ATM cash withdrawal: Stay safe! Do this to protect yourself from skimming, fraudsters

In India, cash is the king. While digital payments have increased significantly in the last three years, people's love for cash is still unbroken. This is despite many banks' customer falling a victim to the rising skimming fraud. While banks keep issuing warnings and advisory from time to time, the cases of ATM fraud has been on a rise. In most cases, residents of Metro cities become a victim of skimming. This makes it important for people to understand what is skimming and how to stay safe from it. This will help ensure that your ATM cash withdrawal transactions remain safe. 

What is Skimming?

Skimming is a trick where scamsters steal your debit/credit card data and clone it. They then use it for siphoning money off your account. To clone your card, scamsters set a camera or duplicate keypad in order to record your PIN number and attach a cloning device at the card reading slot. 

What should you do?

If you are visiting any ATM to withdraw cash, you must examine the keypad whether it looks different or thicker. Also, you should give a gentle nudge to the card reader slot. Any skimming device attached to it will break out with a gentle push. 

When you are inside an ATM, don't let any second person be inside the cabin. Also, do follow these security tips to be safe in the future:

* Cover your hands while entering your ATM/Debit/Credit card PIN
* Change your ATM PIN regularly.
* Never keep the PIN with the debit card or write on it. Always memorize it.
* Conduct your ATM transactions in complete privacy, never let anyone see you entering your Personal Identification Number (ATM Password). Do not let strangers come into the ATM room or take their help to complete the transactions.
* Always wait till the ATM returns to the idle mode and the green light is blinking.
* Insist on swiping your card in your presence in hotels/shops/malls, etc.
* Beware of suspicious movements of people around the ATM or strangers trying to engage you in conversation.
* Don't share OTP received on your phone with anyone.

Also, if you see any transaction that is not initiated by you, immediately inform your bank and get the card blocked.