Some Bank of America Customers Double-Charged for Apple Pay Purchases

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (The Charlotte Observer/MCT) —

Some Bank of America customers have been double-billed for purchases made using Apple Pay, the new mobile-payment system that debuted this week, the Charlotte, N.C., bank said Wednesday.

“We apologize for the inconvenience,” bank spokeswoman Tara Burke said. “We’re correcting this issue immediately.”

About 1,000 transactions were affected, and all Bank of America customers who have been double-billed will be refunded, Burke said.

The error affected only Bank of America debit-card customers, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Customers were double-billed as the transactions were being processed between the bank and at least one payments network, the source said. The person declined to disclose the network’s name.

Another source said they were not aware of any similar errors being reported at this point involving customers of other banks.

An Apple spokesperson said the company was aware of a Bank of America issue impacting “a very small number” of Apple Pay customers.

“They’re working on a fix that will be available shortly and reversing any duplicate transactions,” the spokesperson said.

Apple unveiled the payment system in September. It allows shoppers to make debit- and credit-card purchases in stores using their iPhone 6 or Apple Watch, eliminating the need to use a plastic card.

Apple Pay, which became available to consumers on Monday, relies on payment terminals in stores that use wireless technology to complete transactions. To buy something in a store, customers hold their phone near the device and press a sensor on the phone to authorize a payment.

Bank of America, the second-largest U.S. bank, is one of many lenders partnering with Apple on the new payment system.

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