diff --git a/billing/views.py b/billing/views.py
index 7f04b5e..5f904b0 100644
--- a/billing/views.py
+++ b/billing/views.py
@@ -327,25 +327,36 @@ class VerifyPaymentView(StaffEditorPermissionMixin, generics.UpdateAPIView):
 
     def verify_transfer_payment(self, data, payment) -> PaymentVerificationResponse:
         if not PAYMENT_BASE_URL:
-            raise ValueError(
-                "PAYMENT_BASE_URL is not set. Please set it in your environment variables."
-            )
-        response = requests.post(
-            f"{PAYMENT_BASE_URL}/verify-payment",
-            json=data,
-            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
-        )
-        logger.info("MIB Verification Response -> ", response)
-        try:
-            response.raise_for_status()
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
-            logger.error(f"HTTPError: {e}")
+            logger.error("PAYMENT_BASE_URL is not set.")
             return PaymentVerificationResponse(
-                message="Payment verification failed.", success=False, transaction=None
+                message="Payment gateway is not configured. Please contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
             )
-        mib_resp = response.json()
-        logger.info("MIB Verification Response ->", mib_resp)
-        if not response.json().get("success"):
+        try:
+            response = requests.post(
+                f"{PAYMENT_BASE_URL}/verify-payment",
+                json=data,
+                headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+            )
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            mib_resp = response.json()
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            logger.error(f"MIB request failed: {e}")
+            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
+                message="Unable to reach the payment gateway. Please try again or contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
+            )
+        except ValueError as e:
+            logger.error(f"MIB returned an invalid response: {e}")
+            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
+                message="Received an invalid response from the payment gateway. Please contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
+            )
+        logger.info("MIB Verification Response -> %s", mib_resp)
+        if not mib_resp.get("success"):
             return PaymentVerificationResponse(
                 message=mib_resp["message"],
                 success=mib_resp["success"],
@@ -471,25 +482,37 @@ class VerifyTopupPaymentAPIView(StaffEditorPermissionMixin, generics.UpdateAPIVi
 
     def verify_transfer_topup(self, data, topup) -> PaymentVerificationResponse:
         if not PAYMENT_BASE_URL:
-            raise ValueError(
-                "PAYMENT_BASE_URL is not set. Please set it in your environment variables."
+            logger.error("PAYMENT_BASE_URL is not set.")
+            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
+                message="Payment gateway is not configured. Please contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
             )
         logger.info(data)
-        response = requests.post(
-            f"{PAYMENT_BASE_URL}/verify-payment",
-            json=data,
-            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
-        )
         try:
-            response.raise_for_status()
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
-            logger.error(f"HTTPError: {e}")
-            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
-                message="Payment verification failed.", success=False, transaction=None
+            response = requests.post(
+                f"{PAYMENT_BASE_URL}/verify-payment",
+                json=data,
+                headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
             )
-        mib_resp = response.json()
-        print(mib_resp)
-        if not response.json().get("success"):
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            mib_resp = response.json()
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            logger.error(f"MIB request failed: {e}")
+            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
+                message="Unable to reach the payment gateway. Please try again or contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
+            )
+        except ValueError as e:
+            logger.error(f"MIB returned an invalid response: {e}")
+            return PaymentVerificationResponse(
+                message="Received an invalid response from the payment gateway. Please contact support.",
+                success=False,
+                transaction=None,
+            )
+        logger.info("MIB Verification Response -> %s", mib_resp)
+        if not mib_resp.get("success"):
             return PaymentVerificationResponse(
                 message=mib_resp["message"],
                 success=mib_resp["success"],