RESIDENTS have been alerted to a scam being operated at bank automatic teller machines (ATMs).

　　Thieves operate the scam by placing a plastic chip under the money dispenser to catch the notes which they retrieve later.The scam was reported on two occasions recently at the ATM at the Xinzhou branch of the Shenzhen Commercial Bank.

　　The bank has since pledged to take measures to protect its clients.A Ms. Xu, who lives near the bank in the Shixia community, tried to withdraw 500 yuan from the ATM Friday night, but money didn’t come out after the screen indicated her transaction was completed. Thinking it was a machine malfunction, Xu went to the bank the next day only to find computer records showed the money had been withdrawn.The mystery was solved later that day when a Mr. Chen went to the bank with a 15cm x 6cm black plastic chip he found in the ATM.His experience had been similar to Xu’s, according to himself.He heard the sound of the notes being dispensed but nothing came out of the machine.Feeling suspicious, he felt the money exit and found the black chip blocking the exit. Notes dropped down when he removed the chip.Chen remembered seeing a fat man in his 40s strolling up and down near the ATM. The man ran up to him when he realized the scam was exposed but disappeared quickly as Chen’s friend called the police.()