Safe Use of ATMs
Launch library · evergreen read
Choosing well lit, genuinely busy ATM locations, ideally ones attached directly to a bank branch, over standalone machines sitting in quiet or poorly lit areas, meaningfully reduces both the risk of tampering and general, everyday personal safety concerns while withdrawing cash late at night after dark.
Checking the card slot and keypad carefully for anything that looks loose, unusually bulky or noticeably different in colour from the rest of the machine can help identify a skimming device, though these are increasingly quite difficult to spot reliably by eye alone these days.
Covering the keypad while entering your PIN, staying aware of anyone standing unusually close behind you, and putting cash and your card away promptly before actually leaving the machine are all simple, genuinely effective habits well worth building consistently into every single cash withdrawal made.
If a card is unexpectedly retained by a machine, contacting your bank directly rather than accepting help from a stranger nearby avoids a known, well documented tactic used specifically to intercept cards during this exact moment of confusion and momentary, entirely understandable and very human distraction.