Bunye: Exercising care when using your ATM card

Saturday, November 26, 2011

EVER heard of the term “shoulder surfing”?

No, it does not have anything to do with the water or the sport. However, it has everything to do with safety precautions during the festive season which thieves normally take advantage off.

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“Shoulder surfing” is when a devious somebody looks over your shoulder while you are withdrawing your money from an ATM machine. It is also related to a familiar modus operandi, “ATM switching.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has recently warned the public against “ATM switching” and “shoulder surfing” during cash withdrawals, inquiries, and Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions.

The BSP has received some reports that unscrupulous individuals resort to these modus operandi, wherein they victimize unsuspecting ATM cardholders who fail to employ the necessary precautions.

In its November 16. 2011 Advisory (which it first issued two years ago), the BSP gave a clear example of an ATM switching scenario:

The suspect approaches the legitimate ATM cardholder after the latter has completed her/his ATM transaction, and tells the victim that there is still money (e.g. a P1,000 bill) left in the machine.

The suspect then asks the victim to make a balance inquiry of the account, giving him the opportunity to look at the Personal Identification Number (PIN) keyed-in by the victim.

The crook then drops a bill and says it came out of the machine, supposedly as part of the victim’s cash withdrawal.

While the cardholder is busy picking up the money, the suspect would then remove the ATM from the machine and switch it with another ATM card.

“Your PIN may also be stolen from you through ‘shoulder surfing,’ which happens when someone stands close enough to the ATM cardholder to see the cardholder entering his PIN,” the BSP warned.

To protect yourself from PIN theft through ATM card switching, shoulder surfing or other methods, the BSP has issued the following guidelines:

• When using an ATM, always shield the keypad. If you feel that somebody is standing too close, do not be afraid to tell the next person who is in line to step back. If you feel uncomfortable, allow the other person to go first and complete your transaction once he/she has left.

• Always inspect the ATM you are using. Some fraudulent card reader devices can be easily spotted. If some parts around the slot for inserting the card do not seem right, consider walking away and transacting in another machine.

• Never share your PIN with another person. Not even with your family or friends and absolutely never with a stranger.

• Choose a PIN that is easy for you to remember but which is not based on a birthday, anniversary, address, or telephone number.

• Change your PIN regularly.

• Do not use the same PIN on all your cards. While doing so may be easier for you to remember your PIN, it also makes it easier for a thief to access all your accounts if your wallet is stolen.

• Memorize your PIN, never write it down or keep it in your wallet.

• Report captured cards immediately. As much as possible, do not leave the machine without first reporting the card capture. Immediately call the bank where your ATM card was captured using a cell phone or the phone provided by the bank in the ATM booth.

Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail.com. Past articles may be viewed at http://speakingout.ph/speakingout.php.