Be alert this Labor Day weekend
posted by Mike Burke on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 in SHAZAM Blog
It’s a holiday weekend. People may be out and about more than usual, even with the pandemic slowing us all down. This means increased ATM activity. The bad guys are sure to be out and about, too, looking for ways to steal from you and your accountholders.
Let me share some things to be aware of, and some ideas to help your team on the front lines.
This Labor Day weekend — and during this global pandemic — community financial institutions should be on heightened alert for certain criminal activities.
- Watch carefully for skimming devices on your ATMs. Criminals know people are moving around during holidays, traveling and accessing cash with ATMs, maybe more than usual.
Checking your ATMs for skimming devices should be a high priority before and during the long weekend. Check them regularly throughout the day. It only takes moments for the bad guys to install them.
- Felony Lane Gang strikes again. No, we’re not making this up, it’s a thing. The Felony Lane Gang loves to use drive-thrus, the furthest lane from your window, and will surely use the masked environment we’re all in to make identification harder for your staff.
Reinforce with your frontline team, especially those serving drive-thru lanes, how important it is for them to confirm the identity of these (socially) distanced customers.
Empower them to ask people to pull their masks down and face the window so they can be seen clearly. Remind them of your institution’s protocols for identifying if a transaction is out of the norm.
- If your lobby is open this weekend, remind your team of robbery and suspicious activity protocols.
Facial coverings obviously make clear identification of suspects harder. Consider a process where your staff asks a person entering your facility to pull their mask down for an initial identity verification. The mask can be replaced once identity is noted.
Just want to use the restroom? Really? This is a major signal to your team. It’s pretty rare for someone to think of a financial institution when they need to use a restroom. Pay careful attention to these “visitors.”
Strong procedures and staff who are prepared to use them reduce risk. SHAZAM’s experienced crisis management consultants are available to train your team on an array of topics designed to help your financial institution understand and prepare for the worst.
About the Author
Mike Burke is a veteran law enforcement professional with experience in criminal justice instruction, homeland security and fraud investigation. He guides SHAZAM clients to enhance their security measures and ensure regulatory compliance.
SHAZAM, Inc. and ITS, Inc. provide this blog for general informational purposes only. Our blog may be shared by a direct link wherein the content remains as originally presented and has not been altered. SHAZAM, Inc. and ITS, Inc. assume no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents on the blog. By using this blog, reader agrees that the information published does not constitute nor is a substitute for legal advice which should only be sought from a qualified, licensed attorney.
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