Barsing: False fraud warnings do more harm than good.
That “enter your PIN backwards and police will come” story has been circulating for more than 20 years, and banks, police, and ATM networks have repeatedly said it’s not true.
Here are the facts.
❌ ATMs do not trigger police if you reverse your PIN
There is no universal ATM system that recognizes reversed PINs
Banks have said publicly that such a system doesn’t exist
Police do not get automatic alerts that a robbery is happening
❌ Money won’t “get stuck in the slot”
That’s just made up. ATMs can reject a card or reject a withdrawal, but they do not hold cash halfway on purpose.
❌ “Every ATM has it” – definitely false
If this were real, banks would advertise it as a crime-prevention feature. They don’t because it isn’t real.
Official statements
Bank associations and ATM networks in the USA, UK, Australia, Malaysia and others have explicitly debunked this.
Even Snopes, banks, and police warnings confirm it’s a hoax.
Better advice if a robber forces you at an ATM
Real safety advice from police:
Do not resist
Hand over the money
Report immediately afterward
If safe, remember physical details (clothes, direction they left, vehicle, etc.)
Your safety matters more than the money.
Why this myth keeps spreading
Because people love “secret safety hacks”. Unfortunately, this one is dangerous because it gives people a false sense of protection.
Matthew Barsing is on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/barsing/
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