How Face Mask Can Prevent ATM From Dispensing Cash To You

Since Nigerian banks opened to the public in May, the banks have been demanding that customers adhere to the COVID-19 safety measures in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, but what most haven't told their customers is that one of the safety measures can prevent Automated Teller Machine (ATM) from paying you.

The safety measures for COVID-19 in banks is the same everywhere - leave some gap between you and others, use hand sanitizer, and wear face mask. While these measures will safe your life, it could stop you from receiving money from the ATM, this is according to a statement from Fidelity Bank.

The Nigerian lender stated that wearing of face mask while using the ATM could prevent the ATM from carrying out its function or demand of the customers. AllNews learnt that the ATM has some features that could be blocked by the face mask, leading to the failure to the failure of transactions on the ATM.

Fidelity Bank said the ATM needs to capture the faces of the customers while transacting on the ATM as the detection features are for incidences of fraudulent ATM withdrawals,  “Wearing of face masks is a safety and precautionary measure we must all adhere to in this period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“However, we advise that you remove your face mask while making withdrawals or carrying out ATM transactions to allow our ATM properly recognise you. Fidelity Bank ATM machines have face detection features installed to curb incidences of fraudulent ATM withdrawals.

"Consequently, you may not be able to carry out any transaction if our ATMs are not able to properly recognise you. We apologise for the inconvenience that this may cause you.” Fidelity Bank said.