Humans customers complain of months-long delays in recovering frozen Visa card funds

Several users told the outlet that they began experiencing problems after Humans’ co-branding partnership with Octobank collapsed, leaving their card balances effectively frozen.

One complainant, Asadjon Kholmatov, said his UZS 6 million were supposed to be refunded within 40 days after his contract was terminated on 28 June. “It has now been six months. They keep giving false promises,” he said.

Another user, Khurshidbek, said he visited a Humans office and submitted a request, but nothing changed. “My UZS 6 million have been frozen for almost a year. I filed an application three months ago. No result. They don’t answer calls, and they don’t return the money,” he said.

A third complainant described a similar experience with a balance of UZs 3.37 million. After being told in June to submit a written request in Tashkent, they were assured the funds would be returned within 30 working days. “On 26 July, the company deducted UZS 3.37 million from my account, but never returned it. For five months, all I hear is ‘please wait’,” the user said.

Another citizen told Kun.uz that their father has over UZS 21.4 million stuck on a Humans Visa card, with no progress despite filing an application and waiting more than three months.

Humans: “Funds are preserved and can be used for telecom services”

Responding to Kun.uz, Humans’ press service said customer funds remain intact and accessible for internal services, though card operations are no longer functional.

“Customers’ money is fully preserved. There is no account blockage. Users can still use their balance to pay for telecom services, purchase special numbers, or pay for others’ mobile plans,” the company said.

Humans stated that clients had been notified about issues with the bank partnership through Telegram, SMS and calls, and were advised to withdraw their funds through Visa ATMs or bank cash desks before card operations were suspended.

The company added that customers can terminate their telecom contract and receive a refund of unused prepaid balances at its Yakassaray service center in Tashkent.

Octobank: “Humans did not settle payments; data is stored on their servers”

Octobank officials gave a sharply different account. According to Navruz Musaev, director of the bank’s Non-performing Loans Department, while Octobank issued the co-branded cards, all transaction records and customer balances were stored on Humans’ servers.

“Humans was required to reimburse the bank daily for customer spending made via Visa cards. But they did not settle these payments. As a result, customers’ funds became stuck,” Musaev said.

He explained that after a court decision on 13 June 2025, Octobank halted all co-branded card operations, including P2P transfers. But when customers went to the bank for help, Octobank could not return the funds because the bank had no access to the underlying account data.

“In our investigation, we found that Humans had withdrawn large sums of money. Balances appear on customers’ cards, but there is no real backing behind them – the data doesn’t show up. It’s like a ‘404’ error,” Musaev said.

Central Bank distances itself

The Central Bank told Kun.uz that the issue stems from contractual relations between the two companies and that the regulator does not intervene in such disputes.

The lack of clarity from both companies leaves thousands of customers uncertain about when, or if, they will be able to recover their money.