I first used GCash more than a decade ago when I was still working with Globe Telecoms. I wasn’t a big fan then because there weren’t a lot of options on where to use it or cash out my money. So, I seldom used it. Eventually, I stopped using GCash, especially when I resigned from Globe Telecoms.

Last year (2019), I started using it again because I had to make a series of bank deposits regularly to pay for my children’s tuition fees. Going to the bank was not an attractive option for me. I also heard from other online workers that GCash does not charge for cash-ins and bank transfers.

GCash Positive Features

I was convinced to try it again mainly because of the convenience of doing my bank transactions online at no extra cost or charge.

I started using it to transfer small amounts of money. After using it for a couple of months without encountering any problem, my husband and I became more confident making bank transfers from my account to his bank account and to our joint bank account. I mainly used it to transfer money from my BPI savings account to other bank accounts where I needed to deposit payments. There was also a time when I transferred money from my Paypal account to GCash then to another bank account. My husband uses it mainly to pay bills.

As our transactions became regular in the past months, we started making transactions involving bigger amounts of money.

My Horrible GCash Experience

Last December 14, 2019, after making a successful transaction of transferring money to my husband’s bank account, I decided to cash-in a bigger amount of money from my BPI savings account. I was waiting for the text notification that was usually sent to my mobile phone that the amount I cashed in was already in my GCash wallet. I already received an email notification from BPI that my cash-in transaction was successful.

I waited and waited but after a few minutes, there was still no text confirmation.

I checked my BPI account balance and it showed that the money I cashed in was already deducted from it.

I started to feel nervous. I just cashed-in P10,000! This was not a small amount for me. We were supposed to pay one of our bills using that money.

Poor Customer Service

The minutes eventually became an hour. I tried calling the Globe hotline but I could not get hold of an agent I can talk to. All I hear were recorded voice prompts and options that did not include talking to an operator or agent.

I called up BPI’s hotline instead. I got to talk to one of their agents who confirmed to me that my cash-in was successful at their end. I insisted that it did not reflect in my GCash wallet as expected and that my transaction should not be considered successful until the amount I cashed-in is in my GCash wallet.

The agent just kept saying the same thing. Then, he asked if I already made or submitted a ticket to GCash. I told him not yet because I didn’t know that there is such a thing. He guided me through the process because he said he had the same experience in the past. He also assured me that my money can be returned to me soon and that even though it was a weekend, there will be people who will act on my concern. My call ended and I waited for updates.

I received an email from the GCash Help Center regarding the ticket I submitted. I was informed that they are looking into my concern.

I also submitted an email to BPI. The email address at the bottom of their email notification was not correct. I had to resend my message to another email that they gave me.

I kept checking my GCash wallet that day but the balance remained the same. It was agonizing to wait for hours for my P10,000 to be returned to my BPI account or to be reflected in my GCash wallet. It was a stressful and tiring day for me. I spent so much time trying to contact the hotlines of these two companies, sending emails to write to them about my complaint and checking my account every now and then.

The following day, the money I cashed-in was still not in my GCash wallet. Since one of my sons was joining a chess tournament at an SM mall, I’ve decided to report my problem at a Globe business center after the tournament was over. It was already the evening of the second day and I didn’t get my money back yet.

I was given a new ticket number from the staff who talked to me. I was told to wait for 3-5 days and to check my GCash wallet during this time. He said that I was not the only one who complained about this problem in the past days. I wondered why they did not suspend the use of the app or warned users of the problem so we would not use it in the meantime.

I waited for another day and another day. Again, no one called me from BPI or Globe even after I gave all the necessary details and a screenshot of the current balance in my GCash wallet.

During these days, I was receiving emails from the GCash Help center regarding the ticket I submitted. At first, they asked for details like the transaction reference number, bank details, amount and a screenshot.

I gave them all the details they asked except for a screenshot. It wasn’t clear to me what kind of screenshot they wanted me to give. After I submitted the details and clarified what kind of screenshot they wanted. They replied that they need me to send them a screenshot proving that I had a successful transaction.

This infuriated me. I replied that I would not be complaining if I had a successful transaction.

If you have used GCash in the past, you would know that the only screenshot you can give that your transaction was successful is a text message or notification (which I did not receive) after my cash-in.

So, I sent a screenshot instead of my GCash balance showing that it only had P1 and no P10,000 in it.

I thought that would suffice. But I got another email asking me for the same details and a screenshot. By this time, I was no longer willing to answer their email. I was already mad and I no longer had the patience to exchange emails with them. I felt I was just wasting my time.

By the middle of that week, after days of waiting, I called 2882 to follow up on the status of my ticket and concern. I demanded that I speak to their Supervisor or Manager but I was told that their Supervisor/manager was not available. I was assured again that the matter was already escalated and that I should check on my GCash wallet from time to time in the next days. Christmas was fast approaching. I was becoming more and more impatient because our bill was already past its due date. We were supposed to use that money to pay our bill.

