News

Security alliance releases international ATM security guidelines

October 29, 2003

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - In an effort to enhance the customer experience at ATMs, the Global ATM Security Alliance (GASA) introduced a set of international security guidelines for cardholders.

According to news release, the purpose of the guidelines is to reduce ATM crime through heightening security awareness among cardholders when approaching, using and leaving ATMs.

"The World's Top Twenty Tips for ATM Use," collected from Australia, New Zealand, the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, India and South Africa is included.

GASA, which includes representation from the U.S. Secret Service and Scotland Yard, encourages banks, ISOs, networks and manufacturers to brand the guidelines to suit their specific needs as a means of informing as much as the public as possible.

"By being more security conscious and taking precautions whenever possible, citizens can help prevent crimes from taking place. This is equally true when it comes to ATM usage," said Mike Lee, international director of ATMIA, which founded the alliance. "We would like to appeal to all regulars of ATMs to read the manual and practice its simple guidelines."

GASA was formed in July to assist law enforcement and fraud prevention agencies and to strengthen the industry's protections on a worldwide basis against criminal activity, the release noted.

"It is important now for the security guidelines for cardholders to be translated into the major languages of the world," Lee said.