Bank of America has shared a clever trick with their clients to avoid problems if a card is lost or stolen. A simple gesture can make the difference between a foiled theft and an empty account.
The trick is to write a fake PIN code on the card with a sticker. When the thief tries to withdraw money, they enter it several times unsuccessfully and trigger the card to be automatically blocked for security reasons. The thief leaves thinking the card is unusable and can't keep withdrawing money.
We should stick this on our credit card: Bank of America's trick
No one expects a regular user to have a sticker with an incorrect PIN, so the thief enters that number thinking it's real. By making several mistakes, the ATM system ends up blocking the card. That technological interruption may be enough to make the thief give up.
What we want to achieve with this fake PIN is simple. Turn a situation that could be critical into something manageable. Bank of America emphasizes that a forced unlock attempt ends with the card being blocked.
Once it's blocked, the thief loses access, even if they have the plastic. Meanwhile, the client can report the loss and request a new card, without the contents of their account being affected.
Bank of America's recommendations beyond this clever trick
Bank of America supports this kind of homemade ingenuity. In their security center, they warn about common fraud methods and always recommend covering the keypad when entering the PIN, or even writing it on a piece of paper to keep in a safe place. They also mention using additional tricks, like the fake PIN, which several financial experts already recommend.
Various technology and security portals also support the validity of the trick. An article from HuffPost notes that "experts ask you to write a fake PIN on your bank card as a protection measure against thieves."
This kind of technique can foil new thefts
That text explains that if the thief gets stuck, they'll keep entering the PIN until the card is blocked. It also highlights that, along with this trick, a complex and unique combination of digits should be used, and changed regularly to keep trust and effectiveness against fraud.
The effectiveness of this trick has been recognized by banking security experts. Recent alerts indicate that ATM thefts are increasing in the United States, and this kind of homemade technique can foil many attempts. It's a preventive method that doesn't require investment and strengthens the protection of our savings.