4 precautions to take when withdrawing money

Beware of the "Lebanese trap" and 3 other precautions when withdrawing money.

Even with electronic payments on the rise, physical money is far from disappearing, so it is essential to take precautions when needing to withdraw money.

According to the 20minutos portal, as read on Notícias ao Minuto, older people are usually "more familiar with the places where to withdraw money and with handling cash, as they generally prefer to pay in physical money."

What raises even more concern is to take care when withdrawing money.

Read these guidelines based on advice from the police authorities in Spain.

• "Avoid withdrawing money at night or in lonely places";   

• Being accompanied.

• Hide the keyboard when entering the code.

• "Do not accept help from strangers".  

"And this may be precisely the error that many make: accepting help. Therefore, if the ATM presents any strange error or if your card is retained without any apparent reason, it is best not to accept help, no matter how friendly someone may seem," reads the news.

The portal explains that this help is better known as "Lebanese Trap", which will lead to the theft of the card later.

This is a "technique in which a fake coin or a very thin adhesive strip is placed inside the slot where the card is inserted. Then, when the user inserts the card, it gets stuck. This is when someone comes offering help and tries to get you to reveal your PIN. When you are distracted, they will remove the trap, take your card, and flee with your PIN," explains the news article citing 20minutes.

The Lebanese method is a strategy that acquired its name because it started in that country, and later spread throughout the world.

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