The ATM danger

Received a forwarded email from a friend:

Dear all,

I drove to Maybank Seapark branch PJ last Friday evening at about 5.30pm,29May09.

I was pleased to find a vacant bay just outside the bank.

Iparked my car and went to do some banking at the machines, then I walkedcross to Watson to get some toiletries.

I came back to my car and noticedthat the front right tyre was almost flat.

Immediately I drove to the tyreshop nearby, which is about 100m away.

I told the shop keeper I had a flat tyre.

His prompt response: "Did you go to the bank?"

He told me a few similar cases happened.

It was a clean cut on the side of the tyre, about 1 cm long.

I guess these evil-doers' tactic was to follow my car (if I had not noticedthe flat

tyre) until I could not go further with the flat tyre.

Then they would either rob me on the spot or force me to go back to the bank

to withdraw money for them.

This reminded me of another time when I also parked in front of a bank in

Uptown, Damansara Utama.

I did not go to the bank that day.

I had lunch with a friend near the bank.

I sent her back to Taman Tun and came back home.

One of the tyres was flat.

There was a brand new nail stuck to the tyre.

I suppose that evil person did not follow us as he noticed we did notgo to the bank.

Please be extremely careful when you go to the bank.

DON'T PARK NEAR THE BANK YOU ARE GOING TO!!!

Yes, I think this is so true. This is a true story and please do not take this lightly. Your gender is not important; as it could also happen to men, but women are the main targets.

Few other ATM reminders:

1. Try not to go to the ATM alone. Your friend will help to be alert with the surrounding while you do the transaction on the machine (even it’s during daytime)

2. Should you decide to go to ATM, with no one, DO NOT talk to strangers. They can have gazillion of questions to ask you, and you being polite trying to help if possible, and that’s the time they charm you by just looking in your eyes. I know some people don’t believe in magic and supernatural. Whether you do or you don’t, IT HAPPENS. While you are charmed, it’s like you’re in another world, in another body, and you wouldn’t be yourself. The minute you’re back in your real world, you’ll realize that all your money in your account is gone. No one will be able to help you. Because you were hypnotized and you appear to be giving your money sincerely although unconsciously (maybe you even smile while generously emptying your account for the evil guy).

3. DO NOT go to ATMs before driving back home. Always go somewhere else; somewhere open like the shopping malls, or restaurants, the further, the better. Lessen the probability of being followed, or the chance of your house being marked as target. There was one case, a MAN came home from ATM, was robbed under the broad daylight while waiting for his house gate to open.

4. DON’T EVER go to any ATMs at night. Even your intention is to deposit money instead of withdrawing. Those who are watching will not even have the slightest idea that you were depositing. They will just rob you, if you don’t have anything in your wallet, they’ll ask for SOMETHING ELSE. And you never know what. Hell, they might just rape you!

5. Don’t think that it’s daytime, it’s safe. It is never safe. Most of the cases happen during the day, when its least expected.

6. During the night, whenever you are desperate to withdraw, you tend to say “alah, takpe, banyak orang tu kat ATM, safe la”. You’re dead wrong. Please be mindful, they will not rob you in front of the ATM, they’re not stupid. They’ll follow you. Although, there were cases where robberies happen during the day, with many people around, but that many people were too stunned to do anything to help you.
"It all happened so fast".

So whatever the case is, just be careful and try to avoid trouble. Please don’t take it too lightly.

You don’t know who’s watching you.