Sick of machines swallowing your cards? ANZ introduces PayWave to its ATMs

PayWave is now available on all ANZ ATMs starting from today, eliminating the risk of machines getting too hungry and swallowing your cards - and maybe even card skimming.

Users will be able to use their ANZ Visa card or Visa-activated smartphone with ANZ goMoney Wallet to use the machines.

Those users can use the 'Tap - Pin' functionality on the PayWave symbol, which means you don't even have to put your card in a slot anymore.

The bank says it's the first in New Zealand to introduce the technology to its ATMs, after contactless tech in general has been seeing fast uptake. The company says more than 75% of eligible transactions begin with a tap at some ATMs.

"New Zealanders are embracing contactless technology, and so it makes sense to introduce it at our ATMs," says ANZ New Zealand's general manager of banking products.

"This technology is a major leap forward for ATMs. It will not only make ATM transactions faster for our customers, but it is also much safer as it reduces the risk from fraudulent skimming devices placed on machines as the card or mobile wallet never leaves the customer's hand," she says.

However, you might be wondering how secure this method of withdrawing money is. ANZ's head of financial crime Paula Milne says contactless tech at ATMs is actually a significant step in reducing ATM fraud.

"We invest heavily in anti-fraud measures to keep our customers' money safe, but criminals continue to develop realistic-looking skimming devices that are very hard to detect when attached to an ATM, and which steal sensitive information when cards are entered into the machine," she says.

"Tap - PIN is another security feature that will disrupt this behaviour and adds an extra level of security for our customers," she concludes.