Banks don't allow people wearing masks to withdraw money, as it's easier for them to get away with using a robbed card

In every public place in the city, people are encouraged to wear masks to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus. Except at one place ATMs.

Banks believe that it'll be easier for people to commit fraud and steal money if they're inside the ATM centre with masks on. "It would also be difficult for us to trace the culprit despite the CCTV images," said the security manager of HDFC Bank's ATMs.

When this reporter visited the HDFC Bank's ATM centre near Apollo theatre with the mask on, the security guard, Appa Kadam, asked him to remove it. "We have been told to ask people to remove their masks, as there are chances of fraudsters stealing money with a robbed card," he said.

There were similar answers at a few ICICI Bank ATMs too. But Charudatta Deshpande, corporate communication head of ICICI Bank said, "I'm not aware of any such instruction, as they may be at a local level. People may be asked to remove masks so that they can be identified."