Financial services group ING is grappling with a major internet banking breakdown which has led to thousands of people being unable to use their direct debit cards.

In some cases, people have ‘lost’ thousands of euros from their accounts because of the fault while others have thousands of euros too much, Nos television reported.

Even account holders who are not allowed to overdraw have discovered their counts are deep in the red because of double bookings. Some people say long queues built up in supermarkets as people found they were unable to pay.

Serious

ING began by saying there were only a few incidents but later admitted the problem was much more serious.

The bank’s online banking website is currently out of action as thousands of people try to check their bank balances. The telephone help line is also very difficult to reach.

The problems have not affected direct debit or online payments, ING said.

Balances

‘The correct balances are in the ING computer system,’ spokesman Harold Reusken told Nos television.

‘But the delays in the payment traffic mean people are not seeing the correct amounts. As soon as all deposits and withdrawals have been checked, the balances will be correct again,’ he said.

Reusken could not say when the problems would be solved.