As part of the ongoing efforts to enhance
security and protect its customers from scams, Bank of Maldives has introduced a
self-service ‘Kill Switch’ to disable access to Internet Banking and cards in
emergencies.
The ‘Kill Switch’ is a single action which allows
customers to immediately log out of all active Internet and Mobile Banking
sessions as well as freeze their cards in case of scams, preventing any further
transactions from taking place. The feature, available on the Internet Banking
login page, is a self-service function which can be activated by customers
without contacting the Bank.
The Bank’s CEO and Managing Director Karl
Stumke commented “This feature has been launched as part of series of steps
taken by the Bank to strengthen measures against scams. In the event a customer
recognizes they have been scammed, they can now take the first step of freezing
their cards and Internet Banking at any time.”
Once the Kill Switch is enabled, customers will
only be able reactivate their Internet Banking and cards following a stringent
verification process through the Contact Centre or by visiting the nearest
branch.
The Bank has taken several steps to protect
customers from scams over the past months:
- In May, the Bank
introduced Two Factor Authentication (2FA) for Internet and Mobile Banking
logins. With the new update, an extra layer of security has been added to
verify that the login is by the registered customer.
- In March, One Time
Passwords (OTP) were enabled for all Scan-to-Pay payments in addition to alerts
for all login attempts on Internet and Mobile Banking.
- Last year, the
Bank also introduced OTPs via authenticator apps, disabling email as a
default OTP channel and began sending push notifications for all Internet
and Mobile Banking transactions.
Bank of Maldives currently serves over 325,000
customers with the nationwide network of 38 branches across all 20 atolls, 87
Self Service Banking Centres, 143 ATMs, over 200 agents and a full suite of Digital
Banking services, the Bank is committed to supporting individuals, businesses
and communities across Maldives.