Tonight, technically this morning, has blown up the fear that was always lingering in me, when I used several digital payment systems.
To put you in my shoes, I will narrate the events that occurred today. Probably that will help you see what the title means if you haven't already figured it out.
I was binging on Mr. Robot on Amazon Prime when I had my late night craving. I had to have something to eat, but since I had avoided these cravings for a long time, i know I wasn't easily going to settle for something small like vada and tea. To keep myself in check I just took Rs. 70 cash with me. Remind you, NO credit/debit/food cards.
I did find a couple of shops with a few Kadi-s(Snacks). I had them, but as I said earlier, they weren't enough. That's when the master idea stroke in me. PAYTM. Yes, I know a cafe that is open 24 hours and accepts paytm for payment. Since I was out of cash and I had my phone, I just went for it.
All the way to the cafe "Cofi Club", with pictures of the different varieties of sandwiches and burgers and my most favourite french fries rolling as they would on a rolling dining table. I reached, and was immensely happy when I saw the unmistakable paytm Qr code stand. As the middle class boy I am, who usually checks both price and the purse before making a purchase, asked the boy at the register if they actually accept paytm. He said yes. So, a happy me sat for whatever this meal was.
Had my food, asked for bill, and stood at the counter to pay. That's when all hell broke loose. I usually don't have money in the paytm wallet, but know my card number by heart and its just matter of a few clicks and an OTP, the money will be loaded and paid. Or so I thought. I started adding the money to the wallet, Rs. 224 to be precise.
1. Click "Add Money" ✅
2. Enter Amount ✅
3. Select Payment Method✅
4. Enter card details ✅
5. Ask for OTP✅
This is when it actually started.
OTP❌
It happens sometimes on all network and with all banks. So, I just brushed it as a simple network error and pressed resend OTP.
OTP❌
Now I closed the connection, told the boy at the counter about the issue, and that I will try once again at the table and come back to pay. He said ok, and so begins my desperate efforts at loading the paytm wallet.
As Paytm the wonder wallet has an infinite number of accepting payments from Credit Card, Debit Card, the recently added UPI, Internet Banking. I kept trying whatever I could, and nothing seemed to work.
The ballon called fear was inflating at each passing minute now(Remember the series I was binging on?).
Hell, paytm even has its own Payments bank, and guess what, I had opened an account in that as well. So I used this account number to load money from my bank's app. I was so lucky that I couldn't add the account to my list of payees, WHY? You guessed it
OTP❌
So, one thing I am sure of is that my bank had some issue in sending me OTP which was virtually the only thing I wanted right now. So, I went through all the apps related to payment and money in my phone. That's when I came across Tez, the app by google just for India. Tea is different from my bank, because it supported ad-hoc payments using account number and IFSC code. So, I tried adding the paytm payments bank account, enter all details and click submit, I was asked for UPI Pin. Sure, I have my pin, its just 4 digits and I have been constantly using it for payments to and fro for the scratch card. I entered that usual pin I use.
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
Enter it again
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
To put you in my shoes, I will narrate the events that occurred today. Probably that will help you see what the title means if you haven't already figured it out.
I was binging on Mr. Robot on Amazon Prime when I had my late night craving. I had to have something to eat, but since I had avoided these cravings for a long time, i know I wasn't easily going to settle for something small like vada and tea. To keep myself in check I just took Rs. 70 cash with me. Remind you, NO credit/debit/food cards.
 |
| Credits : inpraiseofcinema.com |
I did find a couple of shops with a few Kadi-s(Snacks). I had them, but as I said earlier, they weren't enough. That's when the master idea stroke in me. PAYTM. Yes, I know a cafe that is open 24 hours and accepts paytm for payment. Since I was out of cash and I had my phone, I just went for it.
All the way to the cafe "Cofi Club", with pictures of the different varieties of sandwiches and burgers and my most favourite french fries rolling as they would on a rolling dining table. I reached, and was immensely happy when I saw the unmistakable paytm Qr code stand. As the middle class boy I am, who usually checks both price and the purse before making a purchase, asked the boy at the register if they actually accept paytm. He said yes. So, a happy me sat for whatever this meal was.
Had my food, asked for bill, and stood at the counter to pay. That's when all hell broke loose. I usually don't have money in the paytm wallet, but know my card number by heart and its just matter of a few clicks and an OTP, the money will be loaded and paid. Or so I thought. I started adding the money to the wallet, Rs. 224 to be precise.
1. Click "Add Money" ✅
2. Enter Amount ✅
3. Select Payment Method✅
4. Enter card details ✅
5. Ask for OTP✅
This is when it actually started.
OTP❌
It happens sometimes on all network and with all banks. So, I just brushed it as a simple network error and pressed resend OTP.
OTP❌
Now I closed the connection, told the boy at the counter about the issue, and that I will try once again at the table and come back to pay. He said ok, and so begins my desperate efforts at loading the paytm wallet.
As Paytm the wonder wallet has an infinite number of accepting payments from Credit Card, Debit Card, the recently added UPI, Internet Banking. I kept trying whatever I could, and nothing seemed to work.
The ballon called fear was inflating at each passing minute now(Remember the series I was binging on?).
Hell, paytm even has its own Payments bank, and guess what, I had opened an account in that as well. So I used this account number to load money from my bank's app. I was so lucky that I couldn't add the account to my list of payees, WHY? You guessed it
OTP❌
So, one thing I am sure of is that my bank had some issue in sending me OTP which was virtually the only thing I wanted right now. So, I went through all the apps related to payment and money in my phone. That's when I came across Tez, the app by google just for India. Tea is different from my bank, because it supported ad-hoc payments using account number and IFSC code. So, I tried adding the paytm payments bank account, enter all details and click submit, I was asked for UPI Pin. Sure, I have my pin, its just 4 digits and I have been constantly using it for payments to and fro for the scratch card. I entered that usual pin I use.
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
Enter it again
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
Used another pin I'm used to
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
and another
Incorrect UPI Pin❌❌❌❌
I was literally screaming inside. What just happened? Have I been hacked by someone? Is the wifi in my room being monitored by some, not so friendly, hacker?
If not, then I have the money to pay, but it is DIGITAL!!!!!And due to some kind of issue I am unable to access it.
This is when I thought F*** Digital India.
As a software professional, I do almost all of my transactions digitally barring a few Rs. 100 notes I take for then only cash can get the job done. And so, this was a heavy blow to my habit.
This is when I started thinking about what all I could have done to not be in this place.
1. I should have brought more money
2. I should have brought the card.
3. I should have, at the very least, went back to room after the light snack I had.
The boy was very understanding, and even told that I could go to room and bring the money back and then pay. But the adamant(or the helpless) me wanted to pay before I left the shop. Finally, I called my friend(I was lucky enough that he woke on first 2 rings), asked him to send money to my paytm wallet and then paid.
So, moral of the story, going completely digital is like climbing a mountain without any safety gears, you might be a skilled climber and the mountain might be completely safe to climb. All it takes is a simple error, and you will have a very bad fall.
Always have some hard cash or at least a credit/debit card on you, so you don't face the issue I just faced.
Please share if you have faced these kinds of problems with digital payments.
Comments