It’s been a while since I last wrote anything. After a recent experience with eSewa and Fonepay, I decided to write this.
You probably know eSewa, but not everyone knows Fonepay. Fonepay is a payment system operator (PSO), licensed by Nepal Rastra Bank (opens in a new tab) on 2076/10/26. As of February 2023, there were 10 PSOs in Nepal.
What does Fonepay do?#
Fonepay serves four groups: users (the general public), businesses (merchants that accept payments with Fonepay QR or a web integration), BFIs (banks and financial institutions licensed by NRB), and partners (VISA, UnionPay, and PSPs such as eSewa, Khalti and IME Pay that have joined Fonepay’s network). Fonepay connects all four and processes payments between them.
According to Fonepay’s website: “Fonepay facilitates safe & secure mobile payments by connecting customers, banks and merchants in an interoperable network.“
Now, my recent incident with Fonepay and eSewa. This part is mainly for merchants who accept payments through Fonepay.
Here’s what happened.
On 4 February, I made two eSewa payments at a bakery that accepts payments with a Fonepay QR: Rs 265 and Rs 100. I thought the bill was Rs 265, but it was Rs 365, so I paid the extra Rs 100 separately.
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I had paid at that shop by scanning the same QR code many times over the year without a problem. I usually pay Fonepay QRs with Khalti, but that day I had money in eSewa and used it.
After paying, I showed the confirmation screen to the shop owner and went home. Later that day, I noticed the payment was in an “Ambiguous” state. I knew the money would come back to my wallet, because the same thing had happened to me a few months earlier. That’s the reason for this article.
On 13 February the money was credited back to my wallet, and the shop owner had no idea.
The first time it happened, I didn’t know until someone from Fonepay or eSewa (I’m not sure which) called to say the money had been returned and that I should contact the merchant and pay again. Is that good for either the merchant or the customer?
In a few days I’ll go back to the bakery, pay what I owe in cash, and tell them about the problem. I don’t know whether they’ve noticed it, and they may have lost money this way before.
This was the second time it happened to me, and I’m sure others have faced it too. What if someone finds this and misuses it? Who is responsible: Fonepay, eSewa, or someone else? I haven’t been through their terms to find out.
So are you using Fonepay for your business?#
If you accept Fonepay, check that each payment actually succeeded before you hand over the goods. If it shows as “Ambiguous”, confirm with your bank or Fonepay first.