help from strangers when using an ATM. You should be wary of strangers asking for help.
• Criminals work in teams- one to distract you while the other steals your card or money.
• If your card is retained (swallowed) by the ATM it is advisable to phone your bank toll free stop card line immediately and stop your card.
• Never allow a bystander to call the toll-free stop card line on your behalf- they could be tricking you into thinking your card has been stopped.
• Guards are placed at ATMs to discourage criminal activities and therefore cannot help you with transactions.
• If you need help, ask a bank official.
• It is advisable to set a daily ATM withdrawal limit at your branch.

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EXPLOSIONS AT ATMs

• Explosions at Automated Tellers Machines (ATMs) are a new crime that reared its ugly head in 2006.
  It has spiralled since then.
• When approaching the ATM and it has been damaged, report to 10111 immediately in the following cases:
  • If an ATM has been damaged or if any unknown items protrude from it.
  • If smoke or flames are visible at or in the machine as this is a sure sign of a pending explosion. (Also move away from the ATM immediately)
  • In case of suspicious activity/persons at or near an ATM
• Once the charges have been activated there is nothing that can be done to deactivate the explosives.
• Shrapnel and debris from an explosion can travel for several hundred metres.
• People must be moved away as far as possible and take cover behind something solid, such as a building.

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