The digital banking application of Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank) encountered a serious problem, causing many customers to be unable to make transactions from the evening of December 11 to the morning of December 12. The disruption not only occurred on the application but also affected LiveBanks and transactions at branches.
Application, LiveBank all have errors, transaction office refuses customers
Since the evening of December 11, on banking groups and forums, many customers have been "complaining" about not being able to log in or make transactions on the TPBank application. As of the morning of December 12, the problem has not been resolved, making it impossible for users to withdraw money at LiveBank or make transactions directly at the bank.
Reporters from Lao Dong Newspaper on the morning of December 12 recorded that at TPBank LiveBanks in Hanoi, many people came to withdraw money but were unable to do so. Some customers reacted angrily at the transaction points.
Ms. Thao Thuong (Hanoi) was upset: "This morning I went to the bank to withdraw money but was refused."
Mr. Pham Van Hoang (Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi) shared: "I am building a house at the end of the year. This morning, I woke up early to go to the LiveBank machine to withdraw money to pay the construction workers, but when I got there, I couldn't do anything. It was an important occasion but I couldn't make a transaction. The workers were urging me but I couldn't withdraw the money."
Mr. Dang Quang Dung (My Dinh, Hanoi) said: "TPBank also often has errors, but up to now the most convenient thing about TPBank is that you don't need to go to the bank, you can just go to the ATM and deposit money to transfer money, but now it's like this, it's really inconvenient."
Another customer named Vu Tien Manh (Cau Giay, Hanoi) shared that he urgently needed money to pay for advertising for customers, while only using a TPBank account: "This bank makes transactions very difficult around 5-6pm."
The prolonged incident has made many customers frustrated and considering switching to other banks' services. Mr. Le Huynh Hieu shared: "After this incident, I will definitely switch to other banks' services."
Mr. Tran Cong Son (Hanoi) added: "This year alone, TPBank has encountered many errors. People are limiting cash, but the banking system is unstable."
What does TPBank say about the incident?
In response to customer complaints, TPBank has issued an official announcement on social media, stating that the cause of the problem was due to a system upgrade that began in the early morning of December 12. The bank pledged to make every effort to fix the problem and asked for customers' understanding of the inconvenience. However, as of 10 a.m., the application was still not working properly.
This announcement further increased frustration when many customers reported that TPBank had promised to fix the problem by 9am, but then changed the information, only saying that the problem had been "isolated".
TPBank is one of the pioneering banks in digital transformation, with many major awards such as Best Digital Bank in Vietnam (The Asian Banker), Best Digital Banking Application in Vietnam (Global Brands Awards), and Excellent Digital Transformation Enterprise (Vietnam Digital Awards).
However, this incident has seriously affected the bank's reputation. Despite many achievements in digital transformation, TPBank needs to quickly improve the system to ensure stability and avoid a similar situation. Customers expect banks to not only pioneer in technology but also ensure a seamless and reliable experience.
