The first full-service machines hit the streets in 1971. Today, some 87,000 ATMs handle more than 600 million transactions each month, just in the United States.
Technology offers convenience, but it doesn t replace common sense.
If you share the card with family members, like your children, impress upon them that they memorize the PIN and never divulge it to anyone outside the family. If bystanders seem to be loitering rather than conducting business, go to another machine or come back later. If someone seems to take untoward interest in you or your transaction, report suspicious behavior to the police but leave the area first. Have your card ready and know what transaction or transactions you want to conduct. Pay attention to activity around the ATM as you leave, too.