how can we help?
Most payment questions are answered below. If your payment has not reflected on your account, start with the first question — it is the one we are asked most often.
Payment questions.
These cover the queries our support team receives most often from people paying a bill.
When will my payment be allocated to my account?
Your biller allocates the payment to your account. Pay@ does not do payment allocations — we provide the payment interface and the network that carries the payment.
If a payment has not reflected, our support team can search the system, locate the transaction, and send you a screenshot as evidence of a successful payment, along with the biller’s details so you can resolve the allocation with them directly.
How do I get the reference number I need to pay?
Your Pay@ reference number is printed on your invoice or statement, next to the Pay@ logo, barcode or QR code. If your biller sent you a payment link by SMS or email, opening that link takes you straight to your account with the reference already filled in.
If you cannot find it, ask your biller for your Pay@ reference number. Only your biller can issue it.
The system says my account number is invalid
In most cases this is because your biller has not yet updated your details on the Pay@ database. Once we are notified, we raise it with the biller.
Send us your reference number and the biller’s name and we will check whether the reference is valid on our side.
The amount shown is wrong and I cannot complete the payment
Payments are validated against the account and the amount your biller has on file, so a mismatch will stop the transaction before it goes through.
Check the amount on your latest statement first. If the reference is not valid on the payment site, you will need to contact your biller directly, as the amount is theirs to correct.
The store could not process my payment
At the till, the store checks whether your reference number appears on the system. If it does not, it usually means the biller has not updated the payment information on their side.
Ask for a bill payment at the till point and give the cashier your Pay@ reference number, barcode or QR code. We can confirm whether your reference number is valid, but we cannot create it — that comes from your biller.
What should I do if I paid the wrong amount?
Paid online: provide proof of payment directly to your biller and request a refund from them.
Paid in person at a retailer: the retailer needs to submit a refund request, together with supporting documentation.
What should I do if I used the wrong reference number?
Contact your biller directly to arrange for the payment to be allocated to the correct account, and send them your proof of payment.
If you cannot reach them, our support team can email the biller to arrange for the payment to be allocated correctly.
My DStv is not connected after paying
Reconnection is handled by MultiChoice, not by Pay@. Contact MultiChoice directly on 011 289 2222 or at help@dstv.com.
The same principle applies to any subscription service: once your biller has allocated the payment, they restore the service. Send them your Pay@ receipt as proof.
My question is not answered here
Send it to us and we will answer it — and add it here if others are likely to ask the same thing. Our support library grows from the questions people actually send.
What to send us.
Sending these details up front means we can find your transaction on the first attempt rather than coming back to ask.
Paid online or by card.
- Card number — the number on your physical card, not the number on your bank statement
- Date of the transaction
- Transaction amount
- Name of the biller
We will locate the transaction, send you a screenshot of the successful payment, and give you the biller’s details so you can resolve the allocation with them.
Paid in person at a retailer.
- A copy of the till slip showing the transaction information
We use the transaction ID or your Pay@ reference number to locate the payment in the system and send you a screenshot as evidence, along with how to contact the biller to correct the allocation.
Browse the help centre.
Step-by-step guides for merchants, developers and consumers. Search the full library or start with a category.
Talk to a person.
We understand how concerning it is when a payment does not go the way it should. Send us the details above and we will trace it.
your payment.
Send us the details and our support team will trace the transaction between you, your biller and the payment network.