Patent ID: 6871288

Claim:
In a method for operating an automatic teller machine system of the type used to dispense cash to a customer from an associated account and having a card reader for reading a personal access card of the customer with a personal identification number stored thereon, means for inputting a customer selection, a display screen and a central computer for processing a customer request for a cash withdrawal, the improvement comprising the steps of: after reading the personal access card and verifying the personal identification number of the customer; generating a plurality of transaction acceptance passwords in the central computer, one of the plurality of passwords being pre-assigned to the customer and stored in the central computer; displaying the plurality of passwords on the display screen in a grouped format together with a prompt to the customer for selection of the pre-assigned password; dispensing the cash requested for withdrawal upon the inputted selection of the pre-assigned password of the customer; and signaling authorities upon the inputted selection of one of the plurality of passwords other than the pre-assigned password as indication that the customer request for cash withdrawal is being made under duress.