Antofagasta public transport card payments face scrutiny over alleged irregular charges

The regional transport secretary of Antofagasta, Pablo Venandy, announced ongoing coordination with Bipay, the electronic fare collection provider, to investigate reports of irregular card charges on public buses. Authorities are urging users to report any suspected overcharges and are prepared to seek refunds where appropriate.

Bipay responded that it has found no evidence of an improper charging mechanism in its platform. The company explained that the EMV card‑payment system processes transactions on a delayed basis, which can cause charges to appear later or be consolidated, and that recent intermitencies in the external payment processor may have led to temporary delays or adjustments. Gonzalo Cuitiño, Bipay’s operations manager, emphasized that these are normal processing behaviors, not fraudulent charges.

Both parties are providing channels for users to verify their trips and payments and to file complaints with their banks or the transport authority.