Debit Card Hacking: Steps to follow to secure your PIN against the ongoing ATM hack!

Close to 32 Lakh debit cards have been exposed to the ongoing ATM hack. Here is how you can prevent fraudsters from getting their hands on your money!

Mumbai, October 20: A reported ATM hack has affected over 30 Lakh debit cards, whose security has been compromised. A lot of people fear leak of information including ATM PINs, due to which major banks in the country are taking steps to contain the breach. But what if your card has already been exposed to one of these hacked ATM networks? It is possible that important information has been passed on to fraudsters and suspect individuals due to the hack, which was first suspected in the ATM network used by Yes Bank. This is why it is extremely important that users take steps to ensure that no suspicious activity takes place from their accounts. In such a scenario, blocking the card, or reissuing it, might not be the only solution.

There are other ways to make sure that your PIN details are not misused. The obvious way to save oneself from financial fraud is to change the PIN number of your debit cards, especially if you own one from SBI, ICICI, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, as these banks are the worst hit from the security breach. In a statement issued by SBI after it had to re issue over 6.5 Lakh debit cards to users, the bank said, “Card network companies like the NPCI, Mastercard and Visa had informed various banks in India about a potential risk to some cards owing to a data breach. Accordingly, State Bank of India (SBI) has taken precautionary measures and blocked cards of certain customers identified by the networks.”

According to a Business Standard report, the bank said that it was in the process of issuing new cards to the customers, advising them to its fraud prevention facilities. Changing the PIN is a sure shot way to ensuring security. Keep changing your ATM PIN in order to prevent it from being stolen. One should change their PIN every three to six months or at least once a year, in order to prevent theft. Do not disregard any alert sent to you by your bank. Heed all their warnings very carefully and follow through with all the safety measures. If some activity is observed on your card, that you have no information about, immediately block your card and reapply. ALSO READ: Beware! Over 30 Lakh SBI, Yes Bank, ICICI, HDFC & Axis Bank debit cards exposed to ATM hack

You should also avoid using the same PIN number for multiple accounts. It increases the chances of more than one accounts getting hacked. If you don’t have the SMS alerts service active for your account, activate it immediately. The service is helpful in getting notifications as soon as there is any activity at all using your card or on your account. In case of a fraud, the SMS alert will notify you immediately, so that you can alert your bank immediately and take a relevant action. If possible keep the receipts of your debit cards transactions. This will help you keep track of your activity.

Never respond to any calls or mails asking you for your bank or card details, as these might turn out to be fraudsters posing as ponzy scheme runners. Keep your PIN numbers secret at all times and do not disclose them to anyone, as far as possible. Indian ATM users, especially those who rely on ATMs for daily transactions or frequently withdraw money, should be very careful while engaging in a transaction. This is because most of the ATM systems in India are running on outdated Operating Systems, especially susceptible to fraudulent activities.