Westpac, one of New Zealand’s main banks, has finally resolved a technical issue that left customers stranded without access to their funds for over 12 hours. The problem, which emerged suddenly, caused widespread frustration as customers found themselves unable to use their EFTPOS cards and witnessed their account balances plummet to zero.
Reports began flooding in on Friday evening via Downdetector, a platform that tracks internet and service outages, with over 100 complaints directed at Westpac by 6:30 PM. Among the affected customers was an individual, preferring anonymity, who expressed shock upon arriving from Australia only to find that his and his wife’s debit cards were declined at the airport. “None of my cards would operate, but when I checked my bank account details online, everything was showing zero. It seemed as though it had been wiped out,” he recounted, according to 1News.
The situation escalated as customers took to social media to express their dismay over the lack of updates from the bank regarding the ongoing issues. Despite Westpac acknowledging the problem and assuring customers of their efforts to rectify it, frustrations grew as hours passed without resolution. Concerns mounted as individuals voiced worries about potential fraud, given the sudden disappearance of their account balances.
Amid mounting pressure, Westpac, as reported by 1News, removed its Facebook posts celebrating the Lunar New Year, replacing them with apologies directed at affected customers. Responding to the barrage of complaints, the bank expressed regret, stating, “It’s not fraud, it’s a technical issue in which people’s accounts are showing as zero balance. We’re working hard to fix this. Sorry again!
Finally, shortly before 8 AM, Westpac announced that the situation had been resolved, offering apologies to all affected customers.