A mere half hour browsing the net would reveal how crooks, hackers can get around "PIN" and steal card from the Banks' ATMs using simple exernal gadgets such as PIN PADS, capture devices, hidden video cameras from top(camouflaged into brochure shelf) etc.

Though banks cry hoarse to keep your PIN secret, but once crooks decide they have your PIN.

From internet, I found customers' transactions data is available from third party who are contracted for maintenance of the machine by Banks.

Gadget and data coupled together. it is a coup for the crooks.

On 19th evening at at 7p.m., when my debit card trapped in HDFC ATM annexed to their Branch at valasaravakkam - chennai, there was no security around. There was no surveillance camera in the ATM chambers( Came to know later from branch official that crooks snapped the camera wires the previous day 18th June07 both @valasaravakkam and Anna Nagar suburbs of chennai).

Card is trapped in the ATM is the root cause. Unauthorized withdrawals later is consequence. for both bank (read bank management) is responsible.

Though ATM chamber space is used effectively to publicize about Bank's products & services available - Nothing is displayed in the form of "DOs" & "DONT's" in the ATM chamber, no emergency telephone number to contact bank official at ATMs aforesaid). No instructions neither in the ATM Chamber nor in terms & Conditions provided as to what should be done in case of Debit /Credit cards get trapped in ATM Machines. To cap it all, more than one ATM in a single enclosure with men coming for dropping checks for collection & to write out checks and challans defeats the purpose of maintaining any kind of secrecy for customers in front of ATMs. I wish, the contents supra with implied suggestions is brought to the attention of people at the helm so that they can contemplate indeed in "UNDERSTANDING" -us - the customers.

Terms & conditions to the customers, Banks state that Debit card is Bank's property; so also ATMs are bank property. when card is reported trapped in the machine, to protect their property & customers money, bank is expected to take initiative to go the police to do the investigation with video images at the time of occurrence of theft 0r/and unauthorized withdrawals from ATM. In my case, whether HDFC bank done this?

I contemplate that why bank can't be sued for improper upkeep of the machine, and not displaying instructions as to what customer should do in such contingencies &poor security surveillance arrangements which would have certainly acted as deterrents to crooks.