[UPDATE] BigPay blocks you from their app unless you accept their new terms and conditions

[ UPDATE 30/11/2021 11:00 ] BigPay has fixed its app with a friendlier T&C screen and it has a clear mention of its new RM20,000 wallet-size upgrade.

[ UPDATE 26/11/2021 13:15 ] BigPay has removed the force “accept T&C” screen on its app.

[ UPDATE 25/22/2021 20:16 ] BigPay has responded to us on the new terms and conditions issue. According to the prepaid card provider, the new T&C does not affect BigPay users’ security and it is only to increase the maximum balance size from RM10,000 to RM20,000. We’ve requested them to provide the full T&C before and after the change for public reference and comparison.

If the change was merely to increase the wallet size, the least BigPay could do is to mention what’s new with the new terms and conditions. When Touch ‘n Go eWallet increased its maximum wallet size to RM20,000, it provided a clear announcement while giving users the option to unlock the upgrade.

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BigPay, AirAsia’s fintech company, has recently updated its terms and condition which will take effect from 13th December 2021. While that’s several weeks away, it appears that BigPay is arm-twisting its users into accepting the new terms immediately.

If you’re a BigPay user, launching the app will show a message about the new terms as well as a link to the Cardholder Agreement. It mentions that the updates will take effect on 13/12/2021 and accepting the revised terms is a condition for your continued use of BigPay.

While it is normal for services to update their T&Cs, the approach BigPay took is very aggressive. Firstly, BigPay didn’t highlight what the changes are, and unless you’re incredible at speed reading, it will definitely take a while to go through the full T&C. Since the new terms will only take into effect next month, it is unacceptable for users to be given only the option to accept and there’s no way for you to ignore or put this acceptance on hold. Essentially, you’re locked out from your BigPay app until you accept the terms. As shown above, this is a problem for both iOS and Android versions.

Fortunately, users are still able to make payments but it is a bummer not being able to know how much balance you have remaining in your BigPay account. If you’re lucky, you might be able to bypass the T&C update if you tap on the transaction notification after you make payment. However, this trick doesn’t seem to work all the time.

Overall, this seems like a sinister move as customers should have the right to access their accounts including checking their BigPay card balances, performing top-up and fund transfers without having to accept the new terms before 13th December. If a user doesn’t agree with the new terms, BigPay doesn’t provide any other options right now. There’s no way to contact customer service or an option to close or terminate the BigPay account via the app unless you hit the “I accept” button.

BigPay perhaps should learn from WhatsApp which gave ample time for users to accept its new terms and condition by providing a close button. Users were also allowed to enjoy full access to the app until the deadline. After public backlash, WhatsApp eventually took more effort to clarify what’s new and to reinforce that their platform is still secure with end-to-end encryption. At the moment, BigPay wants you to accept the changes without making it clear how it will affect you.

Have you accepted the new terms and conditions? Let us know in the comments below.