On February 28, 2025, customers of Intesa Sanpaolo across Italy encountered significant difficulties with the bank's services starting around 1 PM. Reports flooded platforms like Downdetector, indicating widespread outages affecting online banking and mobile app functionalities. Cities such as Milan, Turin, Bologna, Perugia, Rome, and Naples were particularly hard hit as users struggled to access their accounts.
Many customers reported not only being locked out of their online banking but also facing unauthorized transactions. Frighteningly, some users experienced withdrawals from their accounts without their consent, referred to as "phantom withdrawals." One incredulous user described their situation, stating, "Non funziona niente. Ho provato a fare un prelievo e mi sono trovato 1000 euro in meno. Ora non funziona niente, neanche il numero a pagamento." (Nothing works. I tried to make a withdrawal and found myself 1000 euros less. Now nothing works, not even the premium number.)
Another customer echoed similar frustrations, claiming, "Io 4 operazioni da 30 euro, tutte negate ma addebitate. Spero che vengano stornate al più presto." (I had four transactions of 30 euros, all denied but charged. I hope they get reversed soon.) Such experiences led many to wonder whether Intesa Sanpaolo could rectify the situation effectively.
Throughout the outages, customers found the bank's customer service virtually non-responsive, as phone lines were overwhelmed by the volume of calls and long waiting times. Even physical branches were unable to provide precise answers about when the issues would be resolved, leaving many frustrated. One customer lamented their experience: "Ho contattato anche la mia filiale e non hanno idea di quando verrà risolto. La filiale online dice sempre che, visto il traffico elevato, invita a richiamare più tardi." (I contacted my branch and they have no idea when it will be resolved. The online branch always says to call back later due to high traffic).
Officially, Intesa Sanpaolo acknowledged the outage, stating, "Intesa Sanpaolo comunica che in tarda mattinata, alcuni servizi di pagamento istantaneo e prelievo contante sono stati temporaneamente indisponibili. La situazione è tornata, in breve tempo, alla normalità." (Intesa Sanpaolo announced, late morning, some instant payment services and cash withdrawals were temporarily unavailable. The situation has quickly returned to normal.) They added reassurances to their clients, saying any unauthorized transactions would be rectified shortly.
By 5 PM, the bank reported the peak of the disruptions passed, promising customers the return of operational services within days, though they did not specify the causes of these widespread problems. Intesa Sanpaolo concluded their communication by urging customers to remain calm and assured them their accounts would accurately reflect all transactions. They stated, "eventuali visualizzazioni sull’estratto conto di operazioni non effettuate, verranno regolarizzate nelle prossime ore" (any views on the statement of transactions not made will be adjusted within the coming hours).
Despite these reassurances, reports continued to emerge throughout the day of other phantom transactions, heightening customer anxiety. Some claimed screenshots were shared showing mysterious one thousand euro withdrawals, adding to fears and calls to customer service. Despite the bank's attempts to clarify the situation, users are understandably worried about the security of their funds.
Reports from various social media platforms indicated customers had difficulty processing payments, and cash withdrawals from ATMs remained problematic. While the issues seemed to have stabilized later on, the atmosphere of confusion and fear lingered among those who had been trapped during the outage.
Intesa Sanpaolo now faces the challenge of restoring trust among its clientele and ensuring the reliability of its services moving forward. Clients are advised to check their accounts regularly and to reach out to their branches if they experience any discrepancies. Throughout these turbulent hours, many Italian banks have reiterated their commitment to enhancing their systems to avoid similar incidents. The hope is for smoother banking operations to resume and for customers to feel secure in their financial transactions.