[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Driver2000

Since we are raising awareness levels while driving - just wanted to reinforce that we need to be alert at ATMs too. I am sure there are newer and possibly more dangerous versions of this story around now.

Absolutely - we should keep our eye and ears open.

What I follow is a bit complicated, but foolproof.
I have 2 bank accounts under the same customer ID.
Account 1 is my salary account and is zero balance.
Account 2 is my personal joint with my mom.
Whenever I receive salary - I transfer bulk of it to A/c 2, and leave anything between 100 to 5000 in A/c 1.
I only carry the debit card of a/c 1 with me, and transfer money online from a/c 2 to a/c 1 whenever I need to draw out money (say from office or from home pc).
That way - even if I get mugged and people get access to my card - at worst I shall be set back by average Rs 2000.
Also the credit card I always carry does not have an ATM PIN (so no cash advances), and has a paltry credit limit of 15000 (enough for impulsive shopping!).

[Googleman]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Absolutely - we should keep our eye and ears open.

What I follow is a bit complicated, but foolproof.
I have 2 bank accounts under the same customer ID.
Account 1 is my salary account and is zero balance.
Account 2 is my personal joint with my mom.
Whenever I receive salary - I transfer bulk of it to A/c 2, and leave anything between 100 to 5000 in A/c 1.
I only carry the debit card of a/c 1 with me, and transfer money online from a/c 2 to a/c 1 whenever I need to draw out money (say from office or from home pc).
That way - even if I get mugged and people get access to my card - at worst I shall be set back by average Rs 2000.
Also the credit card I always carry does not have an ATM PIN (so no cash advances), and has a paltry credit limit of 15000 (enough for impulsive shopping!).

So you are ok if you are mugged for 2K?

Now you have mentioned your Fullproof plan, I hope the muggers are not following this thread

The ATM mugging incident mentioned above has also kind of become common I guess that is the reason people do not believe genuine cases.

Once I went to EGL and parked in the pay-to-parking. I went for my interview and returned. While taking my car out I realised, I FORGOT MY WALLET. I had some change in my car and was 5rs short to the parking bill. I waited for around 1 hour, thinking what to do. Later I had no option and approached a guy who came in an open geep to lend me 5rs.

This guy gave me the 5rs without even questioning me. Was the most embarrassing moment of my lifetime but thanks to the guy who helped me. God bless him.

[coolfyre]

Here is an ATM incident as said by my co-worker.

He went to ATM took money and came out and started walking towards to his bike which he had parked a little away.
A woman approached him asking for some money so that she can go back to her village from wherever she had come from as she had lost her money and her belongings.
My co-worker was well aware of the trick with sob story etc., so he said sorry I don't have any money with me. Hearing this the woman said, you just took out money from the ATM and you are saying that you don't have any.

Hearing this my co-worker was shocked to find out that she had been keeping an eye on people who go in and come out of ATM.
He did not say a word after this, just walked to his bike and left from that place.

I have heard of mugging incidents from my office people who took auto rickshaw immediately after coming out of an ATM and eventually getting mugged in broad daylight especially about the ATM near ananda rao circle.

[nowwhat?]

Well today after many years I was approached by a Marathi family for the famous Marathi scam in front of the Citibank ATM in Koramangala.

It was a small family of around 5 with children. The woman was asking a youth in their group in a somewhat hurried and loud tone to talk to me: "Ask him, Ask the Uncle, He may help!" This was a repeat of what happened earlier too.

Anyway the youth asked if I know Hindi or Marathi and I replied "No" in Hindi and walked away.

By the way I read this article some time back -> Phase Pardhi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know we are living in a different day and age, but I couldn't help noticing the children these people carry and the reference to child beggars.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Googleman

So you are ok if you are mugged for 2K?

Now you have mentioned your Fullproof plan, I hope the muggers are not following this thread

The ATM mugging incident mentioned above has also kind of become common I guess that is the reason people do not believe genuine cases.

Once I went to EGL and parked in the pay-to-parking. I went for my interview and returned. While taking my car out I realised, I FORGOT MY WALLET. I had some change in my car and was 5rs short to the parking bill. I waited for around 1 hour, thinking what to do. Later I had no option and approached a guy who came in an open geep to lend me 5rs.

This guy gave me the 5rs without even questioning me. Was the most embarrassing moment of my lifetime but thanks to the guy who helped me. God bless him.

Yup - my life is much more valuable than 2000 odd rupees.
Maximum of these muggers are drug addicts who can even kill for 100 rupees. And they are too high to follow tbhp
Also - I carry 2 wallets - one fat with low denomination bills (10, 20, 50) and couple of expired/hotlisted cards, and another small one with the real cards and 100/500/100 rupees. That said - I do not carry much cash on myself except that fat wallet. And I have an emergency cash reserve in my car.

