In full digital era, where we pay more every day with cards And we carry, less and less effective, bank security has become a real priority. As advanced that are the protection systems of banks and websites, criminals have also become experts in mocking barriers and finding new ways of cheating. Therefore, some tips that may seem absurd at first glance, could actually save us from Lose money from our entire account in a matter of minutes.
One of the most widespread practices remains Data theft through ATMs. Although it sounds outdated, The spy method while introducing the pin or placing tiny cameras continues to work. The worrying thing is not just that, but many victims do not even realize until it is too late. Faced with this threat, cybersecurity experts have rescued a trick as simple as effective: Place a sticker with a false pin on your card. Yes, a simple sticker can make a difference. It is not a joke or viral occurrence in social networks. This advice, backed by security experts, is based on a logic that can leave the thief out of play and give us a valuable margin of time to act. Let’s see Why it works, how you should do it and what other precautions can you take to avoid stealing money at the ATMs or even in physical stores.
Why do you have to put a sticker to your card?
Although at first glance it seems one more technique of disguiseplacing a sticker on your card with a false pin can be a very useful security resource. The idea is Simulate that you have noted your secret number because you are forgottensomething that a thief will seem completely credible. Thus, If someone steals your card, the first thing to try will be to introduce that pin noted in the sticker, convinced that you will have immediate access to money.
But the trick is that, When that code fails three times (because it is false, of course), the card is temporarily locked. This prevents the offender from making purchases or getting money, you already give you enough time to contact your bank, cancel the card and prevent the robbery from reaching older ones. Besides, Many banking systems emit automatic alerts When failed access attempts are produced, which can be noted even before you notice the disappearance of your card.
The key is that this sticker seems real. That is, it is not enough to hit any role: it must have written A figure with appearance of pin, placed naturally, as if you really use it daily. Only then will the thief be tempted to use it without suspecting anything. And it is best that you do not need any special equipment or technical knowledge, only a minimum dose of ingenuity and a piece of paper.
More than 2.3 million cards committed in Spain
This advice is not born from an without foundation. The current situation in Spain fully justifies the use of strategies like this. According to the latest data presented by Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence during the MWC 2025, in the last two years more than 2.3 million bank cards have been committed In our country. A figure that scares, especially if one takes into account that the main objective of cyber attacks have been the banking data of the users.
Of the More than 26 million devices that have suffered malware infections, It has been discovered that one in 14 was directly linked to the theft of credit card data. Although these attacks are often produced online, traditional methods cannot be underestimated: in ATMs and payment terminals, scams are also produced, and many times with a simple camera or a quick hand that replaces a card.
This shows that It is not enough to trust our bank’s security or what our mobile It has a good antivirus. It is necessary to take active, small but effective measures, to make it difficult for those who live to steal others. And one of them, as simple as it seems, is to put that sticker trap on the card.
How to place the sticker correctly to work
The trick is to do well. Ideally, you use a Small piece of paper or adhesive tape where you clearly write a four -digit combination, That does not match your real pin at all. Right next door, you can write the word PIN either clue, As if you had signed it because you don’t remember it well. This detail reinforces the deception and makes it look totally real.
Then, Paste that notita in the back of the cardpreferably in a visible but not very striking site. It does not need to occupy half a card or be striking: the more normal it seems, the better. The objective is that, in case of theft, the offender falls into the trap and tries to use that code before thinking about anything else.
It is also important that you do not use your true pin or an easy combination as 1234 or 0000. That is not only a general security error, but it can make the thief beaten by chance. The ideal is to choose a random combination, which has no relationship with you, or with birthday dates, or personal data. And remember that this sticker should act only as a decoy. The real pin must not be written anywhere.
Other ways to prevent them from stealing in ATMs
Although this sticker technique is very useful, it is not the only recommendation made by security experts. The basis of everything is to have good habits every time we use our card on the street. For example, it is essential to protect the cashier’s keyboard when entering the pin. PIt may seem exaggerated, but there are cameras installed by criminals that discreetly record each movement.
Besides, It is convenient to change the pin frequentlyat least once a year, although the ideal would be to do it every few months. This greatly reduces the risk in case someone has memorized it without you noticing or being registered in some way. It is also very important to avoid using simple keys such as 1111, 1234 or birthday dates. Thieves usually try those first.
Finally, you should never share your pin code with anyone, not even for trust. Nor do you notice on your mobile phone or in a notebook. All this may seem obvious, but many robberies begin with small oversights. The sum of all these measures, including trap sticker, can make a difference between a scare without consequences and an important economic loss.
