The safest ways to withdraw money from an ATM

Withdrawing money from an ATM is such a common and normalized activity in society that we often walk past an ATM that is being used by a customer without much thought at all.

Even though taking money out of a bank machine is just a normal part of everyday life for millions of people, it still puts you at risk.

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To limit this risk, the police in several countries around the world have developed a series of tips with the aim of keeping you safe while taking out cash at an ATM.

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The first of all, which is even announced on the ATM screen, is to cover the pin pad when entering your PIN.

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Obviously, if you card is stolen or lost you don't want a potential thief to know you secret code. We don't want to make it easy for those with bad intentions to steal our money!

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Authorities have another recommendation that is more important than it seems: check that there are no foreign objects in or on the ATM itself or elements that do not appear to belong to there.

Sometimes we can find small surveillance cameras that capture the PIN of customers or even elements that look like the card slot however, it is actually small machine that can clone your card with a single operation.

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This tip is pretty obvious, however, if you are out partying with friends late at night, your judgement could fail you. Avoid taking cash out from ATMs at night, especially if you are inebriated, the darkness makes you an easy victim.

Although it may seem absurd, which it is not, police recommend not trusting unknown people. We are talking about seemingly harmless people who may be in cahoots with other criminals.

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In other cases, the most dangerous criminals carry out the robbery directly. So, if you ever see someone suspicious hanging around the ATM, it is better to wait and get your cash out another day or go to another bank machine.

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Police and banks recommend looking for ATMs that have surveillance cameras or those that are located at the entrance of the bank branch, where you can lock the door while you are inside.

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Another useful tip is to always take any printed receipts with you. You do not want to let a criminal know any personal information or how much money you have left in your account.

Police also recommend you do not to withdraw large amounts of money from your account. If you need it, it is better to go to the bank when it is open and request it from an employee.

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However, most banks have a limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw from an ATM, usually in the range from $500 to $3000 depending on the bank.

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Fortunately, nowadays, many of us have bank APPs which will alert us if a large amount is withdrawn from our account.

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Be that as it may, and despite how common it is to withdraw money, it is advisable not to be too trusting and always be alert to avoid unpleasantness.

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