ATM machine - email circular

[16 July 2008]

Crimestoppers has recently received a number of enquiries regarding an email being distributed regarding robbery at ATM machines with advice wrongly attributed by the charity.

The email in circulation is similar to the below:

“If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your pin # in reverse. For example if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM recognizes that your pin number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you.”

This information is not true – you will not receive cash and the police will not be called. If you receive this information please ignore it.

For further information and advice regarding card fraud please visit the Card Watch website: http://www.cardwatch.org.uk

Card Watch is a UK banking industry initiative that aims to raise awareness of card fraud prevention. It is managed by APACS, the UK payments association.