Delayed DBS PayNow transactions still not processed on Thursday

DBS customers on Thursday (Sep 28) continued to report issues with delayed PayNow transactions, despite repeated assurances by the bank that the issue – which first surfaced two days ago – would be resolved.

The bank said that it had processed all delayed Fast and Secure Transfers and PayNow transactions as at 11.50 pm on Wednesday.

However, customers continued to post comments about issues they faced.

Tai Thong Cake Shop, a small family business, said that it received an e-mail on Thursday from a customer whose payment to the shop on Tuesday via DBS PayLah – an app that can make payments via the PayNow service – was unexpectedly refunded to his account.

The bakery said that while it can estimate its total average daily sales, it does not track how customers make payments, so it does not know how many payments may have failed.

“It’s really up to the individual customers on that day and possibly on Sep 27 who know that they have been refunded for the goods that they went home with, and to get in touch with us if they choose to do so,” it added.

Laboratory executive Ng Jun Li said that she tried to pay for her daughter’s ballet class on Tuesday, but saw that the payment was pending.

“I don’t really follow (DBS) on social media, so I didn’t know there was an issue,” she noted.

On Wednesday morning, Ng called DBS’ customer service hotline, when she was told that she would get a call back in three working days, and to check the bank’s social media page for updates.

When she saw the bank’s Facebook post about the completion of delayed PayNow transactions, she decided to post a comment saying that her payment was still pending as at 1 pm on Thursday.

She later received a notification that her transaction was not successful.

While there is usually a penalty for late payments at the ballet school, she has informed the school of the issue and they will waive the charge.

On its Digibank app, DBS had advised customers on Tuesday not to make repeated transactions if their transactions were delayed.

A transaction made by The Business Times (BT) at 3.43 pm on Tuesday was marked as “processing” as at 1 pm on Thursday under the transaction history tab of the DBS Digibank app. The transaction has since been rejected.

BT has reached out to the Monetary Authority of Singapore and DBS for comment.