Depositors want banks to strengthen security at ATMs
Depositors of commercial banks operating in the country have charged Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to regularly improve on the security of their Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, so as to protect the savings of banking customers at all times.
Speaking on the issue at the weekend, a computer software specialist, Mr. Adejumoh Adeoye, suggested that securing depositors fund should not be treated with kid’s glove since it is not impossible to have such scams here.
According to him, “We’ve been having similar ones here; it is just for them (the fraudsters) here to update their knowledge on how it is being done there and the way to go about it here. It will definitely happen here, if it has not yet happened. The way out is for banks and their customers to be wary of this form of fraud and are more careful while at any ATM spot. My fear is whether the society here has that capacity to quickly act on such things and avert them.”
But Mr. Biyi Adesuyi, Chief Executive Officer, Wealthgate Advisor, would not see this as a new development. Adesuyi, whose banking career spanned more than two decades with one of the nation’s frontline banks, stated that the nation’s financial institutions had even started taking measures to nip such scams in the bud.
“Some banks in Nigeria have provided a reliable solution by installing a flat non-transparent object to cover customer’s hand whenever he is pressing the ATM keys. This prevents such a camera from capturing the PIN so pressed,” he explained.
Adesuyi, however, want ATM users to also be more restrained whenever they are on the machine, by using a book or cardboard of reasonable size to cover their hands while imputing their PIN for their funds or accounts to be protected.
Interestingly, Ajayi Omolayole, a marketing communications practitioner, believes the way to go is for stakeholders to take the ‘enlightenment path.
“Let the banks sensitize the public, especially bank customers, to this new trend in ATM frauds. Once the public is adequately informed, the tendency to be caught unawares would be drastically reduced. They would always be wary of all these things while at banking premises,’ he stated.
