BML says new card‑use restrictions rely on automated checks, not personal information

Bank of Maldives (BML) on Tuesday defended its decision to block dollar transactions at foreign ATMs and POS terminals when a card is used abroad without the cardholder being overseas, calling it an important security step, but firmly denied sharing any personal customer information with Maldives Immigration to implement the measure.

BML announced on Saturday that Maldivian residents will no longer be able to use their cards abroad unless the cardholder is physically overseas.

Following the announcement, Immigration revised its information‑sharing procedures. Previously, Immigration did not share any information with third parties. Under the new procedure, information may be shared with law‑enforcement and relevant authorities in line with communication and financial laws. Some critics argued the change could undermine public confidence in BML.

In response, BML said it does not provide customer information to Immigration to verify whether a card has been taken abroad without the cardholder.

According to the bank, every card transaction goes through an approval or authorization process, during which the system automatically checks the card’s validity and whether the account balance or credit limit is sufficient.

With the new digital integration, the system will also automatically verify whether the customer is abroad at the time of a foreign transaction. BML described the integration as an important step taken amid rising financial crimes.

The bank said the measure directly protects customers from fraud and scams.

“In particular, there are cases where cards are taken abroad without the cardholder’s knowledge, or where card details are copied and used to make unauthorized transactions overseas,” BML said in its statement.

BML added that, under the general terms and conditions for card use, customers have always authorized the bank to obtain information required for transaction verification. The new integration with Immigration simply clarifies this provision.

The bank noted that authenticating card transactions is required under international card‑network standards to maintain the reliability of global payment systems.

BML said the move positions it as a leading bank in South Asia in terms of security. Traditional banking systems alone cannot provide this level of protection, and the integration marks a further advancement in the security of the Maldives’ payment system.

The bank emphasized that all measures taken are aimed at ensuring the safety, integrity and reliability of card transactions, and that no customer information is shared beyond what is necessary for verification.