Users of Citibank Bill-Pay App Charged Twice
BY BEN PROTESS FEBRUARY 9, 2012
Citigroup's effort to become "the world's digital bank" has encountered a snag.
A technical bug caused Citi, the nation's fourth largest bank by deposits, to double the charge for customer payments in recent months. Some customers using their iPads to settle their cable bill or mortgage payment, for example, actually paid twice, according to customers and a bank official.
The problem, which began in July but went undetected by the bank until December, prompted bogus payments big and small. Some customers quickly spotted the redundant transaction and complained to Citi, while other consumers were caught off guard when the bank recently notified them of the discrepancy. The snag even led some unsuspecting customers to overdraw their accounts, though a bank spokesman said that was rare.
Citi has traced the error to its nascent iPad application. Other mobile applications and the bank's broader online bill payment system were immune from the problem, the bank said.
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