is that a scam?
HIGH banking

Is “multiple 10000 atm withdrawals at midnight i didn't make” a scam?

Yes — this is a known, dangerous scam.

A skimmer fitted over the ATM card slot reads your card data while a pinhole camera or fake keypad overlay captures your PIN. Hours later, money is withdrawn from another city's ATM. Cover the keypad and prefer in-branch ATMs.

How to tell

  • Card slot housing feels loose, sticky, or wobbles when you touch it before inserting
  • Keypad feels spongy, raised, or oddly thick — could be an overlay over the real keys
  • A small extra device or unusual brochure holder is fixed near the screen at PIN-entry height
  • Your card is debited at an ATM in a city you have not visited

What to do right now

  1. 1 Wiggle the card slot before inserting — if anything moves or detaches, walk away and report to the bank
  2. 2 Always cover the keypad with your other hand while entering PIN — defeats overhead pinhole cameras
  3. 3 Prefer in-branch ATMs during banking hours over standalone street kiosks
  4. 4 Enable SMS alerts for every card transaction, even ₹1, so cloning shows up immediately
  5. 5 If money is debited fraudulently, call your bank's card-block helpline within 24 hours — RBI rules cap your liability if reported in time
  6. 6 File an FIR at the nearest police station and keep a copy for the bank's chargeback claim
  7. 7 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

Full guidance, red flags, variants & official sources

ATM skimmer + pinhole camera clones your card and PIN →