Tech News

Google Pay error accidentally sends out free money to some random Pixel users

HIGHLIGHTS

* Google Pay has been sending random cashback rewards to users
* This has been happening in the US
* Some of the users report that Google Pay has since taken the amount back
* The payments have ranged from a few dollars to over $1,000.
* Google has fixed the problem and says “the money is yours to keep.”

Google Pay seemingly rewarded Pixel users for their loyalty to the brand, with some free money! But as it turns out, it was an error after all.

According to several reports by Google Pixel users, the Google Pay app has been sending them free money (varied amounts) due to an error, which supposedly has been fixed by the tech giant.

According to several reports on the Google Pixel subreddit, some of the smartphone’s owners have randomly received cashback rewards in their Google Pay accounts. According to screenshots shared, these monetary rewards are for “dogfooding the Google pay remittance experience”, for which there is no explanation on the app or otherwise.

A tweet thread by freelance tech journalist Mishaal Rahman shows that these accidental rewards are visible to American Pixel users on the Google Pay app, under the Rewards section in the Deals tab.

Interestingly, Rahman claims that Google Pay has fixed the error and taken the money back from his account after sending him an email confirming the same.

That said, he believes those who took out their money before the fix get to keep it. However, the same was not confirmed by Google.

On the subreddit, meanwhile, there are reports of Pixel users mentioning amounts such as $100, $240, and even $1,072 (around Rs 87,700), which they have received erroneously on the Google Pay app. “I chatted Google as soon as it started rolling in for me. They advised they were aware and the issue would be resolved in 24-48 hours. Appears to be a big mishap on their part. I wouldn’t take anything out that you can’t account for, in case they reverse the charges,” one of the users said.

As for what dogfooding means, which is the reason behind most of these rewards, it is a method that allows Google to test real-world end-user experiences.

Meant for developers and beta testers, this process enables the form of payment on Google properties such as Play for Googlers. This enables local testing across a mix of devices, connections and OS versions.

GOOGLE PIXEL 7 5G KEY SPECIFICATIONS

Key Specs

RAM	8 GB
Processor	Google Tensor G2
Rear Camera	50 MP + 12 MP
Front Camera	10.8 MP
Battery	4355 mAh
Display	6.3 inches (16 cm)

General

Launch Date	October 6, 2022 (Official)
Operating System	Android v13

Performance

Chipset	Google Tensor G2
CPU	Octa core (2.85 GHz, Dual core, Cortex X1 + 2.35 GHz, Dual core, Cortex A78 + 1.8 GHz, Quad core, Cortex A55)
Architecture	64 bit
Fabrication	4 nm
Graphics	Mali-G710 MC10
RAM	8 GB Best in Class ▾
RAM Type	LPDDR5

Display

Display Type	OLED
Screen Size	6.3 inches (16 cm)
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect Ratio	20:9
Pixel Density	418 ppi Best in Class ▾
Screen to Body Ratio (calculated)	84.13 %
Screen Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass, Glass Victus
Bezel-less display	Yes with punch-hole display
Touch Screen	Yes, Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch
Brightness	1400 nits
HDR 10 / HDR+ support	Yes, HDR 10+
Refresh Rate	90 Hz

Design

Height	155.6 mm Compare Size
Width	73.2 mm
Thickness	8.7 mm Good ▾
Weight	197 grams Below Average ▾
Build Material	Back: Gorilla Glass
Colours	Obsidian, Lemongrass, Snow
Waterproof	Yes, Water resistant (up to 30 minutes in a depth of 1.5 meter), IP68
Ruggedness	Dust proof

Camera

MAIN CAMERA
Camera Setup	Dual
Resolution	50 MP f/1.85, Wide Angle (82° field-of-view), Primary Camera(25 mm focal length, 1.31″ sensor size, 1.2µm pixel size)12 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(2.9″ sensor size, 1.25µm pixel size)
Autofocus	Yes, Laser autofocus
OIS	Yes
Flash	Yes, Dual LED Flash
Image Resolution	8150 x 6150 Pixels
Settings	Exposure compensation, ISO control
Shooting Modes	Continuous Shooting High Dynamic Range mode (HDR)
Camera Features	8 x Digital Zoom Auto Flash Face detection Touch to focus
Video Recording	3840×2160 @ 30 fps 1920×1080 @ 30 fps
FRONT CAMERA
Camera Setup	Single
Resolution	10.8 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle, Primary Camera(21 mm focal length, 3.1″ sensor size, 1.22µm pixel size)
Camera Features	Fixed Focus
Video Recording	3840×2160 @ 30 fps 1920×1080 @ 30 fps

