ATM Safety Precautions

Few precautions while using ATM may save you from running into a trouble.

• Observe the surroundings at the ATM location before conducting a transaction.
• Skimming devices are card readers placed on an ATM close to or next to the actual ATM card reader. The devices may even be mistaken for the actual ATM equipment. It's important to be observant and take precautions if the ATM equipment appears to be modified or to have unusual instructions for its use.
• Do not use ATM which is too isolated.
  
• Never use an ATM if there are messages or signs indicating that screen directions have been changed.
  
• To block the view of others stand very close to ATM and shield keypad, so no one can observe you entering the PIN.
• Look for possible fraudulent devices attached to the ATM, if anything found suspicious, use another ATM.
• Never allow other person or even the watchman at the ATM to enter your PIN.
  
• Have your card ready, to minimize the time you spend at ATM.
• To use an ATM during night time, try to keep someone, you trust, with you.
• Do check the monthly bank statement.
• Don’t store the magnetic strip on the back of your ATM card against the magnetic strip of another credit card in
  your purse or wallet. It will corrupt the strip and make your card unusable.
• If you think someone is following you after leaving ATM, find a suitable place where no one can attack you.
• If you see poor lighting or other potential hazards at ATM, avoid using that ATM and report to the Bank.
  
• Your ATM card is the same as cash, so make sure you keep it in a safe place. Keep your PIN a secret and don’t
  disclose confidential information about your card over the telephone or the Internet. Note, you need not tell your PIN to operator at customer care center even if the operator asks your PIN. DO NOT EMAIL OR SMS your PIN to anyone, it may be hacked. DO NOT WRITE IT ANYWHERE, MEMORIZE IT.
  
• Do not use ATM where you may not get receipt of the transaction (may be due to lack of paper in the ATM). Get receipts of all your transactions and maintain them until you compare with the bank statement, because this is the only proof of your transaction and without that you have to accept the bank statement.
  
• Now most of the banks SMS on the mobile registered with the bank, after any transaction, above amount preset by you, at ATM. Set the amount, while filling the form, to a small amount say Rs. 1,000. So if your card is lost or stolen and you don't know, you will get message whenever amount more than Rs. 1,000 is withdrawn by someone else.
• If your card gets jammed, retained by the ATM, or lost, report this immediately to the Bank using the phone number posted on the ATM.
  

And this I have read on some other blog (I can't recall), I don't know, this facility is given in India or not, but it is very useful .....

If you are ever forced by someone to withdraw money out of your ATM, enter your PIN reversed i.e. if your PIN 5678 then enter PIN as 8765. The ATM will give the cash demanded by you, but will automatically recognize this as a plea for help and will alert the police and thief will not know it.