June 27, 2025
What began as a minor refund discrepancy has unraveled into a cautionary tale about the hidden consequences of fintech automation.
Michelle Law’s emotional TikTok post went viral after she revealed how a RM10.44 refund issue with BigPay turned her life upside down—highlighting systemic flaws in digital banking oversight and the devastating human cost of automated decisions.
The Start of a Financial Crisis
Michelle was just another satisfied user of BigPay, having used the platform for its favorable exchange rates while traveling in Thailand. But shortly after returning to Malaysia, she discovered her account had been frozen, with no prior notice—due to what the company labeled as “suspected misuse.”
In her now widely-shared video, Michelle displayed an email allegedly from BigPay that said her account had been flagged and her name added to a “money mule” watchlist.
“Because of that RM10.44, I’m stuck with this. All my accounts are frozen. I can’t do business.”
What followed was a nightmare of blocked bank accounts, rejected credit applications, and financial blacklisting. Her savings were inaccessible, her small business was paralyzed, and her personal reputation was damaged.
Despite reaching out to BigPay support, submitting documents, and even visiting five different police stations, Michelle was met with near silence. Eventually, the company acknowledged that an automated system had misidentified the RM10.44 refund as suspicious activity and removed the “money mule” label.
But to Michelle, that wasn’t enough.
The Human Cost of Automation
Michelle received no formal apology, no clearance letter, and no official documentation to help reverse the damage done to her financial record. She now lives under the weight of legal bills, emotional trauma, and the stigma of an unproven accusation.
“I have no influence, I’m not a celebrity, not from a wealthy family,” she said, reflecting on how powerless she felt navigating the bureaucratic system.
The stress, she says, has taken a toll on her health—contributing to a thyroid condition, and worsening her financial burden as she now faces RM8,000 in legal fees just to challenge the accusation.
In a moment of desperation, Michelle expressed deep emotional distress in her video:
“Should I commit suicide, and then BigPay and the government will finally pay attention to this matter?”
“It’s Like I Was Erased”
Michelle describes the experience as feeling like a silent blacklisting. One day, she was running her business, and the next, banks rejected her loan applications, froze her accounts, and effectively deleted her financial identity.
“No alerts. No warning. Just cut off. It’s as if I was erased from the system.”
Despite repeated efforts to escalate the issue, the only response she recalls receiving was:
“We will investigate.”
BigPay Responds – But Is It Enough?
After days of mounting public scrutiny, BigPay issued an official statement on June 26. The company said it had conducted an extensive internal investigation and concluded that the RM10.44 refund had mistakenly triggered fraud detection protocols.
While BigPay confirmed that Michelle’s account was restored and the issue resolved, it also defended its processes, emphasizing its duty to uphold platform integrity and stating that it acted in accordance with standard fraud-prevention procedures.
“We understand the distress caused by this case,” said Chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, “but we stand by the actions taken.”
BigPay added that it would continue working with regulators and refining its internal systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.
More Than Just a “One-Off”
Despite the company’s claim that this was an isolated incident, Michelle’s story has sparked a wider conversation—one that goes beyond digital payments and touches on the broader ethics of automation, transparency, and consumer protection in fintech.
She fears that many others may be suffering in silence, without a platform to speak out.
“Many people might be in the exact same situation as me, but they quietly go to work and deal with it.”
Michelle’s request is simple:
“All I’m asking for is one thing. An official letter clearing my name, and the right to live with dignity and fairness.”
Final Thoughts: When Compliance Fails the Individual
This case raises serious questions about whether automated systems can ever truly replace human judgment, especially in high-stakes scenarios where livelihoods are at risk.
For a growing fintech ecosystem, efficiency must never come at the expense of empathy. Michelle’s story is a reminder that behind every “case closed” system notification is a real human being, dealing with lasting consequences.
Sometimes, even a formal apology—and a clearance letter—can go a long way.
Disclaimer:
Michelle Law originally made her statements in Mandarin. This blog post contains translated quotes to ensure clarity and accessibility. Images and references used are solely for editorial and journalistic purposes.