Battery

Capacity	4355 mAh
Type	Li-ion
Removable	No
Wireless Charging	Yes
Quick Charging	Yes, Fast, 30W: 50 % in 30 minutes
USB Type-C	Yes

Storage

Internal Memory	128 GB Best in Class ▾
Expandable Memory	No
User Available Storage	Up to 109 GB
Storage Type	UFS 3.1
USB OTG	Yes

Network & Connectivity

SIM Slot(s)	Dual SIM, GSM+GSM
SIM Size	SIM1: Nano, SIM2: eSIM
Network Support	5G Supported in India, 4G Supported in India, 3G, 2G
VoLTE	Yes
SIM 1	5G Bands: FDD N1 / N2 / N3 / N5 / N7 / N8 / N20 / N25 / N28 / N30 TDD N38 / N40 / N41 / N48 / N66 / N71 / N77 4G Bands: TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) / 1900(band 39) / 3500(band 42) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 700(band 28) / 1900(band 2) / 1700(band 4) / 850(band 5) / 700(band 13) / 700(band 17) / 850(band 18) / 850(band 19) / 800(band 20) / 1900(band 25) / 850(band 26) / 700(band 29) / 2300(band 30) 3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS: Available EDGE: Available
SIM 2	4G Bands: TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) / 1900(band 39) / 3500(band 42) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 700(band 28) / 1900(band 2) / 1700(band 4) / 850(band 5) / 700(band 13) / 700(band 17) / 850(band 18) / 850(band 19) / 800(band 20) / 1900(band 25) / 850(band 26) / 700(band 29) / 2300(band 30) 3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS: Available EDGE: Available
SAR Value	Head: 1.16 W/kg, Body: 1.15 W/kg
Wi-Fi	Yes, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) 5GHz, MIMO
Wi-Fi Features	Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile Hotspot
Bluetooth	Yes, v5.2
GPS	Yes with A-GPS, Glonass
NFC	Yes
USB Connectivity	Mass storage device, USB charging

Multimedia

FM Radio	No
Loudspeaker	Yes
Audio Jack	USB Type-C

Sensors

Fingerprint Sensor	Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Position	On-screen
Fingerprint Sensor Type	Optical
Other Sensors	Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope

FAQ’s on Google Bank Error

1) Did Google Accidentally Sends Money To Random Pixel Phones Users?

Ans) This error indicates that Google may send money to random users instead of paying employees who tested the Google Pay Feature.

The company has not yet commented on the issue or clarified how many users have been affected.

However, the accidental cash distribution has sparked a discussion among Reddit users about the company’s testing practices and employee compensation.

In response to the incident, Google has informed affected users that they will attempt to reverse the payment. However, the cash will remain with the users if they are unsuccessful.

This move has left some users pleasantly surprised as they get to keep the extra money.
Meanwhile, others have expressed concerns over Google’s mistake and how it could affect its reputation.

It is unclear whether Google will take any steps to prevent this error from happening again in the future .

However this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough testing before launching any new feature or service.

The lucky Pixel users who received unexpected cash can consider themselves fortunate as they can either keep the money or donate it to a good cause.

Nobody would say “no” to easy money. But we really wonder what happens if we just spend that money.

Considering it was an unwanted accident, spending a few dollars may result in getting sued by Google.

So if you’re one of those lucky users, you better not touch it and contact the support if they don’t take it back in a few days.

2) How can you Fix problems with contactless payments ?

Ans) Step 1: Check your contactless payment set up
Set up a Contactless Payment Method

1. NFC turned on.

* Open Settings
* In the “Search settings” bar, type “NFC.”
* Make sure NFC is turned on. If your phone doesn’t have NFC, it can’t make contactless payments.

2. Google Pay set as your default payment app.

* Under “NFC,” tap Contactless payments
* Payment default.
* Make sure “Google Pay” is selected.

3. A Screen lock set up

4. Once you’ve checked and updated your contactless payment set up, try the payment again.

Step 2: Try again with these tips

* Make sure your phone is awake and unlocked.
* Hold your phone in a different way. Your NFC antenna could be near the top or middle of your device.
* Hold your phone closer to the payment reader.
* Hold your phone close to the payment reader for a few more seconds.

Also Read: Google Pixel 7 price below Rs 50,000 on Flipkart: Grab The Offer

Also Read: Google Pixel 7a Tipped to Launch in Five Colour Options, 256GB Storage Option Ahead of I/O 2023 Event

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