ARKANSAS, USA — Services have been restored after hundreds of Arvest Bank customers reported issues with their online accounts on Friday, April 25. The outages began at around 1 a.m. and were reported to have increased at 6:36 a.m., according to the outage website. At 10:21 a.m., the website reported 438 outages. By 12:21 p.m., the number dropped to 310.
"Customers may currently have an issue logging in to online and mobile banking. Our teams are aware and actively working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience," said Arvest.
The majority of the issues reported were related to the mobile app. Down Detector reported that 59% of issues reported are related to mobile logins, 25% were online banking, and 16% were online logins.
At around noon, Arvest released a statement explaining what happened. "During routine system updates Thursday evening after bank hours, there was an internal issue that caused a small number of customers who logged into online banking or the Arvest Go mobile app to have briefly viewed account information that did not match theirs. Our teams immediately identified the issue and temporarily disabled certain online functions while taking measures to correct it."
Arvest assured this was not a cyber incident or unauthorized access to the systems and reminded customers that its branches, ATMs with Live Tellers, and ATMs were still available.
At around 3:45 p.m. on Friday, Arvest said that online and mobile banking services had been fully restored. Stay with 5NEWS for updates.
In addition to login issues, some customers reported being unable to complete transfers or access funds through the app. Arvest has not confirmed the extent of the disruption, but it appears to be impacting multiple types of digital banking functions.
Despite the issues with online banking, Arvest locations and ATMs remained open. Customers can visit branch locations, use ATM with Live Teller machines, or access regular ATMs for many services. To find your nearest location, visit arvest.com/locations.
As the bank continues to face scrutiny over its digital services, the incident raises questions about the reliability of online banking systems in today's technology-driven world. With more customers relying on digital platforms, the need for robust and secure banking solutions has never been more critical.
Arvest Bank's swift response to the incident may help restore customer confidence, but it also highlights the challenges that financial institutions face in maintaining secure and efficient online services.
In the wake of this incident, it remains to be seen how Arvest will enhance its systems to prevent similar occurrences in the future. As customers increasingly demand seamless access to their financial information, banks must adapt and innovate to meet these expectations.
Overall, the experience serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and communication in banking. Customers appreciate timely updates and clear information, especially during service disruptions. Arvest's proactive approach in addressing the issue and keeping customers informed is a step in the right direction.
As the banking landscape continues to evolve, institutions like Arvest must prioritize not only the functionality of their services but also the trust and satisfaction of their customers. The future of banking may hinge on how well these companies can navigate the complexities of technology while ensuring their clients feel secure and valued.
