Thursday, July 16, 2009

Zoompass



Good news: I recently won $25 in a Twitter contest from Zoompass. Thanks guys!
Bad news: It's been a bit of a drag to try and collect.

It's in beta, so that's understandable, but we're talking about moving money around, and I think there was a mix-up in the process.

Here's the deets:

About a week ago @davefleet informed me that they were going to zoom me $25 after asking what I'd do with the cash. To me, $25 is a couple of Guinnesses (Guinnii?) and a hot dog. Nice, don't get me wrong, but for someone else it could be seed funding for a new life-changing business, so I said Kiva could have it.

So, my cellphone beeped with the $25 notification, and I went to Zoompass to sign up and collect the cash. It was very easy, hassle-free and similar to PayPal whereby they wire a test amount of around 50 cents into your bank account to prove it's you. That worked, so I thought "cool" and tried to move the $25 into my bank.

It didn't work, so then I got a phone call from Zoompass customer support saying that my address didn't match up with something or other (I didn't really understand that part, as I've been at my address for six years) and then an e-mail: "Our records show that our automated identity checker could not match some of the information in your Zoompass profile. In order for us to complete the account information verification, can you please send us one of the documents listed below -- Driver's Licence / Telephone/Utility bills / Bank statements."

I wasn't keen on sending that stuff, so called back and support said it would be OK to forward an electronic bill or something to prove my address. I found an e-receipt from Amazon.ca, and forwarded that by e-mail.

Got a reply that it wasn't acceptable, and they needed physical proof. So, the customer support guy misinformed me. No sweat, we all make mistakes, so I got ready to scan my driver's licence and e-mail that.

But I checked my bank account yesterday and the $24.50 was already in there (Zoompass takes 50 cents for a transfer fee) -- so, that was before they had "physical" proof of my address. I also didn't get a reply to my logged problem ticket I submitted ... the money just magically appeared.

That's great in the fact that I got my money transferred, but bad because technically they never actually got proof of my address, or maybe they did decide to accept my Amazon.ca receipt as e-proof, not physical.

Anyway, it's a long story, but I think their support or verification process might need to be tightened up a bit as I seemed to get mixed messages as to what I needed to do, and what was actually happening.

Having said all that, @davefleet and the team were very prompt in trying to help me out on Twitter and e-mail, so that's a plus.

And now I can head to Kiva and help someone out, so it all ends well!

3 comments:

  1. Hi John,

    Thanks for the great feedback on this, and sorry for the confusion. Zoompass is still in the beta phase and we're working hard to identify ways we can improve, so your input is very helpful.

    One point of clarification on the electronic bills issue you mentioned: while the receipt you sent wasn't accepted, a telephone, hydro or similar bill sent via email would suffice. The reason for the distinction is that it is easier to get individual purchases shipped to an address that is not yours. However, utilities have a more thorough process for verifying addresses. For that reason we cannot accept one-off receipts, but utility bills are fine.

    We're examining the verification process to see how we can simplify it down the road.

    I hope this helps to clarify things a little. We've posted on our blog about why Zoompass takes security so seriously: http://bit.ly/O0r9Y.

    Thank you again for the input. I hope you'll continue to provide it; we certainly appreciate it.

    Looking forward to hearing about the Kiva loan in the future, too!

    Dave

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  2. I believe the workaround is to set up ZoomPass as a payee in your back account and then pay money into Zoompass like you're paying a bill. Not instantantaneous but should ID your bank account well enough to ZP.

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  3. Hi there,

    First it took me around 1 and a half year to receive my zoompass card, i was calling, waiting more than 1 hour each time i called, no one was calling me back,and oops one day i receive the card.

    the 21-march-2013 i send via my bank 575$ dollars to my zoompass, i receive the ocnfirmation it's gonna take couple days everything was fine.

    The 28th of march i receive an email and text saying the money has been transfert, and avalaible,

    Went on the web on my zoompass account, no money there, nothing, not even an historic of my transaction,

    I am trying to call zoompass support, no one answer.

    I sent an email at support, no one calls meback or write me back

    I am very afraid of where my money is,...

    I am still waiting but no one helps me,

    what can i do....?

    EP

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