Users of SBI Unipay, the online bill payment aggregator service of India’s top bank, State Bank of India (SBI), have been unable to pay their credit card bills on the portal since the evening of July 18. The portal has removed all options for paying bills, except for SBI internet banking. The removal of the debit card option has sparked complaints on social media platforms. Users expressed frustration, wondering if the debit card option would be restored. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit speculated that the issue might be a technical glitch, while others shared their experiences with the service being unavailable.
An email questionnaire sent to SBI regarding the removal of payment options received no response at the time of reporting. This is not the first time SBI Unipay has faced user complaints regarding transaction issues. In March, users reported encountering ‘transaction failed’ messages, despite having money deducted from their savings accounts that was not credited to their credit card accounts. Some users also experienced transaction-related problems earlier this month.
Bill payment aggregators like SBI Unipay serve as intermediaries between customers and various billers, including utility services, telecom companies, local tax authorities, and insurance firms. These aggregators offer a convenient platform for paying all bills, along with features such as flexible payment options, due date reminders, and auto payment capabilities. Users can typically pay bills through net banking, credit cards, debit cards, UPI, prepaid cards, and mobile wallets.
Online bill aggregators like Amazon Pay India, Google Pay, BillDesk, Mobikwik, CRED, and Freecharge are popular choices among customers due to their ease of use and attractive rewards programs. Many users utilize SBI Unipay specifically for its reward points, including uncapped rewards on certain debit cards. The removal of the debit card option has significantly impacted these users.
The specific code associated with electric, gas, sanitary, and water utilities, known as Merchant Category Code (MCC) 4900, offers uncapped rewards on various debit cards. This has led to users expressing disappointment over the removal of the debit card option.
SBI Unipay has faced various technical glitches in the past, including an instance where users were able to pay credit card bills using another credit card. The portal previously offered direct credit card payment, UPI, and debit card payment options.
