Bank of America Corporation

Helen Sarris

William Scott Treadwell

Daniel P Shnowske

Mian Zhou

Timothy Byrd

Rhonna Clark

Chuan Bin Lin

Systems and methods are provided for protecting against bank card fraud and related crimes by providing a distress/fraud trigger at bank card machines, such as automated teller machines and point-of-sale terminals. The trigger initiates certain heightened-security processes designed to stop the crime, control damage, and help apprehend the criminal. For example, in one embodiment, the trigger involves the cardholder inputting a 'panic' personal identification code into the bank card machine. The panic personal identification code indicates to a party involved in the bank card transaction that a fraudulent transaction may be taking place. The heightened-security processes may include, for example, displaying that the bank card machine is out-of-order, dispensing money with a GPS tracking device, requesting additional identification steps, instituting delay tactics, notifying on-site personnel, or forwarding audio or video information from the bank card machine to a bank's command center in real time or near real time.

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Burlington, NJ, United States of America

Helen Sarris