I recently encountered a frustrating situation with Mitsui Sumitomo Bank’s credit card service (Vpass), which I feel is important to share as there seems to be no information available about it in either English or Japanese. I want to raise awareness about this potential issue for others who might encounter it.
My experience began when I requested an extraordinary advance payment by deposit (お振込による臨時支払い) on my credit card balance in preparation for a significant purchase, aiming to free up my available credit (ご利用可能額). Following my request, I received an automated email from the bank with instructions on the specific amount and the deadline for a bank transfer. I completed the transfer as directed and expected the transaction to be straightforward. The bank’s website indicated a two-day processing time for the payment to be reflected in my account. However, not only did the payment not appear after two days, but a whole month passed without any update on my card statement nor on my available credit. The payment is simply nowhere to be found in SMBC’s statements, only as a charge on my bank account. I waited a whole month expecting it to be reflected on a later day or on the next monthly cycle, but so far still no clue about where it went. And yes, I am pretty sure I deposited the money on the correct bank account, it’s pretty easy to tell with Japanese ATMs.
The most exasperating aspect of this situation is the apparent impossibility of contacting a human representative for assistance at Sumitomo’s customer support. Since March 2023, they seem to have discontinued such service for Vpass customers. The chatbot provided is of little help, merely echoing information from the FAQ, which does not address this specific issue even when it is so incredibly straightforward: What should I do if my deposit isn’t reflected in my balance? Anyways, I still do not know, as of today I feel like I lost several ￥ to the bank for no apparent reason on my end, naively hoping for it to be a mistake and eventually getting it refunded to my account. If someone has ever faced this issue or knows how to get in touch with a human at SMBC please let me know.