Have you ever heard of the term ‘express kidnapping’? It’s when criminals take their victims to one or more ATMs and force them to withdraw as much cash as possible.
If victims refuse, they often suffer fatal injuries or even pay the price with their lives.
To tackle this very specific form of crime that is prevalent in Latin America, Sekron Securities in Brazil has come up with an innovative solution.
The Emergency PIN Code is a plug-in designed to be installed in ATMs. It allows users to create an alternate pin code that can be entered in an ATM during extreme circumstances.
In case of an emergency, users can punch in the alternate pincode which will silently alert the security centre without arousing the suspicion of the kidnapper.
The ATM still functions and the money is released normally, but only a small part of the client’s bank balance is revealed, reducing the amount of cash that can be stolen.
The ATM’s built-in camera and the bank’s security system capture images of the scene, which are sent to the security centre as well.
In case the kidnapping continues, an app on the client’s phone reports the location in real time, allowing authorities to safely rescue the victim.
A simple but brilliant idea that has the power to drastically reduce crime in many parts of the world.
