Federal Background Checks Required for ATM Ownership

Did you know a person cannot own an ATM without submitting to a Federal Background Check and waiting for approval?

In order to be approved a person must have:

1) A credit score greater than 620

2) No OFAC Hits
(“OFAC” is an acronym for the Office of Foreign Assets Control. It is an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury, which administers and enforces the United States’ economic and trade sanctions. The sanctions are levied against hostile countries, terrorists or terrorist-driven organizations, drug traffickers who operate internationally, and individuals and groups involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.)


3) No Bankruptcy (personal or business) in the last 3 years


4) No open/unpaid tax liens or judgments (personal or business)


5) No Felonies (financial crimes or violent crimes) – Financial crimes may include money laundering, embezzlement, racketeering, etc. Violent crimes may include murder, felony assault and crimes of a sexual nature.

Photo via Cardtronics.com

How to load receipt paper on a Hantle 1700W ATM

Here is a photo of the decal on the inside of the ATM detailing receipt paper loading instructions. ATM receipt paper is thermal and must be installed correctly or receipts will be blank. 

Be sure to load the paper onto the spindle with the correct feed direction.

Paper should be coated side out.

Install the paper roll so the paper falls from the top of the roll toward the front of the ATM and falls downward. Pull the paper beneath the roll and over then under the tension shaft. 

Guide the paper into the feeder where the mechanism will, ‘grab’ the paper and pull it toward the exit. 

Voila! You’ve done it!

Receiving and undressing an ATM

ATMs are everywhere these days. We see them in many places that are not banks: convenient stores, fuel stations, bowling alleys, restaurants and bars to name a few. 

How did they get there? Many people just see them in a location all shiny and stuffed with cash or with a sad,’out of service’ sign taped to the front. Either way, the unit was brand new at one time and here’s the story of how they arrive.

A truck pulls up for delivery, either to a loading dock or with a lift gate. In this case, our office in Dewitt has an exterior door and is at street level, so we requested a lift gate delivery. The driver loads the unit onto a hand cart dolly and brings it off the truck into our office.

Here it comes - though the door!

The crated box is left for me to handle. I unpack the straps, remove the sign strapped on top like a hat and then slide the cardboard box off the unit.

Hello, new ATM.

With it’s cardboard box removed, we experience the awkward moment of having to undress our new ATM from it’s plastic bag. Here, is the unit changing clothes and preparing for programming. Perhaps I should have done this in a dressing room?

For underwear, the unit is wrapped in plastic wrap to protect it from dents and scratches. Once the cardboard box and plastic bag cover and plastic wrap is removed, we’ll be ready to program and test our unit before shipping it off to it’s final destination.

Choosing the right equipment

There is always an opportunity for an ATM sales person to sell a unit. I believe we aren’t in business to sell units, we are in business to provide a convenient service to a merchant and user. This is why we, as experts in our field, cannot just pick an ATM with a high margin and suggest it to a prospective merchant. We have an obligation to do the opposite: ask the merchant what their needs are and fulfill that with the best equipment for their location.