The Scene

Consumer forums across India have been receiving ATM-related complaints – machine malfunctioning, account debited without dispensing cash, fraudulent withdrawals, debit card blocked without notice, card sucked in by the machine, etc. In most cases, especially in the case of fraudulent withdrawals, banks have a standard reply: Since the card is in possession of customer and only s/he knows the passcode/pin, it becomes their liability to take care of it and bank has nothing to do with it. Hence, so far as the bank is concerned, the loss is all of the accountholder and the bank cannot be booked for deficiency in services before the consumer court. Moreover, in many cases, banks turn a blind eye and refuse to accept complaints in cases of fraud and ask the aggrieved customer to go to the police instead.