Wipon cashback: spot a violation—get a reward

At the direction of the head of state to intensify public oversight, the all-republican campaign “Civil Control – Demand a Receipt” was resumed on October 20, 2021. Within its framework, anyone can report instances of failure to issue a fiscal receipt or refusal to accept payment by payment cards. To do this, it is sufficient to register in the mobile application “Wipon cashback” and, upon confirmation of the violation, receive a reward. Within the framework of the new rubric, we decided to consider what this application is and whether there are further prospects.

How is the application structured?

Wipon cashback is a free application for exchanging information about product authenticity, available for download on the App Store and Play Market platforms. Registration requires entering your phone number and the SMS code that is automatically sent to it. Next, you need to create a password, which will be used to log in to the system. In the “Profile” section, users can edit their personal data to participate in the campaign. In the “Settings” tab, they can change the password or choose one of two interface languages: Kazakh or Russian. Unfortunately, the service does not function in English.

What is inside?

On the main page of the application, you can use popular services or file a complaint.

The following popular services are available:

• scanning a fiscal receipt;
• scanning a product barcode;
• scanning an excise mark.

You can file a complaint regarding:

• failure to issue a receipt;
• refusal to accept a bank card;
• establishment.

How to use the service “Scanning a Fiscal Receipt”?

This service is available exclusively during the period of draws and promotions. To participate, you need to meet just one condition: scan the QR code of the fiscal receipt or enter its details manually. The application reads the information from the receipt and automatically initiates a check in the OFD (Operator of Fiscal Data) system. After passing the check, the application will display a general summary of the receipt, which can be saved. Thus, by adding an unlimited number of receipts, you can try your luck and win a cash prize ranging from 200 to 5000 tenge. The winnings can then be withdrawn to a bank card or to a phone balance.

However, from comments and our own experience, we noticed that the application is somewhat immature: the QR code is scanned with difficulty, and in case of an application update, all receipts disappear before the draw results are received. For this reason, indignant users lose the desire to demand and collect receipts.

What do “Scanning a Product Barcode” and “Scanning an Excise Mark” provide?

These functions allow you to obtain information about the purchased product, whether it is a food product or a household item, by barcode, and about alcoholic beverages by excise mark. The barcode and excise mark can be scanned or entered manually. Using them, you can find out only the name of the product and its purpose. However, the application does not provide information about the country of manufacture, the expiration date, or other important details, which, in our opinion, is a drawback. Thus, if the data on the product and the result in the application do not match, the product is considered illegal.

How to file a complaint?

If you witnessed a refusal to issue a receipt or accept a bank card, to file a complaint, you need to send a video or photo documenting the violation, specify the address, and name the establishment. To identify the entrepreneur, the buyer can scan the information from the QR code placed in the cash register area. Upon confirmation of the appeal, the applicant receives a reward of 1000 tenge minus personal income tax.

Conclusion

The issuance of a fiscal receipt ensures that a portion of the seller’s income goes into the state budget. These funds, in turn, are used for various social programs; therefore, the Committee of State Revenues urges all Kazakhstani citizens to express their civic stance and help identify violations of the law. It is assumed that conducting such a campaign via the “Wipon cashback” application will contribute to protecting the interests of the state and consumers.

However, the application’s flaws discourage people from demanding these receipts and participating in such draws and campaigns. As a result, the application does not fully perform its main function, as citizens lose the motivation to assist the state. Therefore, our recommendation is to eliminate lag issues and improve the application so that its users are satisfied.