How to protect yourself from card skimming at ATMs and beyond
Discover essential tips to protect your bank card from skimming, whether at ATMs or everyday retail locations. Learn how to keep your finances secure and what to do if your card is compromised.
Card skimming at ATMs is on the decline, but criminals have found a way to steal your money even without an ATM. This type of fraud can occur at unexpected places like restaurants, petrol stations, or retail points where your card might be out of sight for a moment. When your card is swiped through a device that downloads its details, the stolen information can be used to create a duplicate card, resulting in thousands of Rands lost.
The Banking Association of South Africa advises customers to keep their cards in sight during transactions and to accompany anyone using a different machine. This is because a customer might not know if their card is being processed through only the legitimate payment terminal or if it has also been passed through another device.
To protect yourself, check that your card hasn't been replaced after a transaction and monitor your bank statements for any unusual activity. If you suspect your card details have been compromised, contact your bank immediately and follow their instructions to secure your account and card. While ATMs are a common point of concern for card fraud, it's essential to remember that skimming can also happen during everyday purchases when criminals have an opportunity to access your card out of sight.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
