Withdrawing cash from an ATM is becoming something we have to do less frequently and often we’re left to use the closest one. Convenience over caution because when you need cash, it’s often on short notice.
To prevent yourself from falling prey to several ATM scams that can happen if you used a compromised machine, here are some tests to always follow. You can watch the video above before reading the highlights below.
Twist The Reader
Skimming, where the magnetic stripe of a credit card is copied by a fake reader is becoming less common since most cards now use embedded chips. Still, many banks in the United States issue cards where the magnetic stripe can still be used and therefore stolen. What you want to do is, before using any ATM, twist the card reader if it’s protruding and look for any looseness or signs of tampering.
You can see in the video above how to handle various types of ATMs and card readers. Also, make sure to check the keypad as well.
Choose Wisely
Where you withdraw cash can also improve the odds of not coming across a skimmer or a shimmer (the latter used to steal credit card chip data). ATMs found in and around banks tend to have good camera coverage and security nearby. Guards, cameras, and lots of foot traffic make criminals avoid these types of ATMs in most cases because the chance of getting caught or the skimmer being discovered are higher.
The crooks will have to return to get their skimmers in order to extract the card data from them so they value not losing one they’ve placed. Many ATMs have the scams built in though, here’s how to handle ATM currency conversions.
