ATM thieves operating in Durban North and Waterfall

Blue Security has warned bank customers to beware of ATM criminals who are targeting customers in broad daylight in Durban North and Waterfall. Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson said ATM fraudsters had nearly escaped with almost R7 000 in two incidents reported at shopping centres recently.
“A woman was robbed of her bank card at an ATM machine at a Durban North shopping centre. The robber approached her from behind, pressed the cancel button on the ATM and asked her if she had an international bank card,” he said. “He fled with the card in a blue Audi and managed to draw R5 000 from another ATM machine before the customer could stop her card.”
Durban North SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Jackson said a second incident was reported this week in Waterfall, where an ATM fraudster was arrested after he robbed a woman of her card in a card swapping incident. “He fled with her card and withdrew R1 900 from another ATM, but an alert security guard arrested him and recovered the cash which he handed back to the woman.”
Jackson advised bank customers to be vigilant, especially over weekend and month end periods, when criminals were actively seeking to rob workers and business owners of their hard earned cash. “Avoid drawing cash at night and always make sure you are aware of your surroundings when using an ATM. Rather move on to another ATM if anyone waiting in the queue behind you acts suspiciously, or makes you feel uncomfortable,” he said. “Never accept assistance from a ‘friendly stranger’ if your card gets stuck or the machine appears to be offline, as criminals sometimes deliberately jam the machines. Criminals also try to ‘shoulder surf’ to see a bank customer’s PIN number, and then while offering to ‘help’ they deftly grab their victim’s card from the machine.”
Jackson advised bank customers to immediately report stolen cards to their bank before leaving the ATM to prevent criminals from being able to draw cash.