The Cash App platform experienced multiple glitches in 2023 that caused headaches and heartaches for users. From erroneous charges to exploits allowing users to illegally obtain funds, it was a rocky year for the popular payments app.
Summer 2023: Duplicate Charges Frustrate Cash Card Users
In June 2023, many Cash App customers reported duplicate charges on their Cash Cards after making purchases. The Cash Card is a free debit card that draws directly from a user’s Cash App balance rather than their bank account.
Confused and frustrated users took to social media to try to determine if the duplicate charges were a retailer fraud issue or a problem stemming from Cash App itself, according to USA Today. However, as small business owners began chiming in that they were being wrongfully accused of double charging, the blame clearly fell on Cash App’s shoulders.
Cash App eventually acknowledged the error and promised to refund all duplicate charges. But the situation caused considerable stress and inconvenience for Cash Card users until it was resolved.
Fall 2023: Glitch Enables Users to Exploit App and Steal Funds
In September 2023, another Cash App glitch occurred, this time affecting users’ ability to send payments, make purchases, buy Bitcoin and complete other transactions in the app. Like the previous incident, Cash App fixed the issue within 24 hours. However, some users had already taken advantage of the glitch to illegally obtain large sums of money.
Some customers may be experiencing issues sending payments, purchasing Cash Card, and accessing other features. Our team is actively working on a fix.
If you encountered an error in app, please don’t reattempt the action. We’re working to resolve everything as quickly as…
— Cash App (@CashApp) September 8, 2023
During the brief glitch period, eagle-eyed users realized they could add extremely high balances to their accounts without any actual funds being withdrawn from their linked bank accounts. Not only could they transfer these phantom funds to their bank, but they could also use them to shop on Amazon, order food, and make other purchases before Cash App closed the loophole.
According to news portals, some brazen users managed to withdraw up to $40,000 before Cash App caught on. When the glitch was fixed, these accounts showed massively negative balances.
Predictably, Cash App was quick to respond once the scope of exploitation became clear. As TikTok user @seansvv explained in a video, Cash App’s terms of service lay out a specific process for recouping stolen funds from overdrawn accounts.
First, after 45 days, CashApp starts pulling money from any linked source – debit card, credit card, bank account, etc. Users forfeit the right to stop these withdrawals. If that fails, Cash App can take legal action to recover lost money.
In other words, those who knowingly took advantage of the glitch will almost certainly have to face consequences. Their best recourse is to return the stolen money voluntarily before Cash App pursues more aggressive collection methods.
October 2023: Reports Surface that Cash App Knew About Exploit Loophole Months Earlier
In October 2023, concerning reports surfaced that Cash App was actually aware of the exploit vulnerability long before the September glitch incident.
A Reddit user named yahboyelias claimed he had discovered and reported the issue to Cash App over a year prior. At the time, Cash App said they found nothing in their investigation. But when users started abusing the flaw for real financial gain months later, it suddenly became a serious problem.
Apparently, the vulnerability was first uncovered by a hacker who expected a bug bounty from Cash App. But Cash App chose not to address it or reward the hacker. This lack of action allowed the flaw to be exploited down the road.
If these reports are true, it represents a serious oversight and ethical failure on Cash App’s part. The company should have addressed the exploit immediately to protect users rather than ignoring it until substantial damage was done. Their inaction enabled abuse of the platform and abuse of user trust.
The Cash App glitches of 2023 highlighted issues of security, ethics, and transparency between the company and its users. Let’s hope 2024 brings a renewed commitment to protecting user funds and information. Cash App customers deserve peace of mind that their money is safe.
