This is not an urban legend, it happened to me.
I was getting cash from an ATM in a grocery store. The ATM was the kind that sucks your card all the way in.
Just as the cash dispensed and I finalized the transaction, a guy walked up saying he had to restock the deposit envelopes. As I snatched my cash I told him to back off and he apologized and did.
I then spent some time trying to figure out why the ATM didn’t pop my card out. I spoke with the bank and they said that they didn’t service the machine and that it probably sucked my card back in and shredded it. They gave me a business card and told me to call on Monday to see if my shredded card was in there when it was opened.
They were not my bank.
I called my bank and tried to report the card lost. The option (number four, if you’re interested) was not working. I tried all night. The next day, Saturday, I went to my bank and reported the card in person. Checking my activity I noticed one transaction at the grocery store. I didn’t buy anything. I lost my card.
I’ve been trying to figure out how this punk got my card ever since. I think I have figured it out…
1. He said he was restocking the deposit envelopes.
2. He had a stack of them in his left hand. He approached from my right.
3. Since he started talking first my attention was on my cash there in the slot.
4. When I told him to back off I instinctively looked at him.
5. He covered my card with the envelopes and took the card.
6. This all happened as soon as I hit the “done” button. I figure he was watching and swooped in as soon as I hit it.
A simple sleight of hand and my card was gone.
This happened in Las Vegas, Nevada. Has this happened to you?
Hope this post will prevent it happening to you.
