Picture via Synergy website
Camera IconPicture via Synergy website Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Perth customers reporting Synergy bill account number stuff-up

Rachel FennerEastern Reporter

CUSTOMERS are used to bill shock when opening Synergy bills, but a recent BPAY stuff-up is a whole new ball game.

Community News is aware of several customers who have been affected by an error where the incorrect reference number is generated under the BPAY account number on their most recent Synergy bills.

The reference number on some bills is incorrect.
Camera IconThe reference number on some bills is incorrect. Credit: Supplied/Rachel Fenner
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The payment number on the bill is also incorrect.

A Synergy spokeswoman said the mistake occurred following an IT system change.

“A relatively small number of customers were issued with incorrect payment numbers,” she said.

“The issue was identified and rectified within 48 hours and any payments made by customers with the incorrect payment number were re-directed to Synergy’s correct account without issue.”

One customer, who contacted the company about the problem, was told Synergy made an account with the new reference number.

When the customer uses it to pay, Synergy will transfer the funds to the correct account.

Another customer was told that Synergy did not know what would happen to funds transferred into the incorrect account, but were told “it probably would match up or bounce back to your account”.

One customer said, “this just screams ‘danger’ to me”.

Another questioned why Synergy had not informed customers of the error.

A third customer said this had happened to her and the funds sat in the incorrect account, while her actual account recorded an outstanding balance.

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