The ATM strip scam is not new, but has been around for a long time. However, the National Police warn that it has now “become fashionable” again. Anyone can be a victim of this scam since withdrawing money from the ATM is something that everyone does on a regular basis.
What is the ATM strip scam?
The first and most important thing is to know exactly what it is. Imagine that you are going to withdraw money from the ATM. Once you enter the card, the access code and the amount of cash you want to withdraw, you see that the money does not come out .
The safest thing is that you think that it is a failure of the ATM , so you go home thinking that you can return the next day to the bank office to claim it.
However, this is not a problem with the teller, but rather the criminals have inserted a strip into the banknote exit slot of the teller, so that the cash is trapped . In this way, once you get away from the machine, they come to pick it up.
Tricks to avoid being a victim of this scam
In the vast majority of cases, criminals who place terminals in ATMs, do so in those that are located in areas with little traffic and with little light at night . Something logical to operate with peace of mind and that no one catches them committing the wrongdoing.
Therefore, try to go to ATMs that are in busy places . Before inserting the card, examine the slit where the bills come out to make sure there is nothing obstructing it.
If even taking all the prevention measures you fall into the deception, do not leave the ATM under any circumstances. As of today , the branch’s customer service number appears on all ATMs , so call from there to report the problem.
It is also important that you always keep the receipts of the operations you carry out at the ATMs to have controlled all the movements of the account. In this way it is easier to detect any type of irregularity.
In recent weeks, many people have fallen victim to the power strip scam , so watch out!