Kenyan bank customers will soon enjoy safer access to their accounts with the launch of new high-security ATM machines.
Commercial banks have been on high alert fighting rising cases of ATM fraud and cybercrime in the country.
The new ATM machines, which will be distributed by local firm Tracom, come with installed barcode readers and encrypted PIN pads and duress which will make it impossible for criminals to use skimmed or stolen cards.
It also has high definition cameras to identify any unauthorised person who withdrew money using an ATM card that does not belong to them.
HumanIPO reported in March Kenyan I&M Bank was investigating installing biometric devices at their ATMs to combat fraud.
Njuguna Ndung’u, Central Bank governor, said the launch of the enhanced ATM terminals compliments the industry’s move to more secure cards which include the migration from magnetic strip cards to new chip and PIN cards.
“The banking industry is grappling with challenges of ATM fraud and we are accelerating the migration to chip and pin technology to realize a more secure payments infrastructure in the banking sector,” he said.
The new machines are being produced by Diebold, a global financial hardware and software solutions provider.
Xavier Bianne, Diebold’s sales vice-president in charge of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “Providing a secure environment for ATM users is essential to maintain consumer confidence.
“By integrating leading-edge security features directly into the design of our Optiva family of ATMs we have engineered what could be the most advanced ATM security solution in the business.”
