A woman in Havana, Cuba, has raised the alarm after losing 36,000 pesos due to two failed transactions of 18,000 CUP each. Although the transfers initially appeared unsuccessful, she later found they had been deducted from her account.
Mairie Pando shared her experience in a Facebook video, describing the incident that transpired after she took her son to a haunted house and purchased three T-shirts, each priced at 6,000 pesos.
Short on cash, she attempted to pay the 18,000 pesos through a transfer. "I've just lost 36,000 pesos due to these transfers, and I honestly don't know who to blame," she expressed with frustration.
She recounted that after scanning the vendor's QR code, a message stated "transfer failed" and advised contacting ETECSA if the issue persisted. Attempting the transaction once more, she said, "I tried again to send the 18,000 pesos and told him, 'Look, it's failing. Just charge me in cash.'"
Ultimately, she paid 18,000 pesos in cash and left with the T-shirts, believing the electronic transactions had not gone through.
Unexpected Financial Loss
The problem emerged later when she noticed missing funds in her account and reviewed her bank statements. According to her, the two 18,000-peso transactions that initially appeared unsuccessful were indeed processed and deducted from her balance.
Pando mentioned that the shop is quite distant from her home, making it unlikely the vendor would remember her among numerous customers. She refrained from directly blaming the merchant, stating, "I don't even know what to do now; it's gone," she lamented.
Warnings and Recommendations
This incident aligns with warnings issued months earlier by Transfermóvil experts. In May, Radio Ciudad del Mar outlined the recommended steps for a failed transfer: never immediately retry the transaction without first verifying the card's balance and recent activity.
Experts highlighted that a transfer might appear unsuccessful for various reasons, such as user-imposed limits, data entry errors, connectivity issues, or delays in response times of payment routers, banks, or the application itself.
Challenges of Electronic Payments in Cuba
The difficulties with electronic payments are emblematic of the broader issues plaguing Cuba's heavily criticized banking process. In July, state-run media reported extensive challenges with making payments via transfers, citing numerous instances where businesses refused this payment method.
Shortly thereafter, the Cuban Central Bank introduced a new strategy to encourage electronic payments, which included faster credits, reduced fees, and bonuses for both consumers and merchants. The most significant measure was the removal of the 5,000-peso limit on cash transactions between economic entities, replaced by a flexible arrangement negotiated between each commercial bank and its clients.
Nevertheless, issues with transfers are not new. Since 2022, the Banco de Crédito y Comercio (BANDEC) had cautioned against errors in transactions between cards and restricted certain claims for mistaken transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electronic Transfers in Cuba
What should you do if a transfer fails in Cuba?
It's advised not to immediately retry the transaction. Instead, check your account balance and recent transactions first to ensure the amount wasn't deducted.
Why might a transfer appear to fail?
Transfers may appear to fail due to limits set by the user, errors in data entry, connectivity issues, or delays in payment processing systems.
How is Cuba addressing issues with electronic payments?
The Cuban Central Bank has implemented measures such as faster transaction processing, reduced fees, and incentives to encourage the use of electronic payments.