Currently there is NO system in place to alert the police by entering ATM PIN number in reverse!

With the advancement of digital technology, the banking sector also has moved away from traditional methods, with most customers resorting to ATMs to withdraw cash. This is our investigation on misleading social media posts, which claimed that there is a system in place in which entering your ATM PINs in reverse order would alert the Police and save you from robbers.

Social Media Posts

Below is a Facebook post from December 2021, with over 11 thousand shares, stating the steps to be taken if a thief tries to rob you while withdrawing money from an ATM.

"From ANY BANK.......

In spite of armed robbery, here is something you may really need.

WHEN A THIEF FORCES YOU TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE ATM, DO NOT ARGUE OR RESIST, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE MIGHT DO TO YOU.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS TO PUNCH YOUR PIN IN THE REVERSE, I.E IF YOUR PIN IS 1254, YOU PUNCH 4521.

THE MOMENT YOU PUNCH IN THE REVERSE, THE MONEY WILL COME OUT BUT WILL BE STUCK INTO THE MACHINE HALF WAY OUT AND IT WILL ALERT POLICE WITHOUT THE NOTICE OF THE THIEF.

EVERY ATM HAS IT, IT IS SPECIALLY MADE TO SIGNIFY DANGER AND HELP.

NOT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THIS.

FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND THOSE YOU CARE FOR.

Save A Life

Facebook | Archived

Similar content is being shared in WhatsApp, with a slight difference claiming that the ATM would take photos of the suspect once the customer entered their ATM PIN backward!

Fact Check

As some of these posts indicated that the Police were alerted by entering the PIN code in reverse order, we inquired the Police Media Unit of Sri Lanka to confirm whether an automatic message was being sent to the nearest police station under such a scenario.

The police media unit said that such a security plan was not implemented and that these were false and misleading social media posts that get viral from time to time.

We inquired Mr. Channa de Silva, the chief executive officer of an institute related to Financial Affairs of Sri Lanka, Lanka Clear. He mentioned that such a procedure, as mentioned in the viral posts, does not take place in any country, and the only thing that can be done at present in Sri Lanka is to inform the Police as soon as such a robbery occurs. Without that, applying for the secret number from back to front will do nothing and only block the ATM card if attempted multiple times.

He added that people should avoid giving their ATM card and PIN to any unknown person and that some fraudsters roam near the ATM in the guise of bank employees and ask for the PIN to check ATM cards. Mr. Channa de Silva also mentioned that one should protect their ATM card and PIN so that they cannot get into the hands of any third party.

Here are some safety tips to help guard against crimes related to ATMs.

Here is Factcrescendo Sri Lanka team's Sinhala fact check on the same topic.

Origins of Reverse PIN Code System

After that, we decided to examine the facts behind the emergence of such social media posts.

In 1994, Joshep Zingher, an American lawyer, developed a secure bank security system for such PINs and obtained a patent. In addition, he introduced the concept of reverse PIN in the security system. For more information, click here. Archived.

However, in 2000, the authorities of several US states tried to create the necessary legal provisions to implement this system, but it was unsuccessful. Moreover, banks and financial institutions did not respond very well to this system suggested by Zingher.

Reports indicate several significant drawbacks to this reverse PIN concept, and it is a costly method with efficiency issues. In some cases, the robbers also get informed of such practices when steps are taken to make the public aware of such a provision. Even if the Police are notified without giving any signal, the robbers, who are aware of the system, can endanger even the lives of the persons concerned. Also, the robbers could have quickly fled the crime scene as the Police might not act immediately after receiving the message.

As such, there are significant concerns about the practical implementation of such a security measure. As a result, in 2010, the US Federal Trade Commission concluded that the proposed system had no practical value. More information can be found here. Archived.

Update :

US lawyer, Joe Zingher, responded to our article via email and explained more details on his invention, the reverse PIN code system.

He said that in his home state, the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association had attempted to get the system made mandatory on all ATMs in the state and tried for two years, back in 2003.

Contrary to many reports of the high cost associated with the system, Zingher says that his plan is cost-effective and only a simple software upgrade is required, which, once installed, would not cost further additions. He estimates that installing the system in the entire United States, with 400,000 ATMs, would cost approximately US$10 million.

He added that from the perspective of the customer and criminal, the system is designed to look exactly like a standard transaction and is secure for the customer. "The notification is done covertly. The transaction is no faster and no slower. If there's not enough money in the account, then there is not enough money in the account. That way, nothing is guaranteed to the criminal. Even if the system is not used, the criminal cannot be sure, so his best option becomes "grab the money and run," leaving the victim alive. If the victim is shot and the system is used, the victim will still receive medical care much faster. If the victim does not use the system, then the victim is no worse off than he would have been otherwise.", Zingher explained.

According to Zingher, the real opposition to the system comes from the banking industry. It states that its business model regularly results in people being killed for their ATM cards and PIN. "What the banking industry has done is integrate these murders into their business model. ", says Zingher citing examples of the number of deaths of innocent victims near ATMs

Zingher explains that no country / Police in the world currently tracks down forced ATM withdrawals, and his system can help the Police and the investigators to access the database of such crimes and, in turn, minimize ATMs-related crimes.

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Conclusion:

It was revealed that entering the ATM PIN code in reverse as a security measure is a security concept presented by US lawyer Joe Zingher. Still, it has not been implemented in Sri Lanka or any other country. Sri Lanka Police and experts from the banking security sector also confirm that there is no such security system in operation and to follow safety tips and be vigilant around ATMs while doing transactions.