JUST ASKING: Why can’t I link TBAS to my credit card or Paypal?

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In a story it published on Aug. 03, 2022 — “Time’s up, ANZ is beginning its shutdown” — Samoa News reported the following:

“Customers who used ANZ accounts to pay credit card bills off island are concerned that some US banks that issue bankcards — such as Master Card — do not recognize TBAS.

“For example, Samoa News has learned that there are local residents, who hold Master Cards issued by Premier Bankcard, which does not recognize TBAS as an “external bank” for use to pay bills.

“TBAS’ routing number, is not accepted or recognized by Premier Bankcard.”

How can this be resolved?

ANSWER:

Samoa News management has also been having trouble with the TBAS routing number not being recognized by entities it processes payments through, such as Paypal.

We have been working to resolve this, and yesterday received an email from David A. Buehler, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Territorial Bank of American Samoa about the issue.

Buehler noted that “…Since Territorial Bank is relatively new to the US banking system (five years), we have found many financial intuitions have not updated their ABA Routing Number file which includes Territorial Bank’s routing number.”

He advises that entities be asked to “update their routing numbers — ours [TBAS] is 121404048.”

Samoa News is currently awaiting results of such a request to our off-island processors.