OmanNet down for e-payments: CBO

Muscat: Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has suspended the OmanNet payment gateway for the use of debit cards. A statement issued online by the CBO said: "The Central Bank has suspended the online payment gateway service (OmanNet) for use of debit cards and customers can use the option to pay with credit or other cards if the option is available until the service is returned."

The CBO added that it had detected in the past few hours an attempt to hack the portal, and that it was being investigated and would be dealt with according to the procedures followed by the competent authorities.

The Central Bank of Oman emphasized that: "Other electronic financial services such as (ATM) and payments via point of sale devices (POS) and transfer from one account to another account in the same bank and between banks and the mobile transfer service are working regularly."

The Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC) in a statement said, "The online donation service through the donations Portal, and the e-Payment service via debit cards through Esnad Portal for Electronic Tendering Services, are currently unavailable due to the temporary shutdown of the e-Payment service through "OmanNet" network."