The days turned to week. Like most people, I got busy with Christmas preparations.

Then, to my dismay, I got an email from GCash that if they don’t hear again from me, they will close my ticket. To which I replied, they should not close my ticket unless they have returned my money. I demanded that they return my money to me.

After that, I didn’t get an email update or call from them again.

Christmas came and it was almost the New Year. I called 2882 again to follow up on the status of my complaint. To my surprise, I found out from the agent that my tickets have been closed! I was really mad! I asked the agent why this happened when I replied to the email and I did not get my money back. But the agent could not give any reason. I again demanded that I speak to their Supervisor or Manager but the agent did not let me. He kept telling me the same script that the previous agents told me. I asked him to tell his superior (Supervisor or Manager) to call me back and that if they don’t I will call my friends from a local radio and TV network.

I waited again and the New Year began. Sadly, I didn’t get any updates or calls from their end.

What a way to treat one of their loyal customers who has been with them for decades!

I was already about to text one of the reporters of a local radio and TV network where I’m usually invited as a resource speaker. But, I’ve decided to give Globe one last chance since I used to be an employee of the company. I’ve decided to call a Globe employee that I know. My husband also contacted a Globe executive that he interfaced with when he was working for another telecom company that supported Globe’s infrastructure. Both of them asked us to email them the details of my transaction and what had happened in the past days and weeks.

I was contacted through email again telling me that they are investigating my complaint again. Then, a few days later, I got an email that my complaint has been resolved.

I checked my GCash wallet and I checked my bank account. None of them showed that my money was back. So, I replied to the email again and said that how can they say that my complaint was already resolved when they have not returned my money.

They replied via email by saying that there must have been confusion. These people are truly confused! They apologized and said that they will get back to me for an update.

I waited for days again and when there were no updates or calls from their end, I emailed them to follow up.

I didn’t get a reply.

I still kept checking my GCash wallet each day.

After a month, the balance in my GCash wallet remained P1.

Since I was busy with so many things, I was not able to contact my friends from the media.

Finally, I Got My Money Back!

Then, one day, while in a client meeting, I received a text on my mobile phone that P10,000 was transferred to my GCash wallet.

I quickly checked my GCash wallet after my meeting and it was there! Finally, my P10,000 was reflected in my GCash wallet after more than a month!

Before updating my friend and my husband, I first tried to transfer the money in small amounts to my husband’s bank account. I started with a P1 transfer. When it was successful, I transferred a bigger amount. I had to make many small transactions to make sure that I do not lose a big amount of money in case GCash malfunctions again.

When I finished transferring the money to my husband’s bank account, it was only then that I informed my friend and my husband that my money was back and I got to send it to him successfully. I wanted to make sure that I will also get to “withdraw” or get my money out of the GCash out successfully before I inform my friend from Globe so that just in case there would be a problem getting it out of their system, I can still inform them and ask for their assistance.

When the ordeal was finally over, I emailed their Help center update and told them that waiting for more than a month to get my money back and not getting updates from them or their Supervisors and managers was totally unacceptable.

My Verdict and Recommendations

After using GCash for several months last year and my harrowing ordeal during the Christmas season, I DO NOT RECOMMEND GCASH to people anymore.

Reasons for Not Recommending It

First, I was not only inconvenienced; I was also subjected to so much stress! I wasn’t sure anymore after waiting for days if I would get my money back.

Second, it was so hard to contact their hotline. I wasted so much time trying to contact them about my concern. I tried using it so I could save time. But after my terrible experience with them, I don’t want to do business with them anymore because I can’t afford to waste that much time again.

Third, they do not even honor their word or promise that the complaint or ticket would be resolved in 3-5 days.

Fourth, they didn’t even reach out to call me even after I demanded that their Supervisor or Manager call me to explain what’s taking them so long to resolve my complaint. This is a sign that they do not really value their customers.

My Recommendations

If after reading my experience with GCash and the reviews of other users and bloggers and you still want to try it or continue using it, these are what I recommend.

Do not use it for transactions or amounts you are not prepared to lose because you cannot guarantee that you will get your money back.

Don’t use GCash to cash-in money to pay for important bills that you cannot afford to miss.

Use other online options instead even if they have extra charges for online transactions. Or better yet, use the traditional way of going to the bank if your transaction involves a big amount of money. Better safe than sorry.

The GCash app is so unstable and unreliable. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it’s malfunctioning. Mine was not an isolated case. Yesterday, I read another Facebook post from a friend of mine that she also had a problem with GCash and she still doesn’t have her money until now. She was also experiencing Globe’s bad customer service. Actually, they are not serving at all because she was also not getting any updates like what happened to me.

Have you been using GCash? Did you have similar problems in the past? Do you still plan to try using this app after reading this blog post? Consider yourself warned.