Apple charges Hungarian users again without warning as payment issue resurfaces

According to a statement from the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), new reports have surfaced about recurring payment issues related to Apple. Some users have experienced multiple deductions from their bank accounts, with one case involving 13 separate charges.

Back in June, a major scandal broke out involving Apple mistakenly withdrawing funds from Hungarian users’ bank accounts, likely due to an error in the Hungarian App Store. One Index reader reported that HUF 550,000 (EUR 1,370) was deducted in 74 transactions over just five minutes, after which their bank blocked their card. These issues generally involved charges related to old Apple subscriptions or purchases made through Apple Pay, which were mistakenly processed again.

Apple mistakenly withdraws funds again

Photo: depositphotos.com

Apple was informed about the problem but delayed sending the list of affected transactions to the card companies. Until then, it was unclear whether Apple or the banks would be responsible for cancelling the erroneous charges and refunding the users. The card companies eventually forwarded the data to the banks, which began the process of returning the funds.

The Hungarian National Bank monitored the situation closely, urging local financial institutions to compensate affected users as quickly as possible. By the first week of July, the majority of victims had their funds returned, with the total sum reaching an estimated HUF 2 billion (roughly EUR 5 million). This incident also drew more attention to cybersecurity threats and how they are handled. However, it seems another Apple-related issue is emerging, as the company has once again started charging users without notice.

A reader of Index reported noticing numerous unauthorised transactions overnight: “I was charged 13 times, starting at 1:37 AM, with deductions happening every 1-2 minutes. I contacted Apple’s Hungarian support this [Tuesday] morning, but they were only made aware of the problem today. They couldn’t provide any information and just told me to check back in a day or two,” the reader said.

In response, the Hungarian National Bank issued a statement, saying both the MNB and the Hungarian Banking Association are taking steps to safeguard customers and ensure the stability of financial markets. As soon as the Hungarian National Bank was informed of the recurring payment problems with Apple, it immediately contacted payment service providers and initiated measures to protect customers.

The MNB is working closely with the Hungarian Banking Association to resolve the issue, the statement said. They also noted that, as a result of the previous incident in June, banks are now better prepared for these kinds of situations and responded promptly. According to early, unconfirmed data, fewer users have been affected this time. The MNB assured the public that they would continue to provide updates on the matter.

Foreign users are affected too

The Hungarian Banking Association also issued a statement, highlighting that on the night of 30 September, a technical error in the Apple Store caused the duplication of pending charges that had not yet been processed. In some cases, Apple initiated double billing for subscription fees.

This technical issue has impacted cardholders in about 20 countries.

Hungarian users affected by this may temporarily see duplicate charges for ongoing subscriptions that have not yet been settled, but the actual payment has not been processed twice.

The statement further explained that Hungarian banks, drawing on their experience from the summer incident, are working closely with the MNB to monitor the transactions and ensure that no double charges are made on users’ accounts. Users are advised to check their account statements in a few days to verify that the correct amount was charged according to their contracts. If any discrepancies are found, they should contact their bank’s customer service immediately.

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