UBA bans ATM cards use for betting, jewellery purchase, others

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has placed a restriction on the use of its debit and prepaid cards for purchasing jewellery, pornography, dating and escort services.
The bank also forbids the use of its cards for all sorts of betting — including buying lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting and wagers (bets).
The bank says the overall aim is to enable its customers transact business safely, and to also protects its own business integrity as regard cases of fraud involving its credit/prepaid cards, with the attendant litigation and damage to its reputation.
This was contained in an e-mail the bank sent to the bank’s customers on Thursday evening.
Routed through its official email address, cfc@ubagroup.com, the mail was entitled, “We want you to transact safely.”
The e-mail reads in full: “We wish to inform all cardholders that we have placed restrictions on the Bank’s debit and prepaid cards from carrying out transactions with merchants that are transacting on the following business categories;
Jewellry
Pornography
Dating and Escort Services
Betting (including lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting and wagers)
This has become necessary with the increased need to protect our customers and the institution from fraud, litigation and reputational damages.
Thank you”