ADVICE on what to do if robbers march you to a cash dispenser to withdraw money has been exposed as an urban myth.
Advice has been circulated to thousands of people via emails - but both the police and the banks say it is nonsense.
The email states: "If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine you can notify the police by entering your PIN number in reverse.
"For example, if your PIN number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM recognises that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine, but will still give you the money you requested.
"Unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you."
The Association For Payment Clearing Services - an organisation representing banks - said: "We are not sure where this originated from, but it is not true and it won't work.
"If your PIN number was the same forwards as backwards such as 3223 how could the machine tell if a robber was with you?
"If you put your number in backwards you won't get any cash either."
Det Con Russ Conlon, of Kirklees CID intelligence unit, said: "This is purely an urban myth. Cash machines are not linked directly to the police."
