NYCE Corp. is once again flooding the media with automated teller machine safety tips for New York consumers.
The three-year-old campaign, originally implemented to comply with a 1992 New York City law, geared up again at the end of May.
Scott Strug, NYCE's marketing director, said that crime at ATM locations dropped 35% in 1995. Noting that crime throughout New York City dropped last year, Mr. Strug said the "measures New York banks took to improve safety helped."
The Woodcliff Lake, N.J.-based regional network, which receives $2 million in funding for the program from its New York members, will run advertisements on cable television channels, including NY1 and VH1, through September and again during the holiday shopping season.
This year, in addition to billboards at bus shelters and other locations, prominent displays will be seen at Pennsylvania Station, along with brochures, to reach commuters.
The advertisements offer tips like "Stay alert" and "Don't flash your cash."
In conjunction with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's office, the network will sponsor an ATM safety awareness week including a press conference and events in bank branches in the different boroughs.
Mr. Strug said that although banks will not be legally responsible to continue the campaign after 1996, he hopes to find funding for the future. NYCE would like to expand the successful campaign to other regions , he said.
Richard P. Yanak, chief executive officer of NYCE, said the program generates good will. "If we can put together a program that gives banks good PR and that is responsible and reasonable, I think banks will do it."
New Jersey's statewide ATM safety law went into effect in January. New York State'sATM safety law goes into effect in January 1997. Legislation is in different stages in many other states.
