Residents in the UAE were surprised to learn that they had to carry cash for purchases on Friday afternoon, as some shops were forced to switch to “cash-only” payments due to technical issues. The glitches were reported as a massive global cyber outage that affected various industries, including aviation and banking.
Some people buying groceries or filling up their cars had to scramble for quick cash because card payments were not working. Others were unable to withdraw from ATMs. Travellers were also affected by flight delays. A surprised Dubai resident told Khaleej Times: “On my way home from a meeting, I stopped at my local grocery store to get some water and milk. I was told that cash was the only option because the store’s POS (point of sale card machine) was not working. The ATM next door was also down, so I couldn’t pay because I had no cash. Fortunately, it was a friend’s shop, Ajwa in Barsha Heights, and they let me take the goods with payment to be made later,” Mathew explained.
Meanwhile, when Geethalakshmi Ramachandran went to a petrol station in Jebel Ali on Friday, she was surprised to learn that it only accepted cash payments. “Luckily, I had Dh50,” she said. She also noted: “I assume it’s going to be more chaotic as I have been getting messages that card payments are not working in certain stores and pharmacies.
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