In an age where digital banking has become the norm, with transactions and account management just a click away, the reliability of these services is paramount. For many people, accessing their money through a phone app or a website on their computer feels as routine as turning on a light switch.
However, even the most robust systems can encounter hiccups, as recently occurred with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).
Thousands of customers were locked out of their accounts due to a technical glitch, which caused inconvenience and raised concerns about the stability of digital banking platforms.
The issue came to light on 22 April when more than 3,500 reports flooded Down Detector, a website that tracks outages, just before 3:30 pm AEST.
Customers nationwide were left in the lurch, unable to access their funds or manage their accounts through the bank’s NetBank service and the CommBank app.
After visiting a branch in person, one customer expressed frustration on social media: ‘ CommBank are having issues nationwide for those with the bank trying to access the app.’
Another customer humorously vented, ‘How is Commonwealth Bank down so often? I should see an extra 5k every time they inconvenience me like this.’
The bank quickly acknowledged the problem, confirming customers were experiencing difficulties with its digital services. The good news was that, per the CBA update, services were restored to normal by 6:30 pm AEST.
‘CommBank app and NetBank services have been fully restored,’ the bank announced.
‘All other services are available. We are very sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks for your patience.’
It’s worth noting that other services, including ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) and in-person payments, such as tap and pay, remained unaffected during the outage.
This meant that while online banking was temporarily down, customers could still use their cards for transactions and withdraw cash from ATMs, providing relief amidst the digital disruption.
The cause of the outage was initially believed to be a technical issue rather than a cyber attack. Still, the bank continued its investigations to pinpoint the exact cause and prevent future occurrences.
Have you been affected by the recent Commonwealth Bank glitch or a banking outage? How did it impact your day, and what measures did you take to work around it? Share your experiences and tips with our community in the comments below.
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Sad to say, but I would NEVER bank with one of the big banks, and especially the Commonwealth Bank. I’ve seen their incompetence and greed first hand, their disdain for – if even that much interest is show in – the public and the public coffers is beyond unbelievable. Why anyone banks with one of these big three or four banks in this day and age is beyond me. They are up there with car salesmen and realtors in my book.