ATM safety tips
ATMs are a convenient and easy way to get cash. Each time you use an ATM, keep the following safety tips in mind and remember to always make it NYCE and safe!
Common Sense Is a Great Defense
Common sense is your best guide when using ATMs. Trust your instincts and use ATMs only where you feel safe and comfortable. NYCE provides access to more than 90% of U.S. ATMs, so you have plenty to choose from. On the road with your smartphone?
Lights, Camera, Cash
If you need to visit an ATM after dark, bring a friend whenever possible and always choose ATMs with adequate lighting. For added security, use ATM locations where you know the activity is recorded by a surveillance camera or inside a store where other people are present.
Don't Flash Your Cash
Stand squarely in front of any ATM to help protect the privacy of your transaction.
Have your ATM/debit card ready before going to any ATM to avoid opening your wallet or purse in public. After a withdrawal, be sure to put your cash, receipt and debit card away quickly before leaving the ATM.
If you are making a deposit, prepare your check or cash deposit in advance of your trip. Endorse your checks and have any cash ready before you visit the ATM. If the ATM requires a deposit slip or envelope, complete the deposit slip and envelope ahead of time if you can, or retrieve the envelope at the ATM, then step away from the ATM to a safe location to finish preparing your deposit.
Guard Your Card and Your PIN
Your debit card cannot be used without your PIN to make an ATM transaction or purchase that requires a PIN, so keep your number safe and secret. Memorize your PIN and never write it on your card or leave it in your wallet. When you use an ATM, stand between the machine and the person behind you so no one can see you enter your PIN.
If your ATM transaction does not appear to be processing correctly or you feel the ATM is not working normally, never permit a stranger to help you: Refuse anyone’s request to re-enter your PIN. Go to another ATM or ask for help only from branch office staff.
If you suspect someone is looking over your shoulder or are uncomfortable for any reason, cancel the transaction request and leave immediately. If your ATM card is lost or stolen, or if any suspicious or unauthorized ATM transactions appear on your account statement, notify your financial institution as soon as possible.
If the ATM “doesn’t seem right” in any way, cancel the transaction and notify your financial institution of your concern.
Be Safe in Every Place
Whether you use an ATM in an enclosed vestibule, on the street, inside a store, hotel or office building or at a drive-up ATM, always be aware of your surroundings. When you are in a vestibule, close the entry door completely upon entering and exiting, and do not offer entry to strangers. At the drive-up, keep your engine running, lock all your doors and open only the driver's window. If you are walking to an ATM, stay alert and do not linger at the machine.
If you are concerned about safety at a particular ATM, notify the financial institution that owns the machine, the manager of the retail location or office building personnel where the ATM is deployed.
Be sure to contact your financial institution as soon as you can if:
- The ATM card reader appears to have been altered or looks “different”
- The magnetic stripe or chip on your ATM card cannot be read by the ATM
- Your ATM/debit card is lost or stolen
- An ATM kept your card
- You want to change your PIN
- You have forgotten your PIN
- Your transaction is denied and you believe it should have been approved
- You wonder about a fee you were charged for a transaction
- You do not recognize a transaction on your on-line banking site or your account statement