Hello, tech enthusiasts! I’m here with the latest news impacting the Patreon community. Unfortunately, the platform is currently facing two simultaneous payment issues, causing frustration for both creators and fans.
Some Patreon creators are experiencing difficulties accessing their earnings due to a problem with a payout provider. This issue arose earlier this week when creators found their payout attempts failing, hindering their access to their hard-earned income.
Concurrently, some Patreon subscribers are receiving notifications from their banks, flagging their payments as fraudulent. As a result, fans are seeing their subscriptions canceled, with some unable to view the list of creators they were previously subscribed to. On Reddit, one creator shared their ordeal, losing hundreds of subscribers on August 1st.
Patreon’s spokesperson, Ellen Satterwhite, has clarified that the two issues are unrelated. The creator payout problems are connected to one payment partner, while other payment methods are unaffected. As a response to the ongoing situation, Patreon temporarily disabled Payoneer payments, one of the options for creators to cash out their earnings.
We've temporarily disabled Payoneer payouts. Stripe and Hyperwallet payouts should not be affected. We've identified a root cause and are working on a fix.
— Patreon Status (@PatreonStatus) August 2, 2023
While the company has observed a slightly higher-than-normal number of flagged payments, the exact figures and causes remain undisclosed. Patreon expresses apologies for the inconvenience caused to creators and their patrons.
Users have speculated that Patreon switched to processing payments in Ireland instead of the U.S., as some subscribers reported credit card charges appearing as international transactions. However, Satterwhite refuted this claim, stating that no changes have been made to their payments setup. It is possible that the payment descriptor seen by users may have changed, leading to the confusion.
As the platform navigates these dual challenges, Patreon is working diligently to resolve the issues and restore smooth operations for creators and subscribers alike. The team is committed to addressing the situation and ensuring the Patreon community’s overall well-being.
We’ll keep a close eye on further updates regarding this matter and hope for a swift resolution for all affected parties.