A pancake shop in a shopping center posted a cash-only sign on the cash register. It was 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, and the cashier explained that none of the cards were valid.

In one food establishment, it was also stated at the time of payment that the Banco Pichincha and Visa cards of that entity are not included in the system. But the complaints involved other banks and other brands of credit cards.

Banco Pichincha responded to users who complained via social media: “We are sorry for the inconvenience. You can use your card at this time.” It was a little before 19:00.

However, this institution has already scheduled preventive works on its system, and from 21:00 this Saturday until 11:00 on Sunday the 22nd, its mobile banking, web banking and Deuna will not work! As a result, its customers continued to present problems, and in response to the complaints, the bank reported that “we are conducting preventive maintenance which we hope to complete during the morning of this Sunday. We regret the inconvenience and apologize for any inconvenience caused when using our electronic channels. Thank you for your patience and understanding. This process is crucial to improving our services.”

The ATMs were working and there were long lines of those who, unable to use the card, decided to withdraw money to make a purchase.

In Quito, there were also several complaints, especially from those who went to supermarkets to do their weekly shopping and encountered a problem when they tried to pay at the cash register.

The client reported online that he made a purchase in a supermarket chain, and they told him that they could not charge him with the card and that he had to go to an ATM to get cash and pay, but at night he reviewed his movements and realized that they reflected the consumption of those purchases. In this case, the bank responded that “when this happens, the money is automatically reversed over the next 24 to 48 hours on business days.”