The State Bank
of Vietnam plans to apply measures to protect card holders, but the measures
have not been applauded by the public.

In the
draft regulations on managing ATM transactions the State Bank stipulates that
people cannot not wear motorbike helmets or protective masks when making
transactions with ATM. In addition, those who wait in line to make transactions
at ATMs must stay at least one meter apart from each other.

The draft
regulations, once reaching the public, have been described as “unfeasible” and
“funny”.

Explaining
the tentative regulation that card holders must not wear motorbike helmets and
dust-protective masks when making transactions, an official from the central
bank said that the regulation aims to help easily identify people who make
transactions. If card holders wear these things when making transactions,
cameras will not be able to identify the faces of those individuals. This makes
it impossible to settle disputes.

However,
Chu Hoang, a card holder on Thai
Thinh street in Hanoi, complained that the regulation would
be inconvenient for card holders. “I regularly withdraw money from ATMs located
on streets, and I regularly wear a motorbike helmet when making transactions. I
don’t want to spend time taking off my
helmet. I believe that many other people feel the same way,” she said “it is
just more convenient if I do not have to take off my helmet. I do not intend to
commit any fraud,” she continued.

Tuan Long,
who lives on Hai Ba Trung street in Hanoi, noted that most ATM transactions are
carried out right on the streets, with no supervisors from banks, therefore, it
is unfeasible to ban people from wearing helmets and protective masks.

“I believe
that only a few people want to wear helmets and masks to commit fraud. However,
even if they intend to commit fraud, it is still impossible to prevent the
behavior because there is no bank security officer there,” Long said, noting
that the tentative regulation may not prevent evildoers, that it will make
people feel inconvenienced.

Meanwhile,
Nguyen Thu Hang in Trung Hoa-Nhan Chinh residential quarter in Hanoi, pointed out that if people have to
stand one meter apart from the person, who is making transactions, they may
have to stand in the road. If so, they may face the risk of being hit by
vehicles or being insulted by people in traffic.

Hang said
that there are many other solutions that can help better protect card holders.
For example, it would be more feasible if banks use new technology to identify
people by fingerprints.

A banking
expert also has doubts about the feasibility of the drafted regulations. If a
person comes to a bank and works face-to-face with bank officers, he will take off
his motorbike helmet and protective mask, even if this is not mentioned in the
laws. “However, things are different if the person is not communicating with
bank officers, but a machine. In this case, they prefer convenience”.

While
people are still busy arguing about the feasibility of the tentative
regulations on managing ATM transactions, a jewelry company said it has been
applying the same regulations already. Pham Hai Au, Deputy General Director of
Phu Quy Company, said the company asks clients not to wear motorbike helmets or
sunglasses when making transactions at Phu Quy’s shops. The regulations have
been applied since 2009.

“We need to
keep strict supervision because gold is a valuable product. It would be very
difficult to identify people if they wear protective masks or sun glasses,” he
said, adding that he has received no complaint about the regulation.

However, Au
also thinks that the regulation would be not suitable for ATM transactions.
Most ATM card holders want to make transactions as quickly as possible and
leave. Therefore, they do not want to waste time taking off helmets.

C. V