Desjardins processed about 2,000 scheduled Interac e-Transfers twice on Sunday, taking the money out of members’ accounts a second time, Radio-Canada reports. Most of the transfers were set for Nov. 1, and in many cases they were rent payments.
Desjardins says it won’t automatically refund the duplicate payments. Mathieu Staniulis, its vice-president of products and solutions, told Radio-Canada that the co-operative regrets the situation and that it “doesn’t affect all Interac transfers” (our translation). Another spokesperson told Narcity Québec that only some transfers scheduled in advance for Nov. 1 were affected.
Desjardins hasn’t said what caused the problem. It says the problem isn’t related to the new credit card management system it launched in October. Narcity notes that credit card payment problems reported last week were a separate issue.
What to do if you were hit
- Check your account for a second debit for any transfer you had scheduled for Nov. 1.
- If the recipient hasn’t accepted the duplicate yet, cancel it yourself in AccèsD.
- If it was already accepted, ask the recipient (often your landlord) to send it back. Desjardins calls this the simplest option.
- If that doesn’t work, call Desjardins. Radio-Canada reports the co-operative says it will correct the transaction and put the money back in your account.
Desjardins says it’s working to keep this from happening again and has added a message about it to its phone line, so expect a recorded notice when you call.
Why it matters: A duplicated rent payment can empty an account at the start of the month, just before other bills come out. If you’re a Desjardins member with scheduled transfers, check your account today instead of waiting for a statement. If you’re a landlord who got rent twice, sending it back quickly saves your tenant a call to the bank.