YouTrip user wrongly charged RM37.32 for bus ride from JB customs to Newton, will only use cash from now on
A traveller who took the Causeway Link CW5 bus from Johor Bahru to Singapore was appalled to be charged RM37.32 (around $11.70) on her YouTrip card for the ride.
The bus ride from JB CIQ to Newton was supposed to cost only RM4.60 ($1.44).
Stomper Sue said she and her daughter had used their individual YouTrip cards for the bus fare on June 8. But while the correct amount was deducted from Sue’s card, her daughter found an incorrect charge reflected in her account days later on June 15.
“My daughter says that after the ride, she checked and was charged correctly at RM4.60,” Sue shared. “But a couple of days later, when she happened to go in to check YouTrip, she was horrified to see the RM37.32 charge.”
Sue’s daughter contacted YouTrip and Causeway Link on June 16, but realised getting a refund would not be straightforward.
Told to jump through hoops for a refund
“YouTrip told my daughter to submit a form and told her that any refund would take up to 12 weeks for investigations with the merchant,” Sue told Stomp on June 18.
“My daughter also called Causeway Link’s customer service hotline, which did not work (she got hung up on each time). She emailed them, who asked her to download a LUGO app and link it to her YouTrip card. Then submit a form through the app for the claim.”
Sue’s daughter was hesitant to do so, as she had never heard of Lugo and was worried that more money would be deducted from her YouTrip wallet if she linked it to the app.
“After the wrongful charge, I just do not have much faith in their system,” Sue added.
“I feel that this is all such an unnecessary hassle. Causeway Link should investigate immediately, see that it is an incorrect charge and refund the money to my daughter’s YouTrip wallet.”
The Stomper said she was unsure how this could happen, as she has never encountered such issues with previous CW5 bus rides.
“I am just surprised,” she added. “How can a single public bus ride ever cost RM37? Why did RM4.60 change to RM37? Where is our consumer protection?”
User gets refund from YouTrip just in time
According to Sue, she and her daughter “pushed back a few times” until Causeway Link asked for details of the trip and transaction, with no further action required on their part.
The Stomper said: “But before we could do that, YouTrip refunded my daughter the monies!”
Nonetheless, the incident has left a bad taste in Sue’s mouth.
“It is still a lot of hassle created and time wasted,” the Stomper added. “Up to now, we still do not know why this wrongful deduction can happen and no one can give an answer.”
Sue hopes to raise awareness about the issue and remind fellow travellers to be careful.
“I suspect this wrongful deduction might have happened before, but maybe some people missed the charge as it came only one or two days after the correct charge was first shown,” she explained.
“I also urge all who take the Causeway Link buses to double check their transactions to ensure that no wrongful deductions have been made.”
Sue said she will only use cash when taking the CW5 bus in future.
“This card payment may be convenient, but once you have a charge to dispute, it is really a pain to get the refund. Maybe my daughter should consider herself lucky the charge was RM37 and not RM370!”
According to YouTrip’s website, users can initiate a dispute or chargeback through the YouTrip app within 45 days of the transaction date.
In cases where YouTrip is unable to proceed with a chargeback dispute, users will be notified within the next three working days. For such cases, the best course of action is to contact the merchant for a resolution or to file a police report if you suspect that you may have been scammed.
If YouTrip proceeds with the chargeback, the dispute resolution process may take up to 12 weeks, or longer, for complex cases where the merchant challenges the chargeback.
Sue told Stomp that her daughter received a refund from YouTrip on June 19 and that they were both surprised that it came through “so fast” after being told it would take up to 12 weeks.
“My girl now refuses to use her card for Causeway Link,” she said. “Just pay cash (is) the best.”
Stomp has contacted YouTrip for more info.
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