Budapest, Hungary (June 26, 2024) - Apple Pay users in Hungary are reporting a wave of unauthorized charges, sparking concern among consumers and financial institutions. Multiple Hungarian news outlets have covered the issue, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem.

Affected users have reported a series of unexpected transactions, often in small amounts but repeated multiple times. One individual claimed to have lost almost $1,500 USD through 74 rapid-fire charges. The issue appears to impact customers of various banks throughout Hungary.

Local banks are reportedly inundated with customer inquiries and complaints. OTP Bank stated that "massive, unjustified debits" had been made to numerous cards across multiple banks. Raiffeisen Bank posted a notice on their website confirming that the problem stems from a technical issue with an external partner, resulting in incorrect charges from the Apple App Store. They assured customers that they are actively working with Apple to resolve the issue.

Some of the unauthorized charges seem to be connected to previously cancelled subscriptions or match the amounts of prior App Store purchases. In response, some customers have opted to block their cards to prevent further charges.

While the exact cause of the malfunction remains under investigation, initial reports suggest the issue lies on Apple's end. Apple is reportedly collaborating with financial institutions to address the problem and rectify the unauthorized charges.

UPDATE: Apple has acknowledged the issue and is working to resolve it. Affected users are advised to contact their banks for assistance and to monitor their accounts for any unusual activity.