[mooza]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Also - I carry 2 wallets - one fat with low denomination bills (10, 20, 50) and couple of expired/hotlisted cards, and another small one with the real cards and 100/500/100 rupees. That said - I do not carry much cash on myself except that fat wallet. And I have an emergency cash reserve in my car.

Good tips, Blackasta ! Will try to follow this.

On a lighter vein, my friend in IIT used to carry his high denomination notes and cards in specially tailored pockets in his trousers. But he himself used to find it so difficult to remove these from his secret pockets, that I ended up footing most of his huge eating bills, while the initial agreement would have been to go dutch ! In hindsight, I feel I was the one who got cleverly mugged during all those days

[zaks]

I think we should put a big alarm in our car separate from horn like an ambulance sound, that when turned on in distress should scare away these thugs and catch others attention.

[mooza]

Originally Posted by zaks

I think we should put a big alarm in our car separate from horn like an ambulance sound, that when turned on in distress should scare away these thugs and catch others attention.

+1 to this. A good suggestion.

Hopefully, this should not be misused often (for getting ahead of the traffic while driving, for instance), else nobody would respond to the cacophony of alarms ! Towards this, false alarms could be made punishable.

[shankar.balan]

quite a horrible bunch of scams on this thread.

While this is not really a scam, what about the other phenomenon of transvestite/ eunuch type characters that seem to have flooded into Bangalore over the last 3 years and have started making life miserable for the public by their extortionate tactics?

its so bad around Koramangala that where earlier I used to switch off the engine at the traffic lights and roll down the windows, nowadays I simply leave the engine on, the ac running and the windows up and doors locked.

and I dont understand why our cops cant put a stop to this roadside extortion racket!

[Judemayne]

The sad state of affairs that most of them are not transvestite/ eunuchs but just plain goons or wasters dressed as such-easy money. Please do not get into any sort of arguement with these guys-they have a gang in the close vicinity-just ignore them.

[raihan]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

quite a horrible bunch of scams on this thread.

While this is not really a scam, what about the other phenomenon of transvestite/ eunuch type characters that seem to have flooded into Bangalore over the last 3 years and have started making life miserable for the public by their extortionate tactics?

and I dont understand why our cops cant put a stop to this roadside extortion racket!

Maybe because they get their cut? after all that what our police cares about right?

[shankar.balan]

discretion is the better part of valour - there is no doubt about it.
hence my normal tactic of engine on, rolled up windows, AC on and doors locked.

Originally Posted by Judemayne

The sad state of affairs that most of them are not transvestite/ eunuchs but just plain goons or wasters dressed as such-easy money. Please do not get into any sort of arguement with these guys-they have a gang in the close vicinity-just ignore them.

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

what about the other phenomenon of transvestite/ eunuch type characters that seem to have flooded into Bangalore over the last 3 years and have started making life miserable for the public by their extortionate tactics?
nowadays I simply leave the engine on, the ac running and the windows up and doors locked.

We, as car drivers atleast have this advantage of rolling-up.
But I pity those travelling by 2wheelers and autorickshaws.

Last week I saw a auto passenger being physically harassed by one of those. He was so embarassed (with a girl also sitting beside him in the auto) that he gave-off money when the harassment went beyond a limit.

[anainar]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

We, as car drivers atleast have this advantage of rolling-up.
But I pity those travelling by 2wheelers and autorickshaws.

Last week I saw a auto passenger being physically harassed by one of those. He was so embarassed (with a girl also sitting beside him in the auto) that he gave-off money when the harassment went beyond a limit.

Yes, it is unbearable, and they target especially autos which has a guy and girl.I always roll up my window and they walk away from such cars. If the window is open they get really physical. The case is same with two wheelers and people cough up money.

I don't know why police is silent. Also beggars with small kids. That also should be taken up by police to verify the authenticity of the kid. Recently there was a case where an aaya rented out the kids for Rs.100 to these beggars and the parents of the child found it out to their horror.

Nainar

[Googleman]

Originally Posted by anainar

Yes, it is unbearable, and they target especially autos which has a guy and girl.I always roll up my window and they walk away from such cars. If the window is open they get really physical. The case is same with two wheelers and people cough up money.

I don't know why police is silent. Also beggars with small kids. That also should be taken up by police to verify the authenticity of the kid. Recently there was a case where an aaya rented out the kids for Rs.100 to these beggars and the parents of the child found it out to their horror.

Nainar

Why do we have to stay scared and keep windows rolled up?

Moment you see someone placing their hands inside your car, start rolling up the window. They will pull it back scared that their hands will be stuck. I did this once to a guava seller who was putting his hands almost inside near my steering and trying to sell it even after I was not interested.

I told him a couple of times am not interested, but seeing a girl beside me, he thought that I would buy it out of embarrassment. I rolled the window up so quick that he left the guavas and pulled his hands back . Soon the signal was green and I threw the guavas out and moved on.