Metro Bank customers faced a wave of panic on Tuesday morning after a technical fault caused duplicated payments and unexpected negative balances.
The banking glitch left many unable to send or receive money through the app, with some claiming that hundreds of pounds simply vanished from their accounts.
Metro Bank Glitch Sparks Outrage
One frustrated customer took to X (formerly Twitter) to say: “Why am I in minus and have duplicated pending charges?”
Another added: “Logged onto banking app to find pending transactions all approved and taken out, and they are still also saying they are still pending, meaning I have paid twice.”
The online backlash was swift. “You guys have taken my money and left me overdrawn. This is causing a massive inconvenience. Please guide me on how this is going to be fixed,” a third user posted, summing up the growing frustration among Metro’s customers.
By mid-morning, DownDetector had recorded over 100 complaints relating to Metro Bank’s services. Customers were left locked out of essential banking services, with many sharing concerns about missing funds and frozen transactions.
Metro Bank customers woke up to a financial nightmare. Some saw their money disappear, others found themselves unexpectedly overdrawn. The culprit? A sudden system glitch is affecting payment processing, sparking widespread confusion and anger.
Metro Bank response: Fix underway, but issues persist
Metro Bank confirmed the problem and posted an update on its website: “We’re currently having issues with our payment services, so it may take longer to send money to other accounts.
We’re working to fix this as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you.”
A spokesperson for the bank later added, “We experienced a short delay affecting inbound and outbound payments earlier this morning. This was resolved, and customers can currently make payments as usual.
Some customers may see delays while we process these earlier payments. We are prioritising this and working hard to minimise the impact. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
The bank also acknowledged that its telephone banking lines were overwhelmed due to a surge in calls.
Reason Behind the Glitch
While Metro Bank hasn’t revealed the exact cause of the disruption, fintech analysts say such issues often stem from server failures, data sync errors, or bugs introduced during routine updates.
This isn’t the first time a major UK bank has experienced tech troubles, but for customers, that’s no comfort.
Key concerns raised by users:
- Duplicated payments are being debited
- Transactions approved and still marked as pending
- Negative balances without explanation
- Inaccessibility of funds for hours
- Customer service delays compound frustration
What customers should do now
If you were affected, keep a close eye on your account activity over the next few days. Metro Bank says the issue is under control, but residual delays may still occur. It’s also advised to document any errors and contact customer support despite the longer wait times.
As fintech continues to replace traditional banking methods, trust in digital platforms becomes vital. Moments like these test that trust, and Metro Bank has some rebuilding to do.
