Beware of anyone who offers you help at an ATM. Scammers interfere with the machines to give you a reason to accept their help when your card seems stuck or a transaction fails. Then, they watch you enter your PIN, distract you and swap your card without you noticing.
Tips to slam ATM scams
- Always cover the PIN pad when you enter your PIN at the ATM, even if no one is behind you
- Never let anyone take your card, not at shops, not at ATMs
- Use PINs that are hard to guess – never use your birth date
- If your card is lost or stolen, stop your card immediately
Tips to keep your PIN safe
- Never share your physical or virtual card details or PINs with anyone, not even friends or family. Your bank will never call, SMS or email you to ask for this info
- Make sure the PIN to unlock your phone or device is different to your banking PIN and always use different PINs for different cards
- Remember your PIN. Never save it on your phone or write it down
Stay alert, stay in control
Your PIN and card are the keys to your money. Protect them at all times. Watch for anyone standing too close to you, cover your PIN and keep your card with you. By being alert at ATMs, you keep your money safe where it belongs.
![How to spot fake Marketplace ads]()
Slam the Scam competition
Listen to our latest Slam the Scam episode and enter our competition on Facebook.
You could win a R500 Flexi Voucher.
