What to do When an ATM Doesn’t Dispense Cash but the Amount is Debited?

An Automated Teller Machine (ATM) allows you to check account balance, withdraw cash, or even open a fixed deposit account as per your convenience at any time of the day. However, these are machines after all, and problems can emerge from time to time.

A fairly common problem that the ATM users face is that that when they insert their ATM card, enter the PIN, and make a transaction, it gets declined even though they receive an SMS that their account has been debited. So, the question is- what should you do when this happens?

Understanding the Problem

Sometimes, when an ATM is faulty or there is a technical problem then an anomaly may occur in which your account is debited even though you didn’t receive the cash. The same can happen if the ATM is actually out of cash but didn’t register it at the time you initiated the transaction. However, in the worst case scenario- a fraud may be involved.
A number of fraudsters are using skimming devices on ATM machines these days. These are made to look like a regular ATM card reader. So, a victim may insert their ATM card into one such device thinking it’s the ordinary ATM card reader. However, what happens is that the device reads and stores the ATM details which the fraudster uses later to make unauthorized transactions.

Some tricksters are also using fake ATM dispenser tray in which the cash is collected but not displayed for the user.
If you are a victim of this kind of ATM anomaly or a fraud, then you can do the following:

• Call the customer care and explain your situation. If you don’t have the contact number with you, then you can look for it on your ATM card itself.
• Look inside the ATM booth. Many times, they display the emergency helpline numbers on the walls.
• If there is a bank branch nearby, then you can directly approach the bank executives too.

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