I pay my credit card bills via Internet banking, and I usually do so on the due date. I have done this without issue for many years, until my latest OCBC Visa card bill.

The bill showed that full payment was made on the due date, but a late fee of $100.10 was imposed.

I called the OCBC hotline and made an automated request for waiver. Later, I also spoke to a customer service officer, who said that while payment was reflected as being made on the due date, the actual transaction was two days later, hence the late fee. She also said she would put in a request for waiver.

The following day, I received an SMS from OCBC, saying it is unable to waive the charges.

Is it reasonable for OCBC to impose a late fee of $100.10 just because the payment is two days late?

Many Internet banking transactions are instantaneous - are customers expected to know which are not?

Could OCBC make things easier for customers, by putting the due date two days earlier?

Banks need to act and behave in a reasonable and fair manner. It is disappointing that such an experience came from OCBC, a local bank.

I wonder how many Singaporeans, knowingly or unknowingly, end up paying such unreasonable fees.

Koh Thong Wei