Security Tips for ATM Cards

Take care your bank card
protect you better

Keep your card safe

card lock icon
  • Sign on the signature panel at the back of your bank card immediately with a permanent ink pen upon receipt of your bank card and keep the card in a secure place. Contact the Bank immediately if you lose your bank card/PIN
  • Do not keep the bank card and the PIN together. Never write down the PIN on the bank card or on anything usually kept with or near it
  • Do not allow anyone else to use your bank card and PIN
  • Call our 24-hour Bank By Phone at (852)2779 5533 or notify any of our branches immediately if your bank card is retained by ATM, lost or stolen

Keep your PIN safe

pin safe icon
  • Change your PIN immediately when using your bank card for the first time and destroy the PIN letter
  • Do not use easily accessible personal information such as birthday, telephone number or recognizable part of your name for setting up password
  • Set a password that is difficult to guess and different from the ones for other services
  • Do not use your bank card PIN for any other cards, internet banking accounts, online memberships or internet services
  • Change your PIN regularly
  • Do not write down or record the PIN without disguising it
  • Do not disclose your card PIN to anyone else, including our staff

When you are using your card at ATM/ STM

atm icon
  • Be aware of your surroundings, if you observe or sense suspicious persons or circumstances, do not use the machine at that time.
  • Cover the keypad when entering the PIN
  • If the keypad and keypad cover (refer to below) is removed or damaged or anything unusual, stop the transaction and notify the Bank immediately

    atm keypad

  • If there is any suspicious device (e.g. Pinhole Camera, Skimming Device) or damage on card insert slot, cancel the transaction immediately and contact the Bank if you have any inquiry

    atm card insert

  • Do not accept any assistance from strangers
  • Check whether anyone is trying to peek at your password

After use, before leaving the ATM/ STM

after use icon
  • Remember to take out your bank card from ATM/ STM after every transaction
  • Count the banknotes immediately after each cash withdrawal. Do not take away any banknotes at the cash dispenser or bank card at the card insertion slot left behind by someone else. Let the banknotes or bank card return to the ATM automatically

When you are processing Fund Transfer transaction

  • Please check and verify the transferee’s account number and transfer amount before confirming a fund transfer transaction
  • In case of any transfer to a wrong account by mistake, the bank can only transfer back the fund upon getting the transferee’s consent. If the transferee is not cooperative or refuses to return the fund, the transferor should consider reporting to the police
  • Anyone who discovers a deposit to bank account from an unknown source should report the matter to the bank immediately and return the mis-transferred funds, otherwise, it may be criminally liable
  • Please contact us if you have any problem during the fund transfer transaction

Other Notices

other notice icon
  • If you intend to withdraw cash from overseas ATMs, check with our bank whether your intended overseas destination can support cash withdrawal using your bank card. You should also activate the overseas bank cash withdrawal function in advance and set a prudent overseas ATM cash withdrawal limit and an activation period
  • Check the transaction records provided by our bank in a timely manner. Inform our bank immediately if you lose your bank card, or in case of any suspicious transactions or situations. Banks will not ask for any sensitive personal information (including passwords) through phone calls nor emails nor SMSes
  • Call our 24-hour Bank By Phone at (852)2779 5533 immediately or notify any of our branches during office hours if your bank card is retained by ATM, lost or stolen
  • You may have to bear a loss when a card has been used for an unauthorized transaction before you have told the bank that the card/PIN has been lost or stolen or that someone else knows the PIN. Provided that you have not acted fraudulently, with gross negligence or has not otherwise failed to inform the bank as soon as reasonably practicable after having found that your card has been lost or stolen, the maximum liability for such card loss is HK$500
  • To learn more about Debit Card Chargeback, please click here for details or download the “DECLARATION OF DEBIT CARD TRANSACTION DISPUTE” form.

Other related information

  • To learn more about the e-leaflet of "Major safety tips on using ATMs" published by Hong Kong Monetary Authority, please click here .
  • To learn more about the information on banking services as published by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority in different languages (Including " Security Tips on Using Automated Teller Machines"), please click here.
  • To learn more about the publications by The Hong Kong Association of Banks, please click here.

Please kindly note that, you will be liable for all losses if you do not act according to the security tips above and/or you have acted with negligence or fraudulently or have failed to inform us as soon as reasonably practicable after having found that the card has been lost or stolen.

For your protection, please refer to our security advice from time to time.

Protect your Personal Digital Keys; Beware of Fraudulent Links!
Don’t be tempted by quick money! Don’t lend your account to anyone for money laundering!