“Give us our money back”: Orange Money users furious over missing mobile credit 😡

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🔄 Update – 31/01/2025 – Refunds underway

Since the publication of this article, Orange Cameroon has initiated an automatic refund process for failed Orange Money transactions. Affected users do not need to take any action — the amounts are being progressively credited back to their accounts.
📎 To learn more about this update and early user feedback, read our full follow-up by clicking here.

« Transaction failed, money debited, no service received. »
That’s the new gamble Cameroonians are unwillingly playing with Orange Money, the mobile money service by Orange Cameroon. Since July 27, users have taken to social media en masse to report repeated failures when trying to top up their airtime.

Money is leaving their accounts, but no credit is being delivered. Support channels? Unresponsive. Orange? Silent. The money? Gone.

Transactions that vanish into thin air 👻

On X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, the outrage is everywhere. Many users say they’ve tried topping up their mobile credit via Orange Money, only to see the funds deducted — with nothing in return. Worse still, some say repeated attempts have resulted in multiple charges for the same failed transaction.

“I tried four times. Each time they took my money, and I got nothing,” posted @AnneCathy9 on X.

Another user said he lost 5,500 CFA francs in a matter of minutes. These stories are piling up — but no one’s getting a clear answer.

“It’s insane. Yesterday, I bought airtime three times through Orange Money. Each time it said the transaction failed, but they still took 500 CFA four times. I never got the credit. Orange Cameroon, give me back my money!” complained Danielle Voundi on Facebook.

The silence is deafening 😤

As the complaints continue to pour in, customers are also slamming Orange’s lack of response. During our attempts to contact customer support, phone lines were either inactive or endlessly busy. Users across messaging apps and social platforms say they’ve gotten nothing but automated replies — if they hear anything at all.

“I reported my issue yesterday. Still no response. On X, all they do is send copy-paste replies. We’re tired of this company messing with our money and not even offering an explanation,” said one user.

This wave of frustration has left customers feeling completely abandoned. With official support channels failing, social media has become a last resort — a digital courtroom where grievances are aired and hope for resolution lingers.

A trusted service now under fire 🔥

Orange Money is one of the most widely used digital payment systems in Cameroon, offering services like airtime top-ups, bill payments, money transfers, and subscriptions. But technical failures at this scale are seriously undermining trust in the platform.

And when politeness gives way to rage, the messages get blunt:

“Give us our money back! We don’t give a f*** about your excuses! Thieves!” posted @tonycollins on X.

The tone is sharp, and the patience is gone. Users are calling out Orange directly and demanding accountability.

“Hi Orange. Airtime purchases through OM weren’t credited, but the money was deducted. This has been going on since yesterday. Do you have any updates? When will we get our airtime back?” asked @LucMenyomo on X, July 27.

Trust on the edge ⏳

As digital services become essential to daily life, Cameroonians expect their mobile tools to be fast, secure, and transparent. Incidents like these shake that confidence — and without clear communication or rapid resolution, Orange risks damaging its relationship with users.

In a competitive telecom landscape, indifference could cost far more than a few missing top-ups.

“Getting orange-moneyed”: a phrase gaining traction to describe the feeling of being charged for nothing, ignored by support, and forced to turn frustration into a viral post. That kind of collective sarcasm might just be the real red flag — a warning that trust is wearing thin and customers are done waiting.

What’s your experience?!!
🎤 Have you also been affected by recent Orange Money failures? Drop us a message or share your story in the comments.