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In brief: Ofo says it will repay users hit with unauthorized charges

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Ofo promises refunds after users complain of unauthorized deductions from bank accounts and cards (Asia Pacific). Affected users posted their complaints on Facebook and Reddit, with one claiming that S$100 (US$73) had been deducted without permission. The Chinese bike-sharing firm told Tech in Asia that a “very small number of individuals” across Asia Pacific have been affected by “errant transactions,” but declined to elaborate on what caused the mistakes. It also said that those affected would receive refunds directly into their bank accounts in three to five working days. Last month, rival startup oBike was slammed for converting users’ deposits into membership subscriptions without their knowledge and failing to process refund requests. OBike later ceased operations in Singapore and several other locations, and has yet to return deposits to users in those markets. (Vulcan Post)
Other news
ODX raises US$60 million in token pre-sale (Singapore). The startup is building a blockchain-based data marketplace aimed at improving internet access in developing economies. Pantera Capital, BlockTower Capital, and Wavemaker Genesis were among the investors to participate in the pre-sale. (ODX)
Grab unveils new on-demand services (Thailand). The ride-hailing firm is bringing three new logistics services to local users. GrabExpress is a same-day package and document delivery service which was launched in the Philippines last month. GrabMart is an “e-concierge” which allows users to get items delivered to their doorstep from nearby convenience stores, and will go live in beta next month. GrabFresh – the online groceries-delivery service that Grab recently launched in partnership with Indonesia’s HappyFresh – will also be coming to the kingdom later this year. (Grab)
Editing by Eileen C. Ang
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