If on the one hand, ATMs are becoming increasingly rare in the country, on the other hand, scams are always more and more numerous. Indeed, the number of ATMs is decreasing every year. It has increased from 56,000 in 2015 to 50,316 in 2021. 23,000 cash distribution points at merchants or tobacconists are added to these, however. According to the Banque de France, this decline has “only a marginal impact on accessibility”, because “the reduction in the number of ATMs is concentrated in the most populated municipalities” and “the best equipped”.
On the other hand, regional disparities are great. Residents of low-density areas (such as small villages with less than 500 inhabitants) sometimes have to travel several kilometers to collect cash. 600,000 French people are thus at least fifteen minutes by car from the nearest ATM. Creuse, Lot and Yonne are among the least equipped departments, reports LCI.
This decrease in the number of ATMs may well continue. Indeed, on Wednesday February 15, 2023, BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Crédit Mutuel announced that they were joining forces to pool their ATMs.
Called “Cash Services”, this new project will allow the pooling of vending machines located outside branches or in other public places. As soon as the launch is effective, customers of one of the three brands will be able to withdraw cash from one of the ATMs of one of the banks, without fear of additional billing, as is currently the case.
As soon as the launch is effective, customers of one of the three brands will be able to withdraw cash from one of the ATMs of one of the banks, without fear of additional billing, as is currently the case. While this should lead to fewer ATMs in urban areas, banks have announced that no ATMs should be closed in rural areas.
This does not prevent us from seeing a constant increase in crimes related to the withdrawal of money. Memorization of PIN codes, ticket thefts, recovery of bank details, card thefts… ATM theft procedures are increasingly sophisticated.
Discover, in our slideshow below, a non-exhaustive list of the fraudulent methods most commonly used by scammers to recover your bank details and your money.