What To Do During An ATM Robbery

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- An e-mail is circulating that claims to save lives. It explains what you to do if someone is forcing you to withdraw money from an ATM.

Automatic teller machines are very handy for getting quick cash at all hours of the day and night. But as with anything convenient, crooks find a way to take advantage.

An e-mail that's been making the rounds says if you are being forced to withdraw money from an ATM, you can enter your PIN number backward and it will give you the cash plus notify police.

For instance, if your pin is 1234, you enter 4321.

The problem is none of it is true.

"Police will not be called, and you will not get your cash," said David Johnson, CEO of People's Bank.

The e-mail sounds real and people believe it, possibly giving them a false sense of security and putting them in more danger if they can't give the robber money and the victim thinks help is on the way when it's really not.

The banking industry has looked as adding some type of panic alert at ATM's, but so far nothing is in place.

"As far as I know and our ATM provider knew, there's no system that will give a panic alert to police," Johnson said.

Call it a myth or urban legend, but don't try it when it matters most because it could cost you more than money.

If someone is forcing you to withdraw money from an ATM, do exactly what they say, give them the money they want, memorize their description and don't get into a vehicle with them.