A MAJOR bank is offering important security advice to people in Scarborough after a pensioner allegedly had his cash card cloned and £300 siphoned from his account.
The man, who did not want to be named, contacted the Evening News to warn others to be vigilant.
He said he had initially used a cash point in the Falsgrave area but, on trying to withdraw more cash from his Barclays Bank account, was denied the f
unds.
The victim said: "I went to draw some cash out and it wouldn't give me any. I only wanted £10. I informed Barclays and they said £300 had been withdrawn from a cash machine in Edgehill Road. If they've done it to me they will do it to others."
He said Barclays was now investigating the alleged theft which happened at around 1am on a Sunday earlier this month.
Karen Swainston, the head of media relations at Barclays, said she could not comment on individual cases.
She said: "All Barclays ATMs are fitted with anti-skimming devices and all customers are covered by a fraud guarantee if they are an innocent victim."
She added that people could observe the following advice to help protect against fraud:
Regularly check your statements to make sure the transactions included are correct and if not, people should contact their bank immediately to make sure it is not fraudulent
Never allow anyone else to use your card and always keep your PIN a secret
Memorise your PIN and then destroy your notification
Change your PIN number to a more memorable one if easier
Never write down your PIN
When using an ATM cash machine put your personal safety first and if there is anything unusual about the machine, or it looks like it has been tampered with, then do not use it and contact the bank and police immediately
Do not attempt to remove the fraudster's equipment
Give others space to enter their PIN in private – at least two metres if possible
Be aware of your surroundings – if someone is crowding or watching you then cancel the transaction and go to another cash machine
Do not accept help from well meaning strangers and never allow yourself to be distracted
Stand close to your cash machine and always shield the keypad to avoid anyone seeing you enter your PIN
Discreetly put your money and card away before leaving the cash machine
If your cash machine does not return your card then report its loss to your bank and police immediately
Shred your cash machine receipt, mini statement or balance inquiry when you dispose of them.
The full article contains 442 words and appears in Scarborough Evening News newspaper.
