The Motel Association of NZ (MANZ) is somewhat embarrassed today by including the following item in their weekly "eMANZ NewZ" email bulletin broadcast to over 1000 of its members:"ATM PIN NUMBER REVERSAL
If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your Pin # in reverse.
For example if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321.
The ATM recognizes that your pin number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you.
This information was recently broadcast on TV and it states that it is seldom used because people don't know it exists.
Information comes from Kelvin Ratnam, Senior Policy Advisor, Crime Prevention Unit l, Department of Justice who says "Please pass this along to everyone possible."
Ironically, the same bulletin quotes a well used catchphrase to stress a point in another article:
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".
After an exhaustive 2-minute investigation, the writer found the ATM PIN Number Reversal Scam on several hoax and scam sites.
A New Zealand Herald report printed last year clears up any confusion on the authenticity of the claim :
Bogus email tries to fool ATM users
New Zealand Herald
Wednesday May 23, 2007
By Aroha Treacher
Don't be fooled into thinking there's a cunning way to get police to come to your aid if you are ever forced to withdraw money from an ATM machine.
Internet users are receiving bogus emails that promise banking customers just that - a false sense of security.
The bogus email claims if a robber or kidnapper ever forces you to withdraw money from an ATM machine, police will automatically come to your aid if you enter your pin number in backwards.
However Auckland police have confirmed that the email is a complete fabrication. "It is too far fetched to be believable," a police source said.
The bogus emails have found their way into Work and Income contact centres in Auckland and Hamilton, and the Crime Prevention Unit based in Wellington.
It is not known to what extent the emails have spread but a number of Work and Income staff receiving the email believed the information to be true and forwarded the email.
One of the reasons people believe the email is because a senior staff member for the Crime Prevention Unit received and forwarded it on.
Kelvin Ratnam, senior policy advisor for the CPU said: "Unfortunately when someone else forwarded the message on they must have deleted the history below it leaving my name as the last recipient."
He advises that if you have received the email to go the urban legends website www.snopes.com which explains the origin of how it all began back in September 2006.
Craig Howie, ANZ bank media spokesman said: "We strongly suggest that customers ignore these kind of emails and delete them."
He also said ANZ provide a number of tips for customers about protecting their security. These can be found on the bank's website .
By Aroha Treacher
Don't be fooled into thinking there's a cunning way to get police to come to your aid if you are ever forced to withdraw money from an ATM machine.
Internet users are receiving bogus emails that promise banking customers just that - a false sense of security.
The bogus email claims if a robber or kidnapper ever forces you to withdraw money from an ATM machine, police will automatically come to your aid if you enter your pin number in backwards.
However Auckland police have confirmed that the email is a complete fabrication. "It is too far fetched to be believable," a police source said.
The bogus emails have found their way into Work and Income contact centres in Auckland and Hamilton, and the Crime Prevention Unit based in Wellington.
It is not known to what extent the emails have spread but a number of Work and Income staff receiving the email believed the information to be true and forwarded the email.
One of the reasons people believe the email is because a senior staff member for the Crime Prevention Unit received and forwarded it on.
Kelvin Ratnam, senior policy advisor for the CPU said: "Unfortunately when someone else forwarded the message on they must have deleted the history below it leaving my name as the last recipient."
He advises that if you have received the email to go the urban legends website www.snopes.com which explains the origin of how it all began back in September 2006.
Craig Howie, ANZ bank media spokesman said: "We strongly suggest that customers ignore these kind of emails and delete them."
He also said ANZ provide a number of tips for customers about protecting their security. These can be found on the bank's website .
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=188&objectid=10441251
