THE VM Building Society (VMBS) on Friday reopened its network of automated banking machines (ABMs) for public use, after last month announcing a temporary closure of the banking kiosks.

“We’re pleased to have our 32 ABMs islandwide again be made available to our members and other users on the MultiLink network. We understand and regret the inconvenience that the necessary closure caused, and we’re happy to have all our ABMs reopened in time for the busy Christmas period,” VMBS Chief Executive Officer Paul Elliott stated in a release.

The financial institution had indicated when it closed the ABMS that the move was due to an uptick in the detection of attempts to comprise its ABM network, and as a result stepped in to protect and “ensure the safety of our members’ information and their investments”.

At the time, the building society advised its members to continue using their VM Express 24 debit cards at point-of-sale touchpoints and at MultiLink’s network of over 800 ABMs. VMBS also waived all fees for transactions done using other touchpoints.

For the duration of the closure the company’s teams implemented solutions to help mitigate the threat posed to its ABM network.

With the restoration of the service VMBS noted that debit card fees that were suspended during the closure have been reinstated since Friday.

At the same time, the VMBS CEO is recommending that its members and the general public take precaution when using any ABM.

“We, of course, continue to urge everyone using ABMs to be very vigilant and to ensure that you use one hand to cover the other when entering your PIN into the machine. Be mindful of your surroundings at all times, and report any suspicious activity to your financial institution immediately,” he said.