Regardless of how you use your credit card, you may encounter the occasional decline. Whether your card is declined because of fraud or non-specific reasons, you must know the reasons why your transaction was rejected.
The standardised list of credit card declined codes for 2023 is constantly evolving and may change at any time. By knowing why your card was declined, you can minimise the risk of errors.
In addition, knowing the codes will reduce your workload, allowing you to focus on running your business rather than memorising code details. Keep reading this post to learn more on card declined meaning in more information.
Did You Know?
There are several reasons why a credit card transaction may be declined. Sometimes, a decline is caused by a misunderstanding. The decline is due to an authorisation problem, which can be fixed quickly.
Credit Card Decline Code - What Is It Exactly?
When you get this card code, it means that a communication error has occurred between your card and the payment processing system.
When you encounter the credit card decline code, the first thing you need to do is to understand the code. The code combines three or four digits representing a specific account or transaction.
- If you received one of these codes, it means that your card issuer has declined this request over the transaction, possibly because the cardholder has reported the card lost or stolen or because the account has reached its maximum limit.
- If the same issue repeatedly occurs, try the transaction again. The second option is the more severe one: a customer's account is closed.
- Once you've determined the reason for your customer's declined credit card, you can move on to the next step.
- The next step is to determine what type of payment processing you use. You can contact your payment processor for further assistance if you're using a gateway.
Otherwise, you can contact the customer's bank to determine which card is responsible for the decline.
Most Common Reasons a Card Gets Declined
When a card is declined, it may be due to the significant reasons provided below.
Also Read: Types of KYC Frauds and How to Avoid them
Replacement Card
Be sure to activate the replacement card as soon as possible to continue using it. The issuer also monitors credit card transactions and flags transactions that aren't normal for you as potential fraud. So, if you're being denied a credit card purchase or getting a message like, ‘credit card not working, because of an expired card, take a step back and review your spending habits.
Carry a Balance, Then Pay it Off in Full.
This is especially problematic with recurring payments. Remember to send reminder emails and post a reminder on your website to avoid card declines. This will ensure that customers don't forget their card's expiration date and continue to pay for items. Once again, your business should keep a careful eye on your customers' credit card usage rates.
Mis-Entered Data
While this is unfortunate, merchants can implement a tokenisation system to help reduce the number of declines due to mis-entry. This technique replaces sensitive data with non-sensitive data. When a customer submits a credit card payment, the account may be frozen for security reasons. In the worst-case scenario, a pre-authorised charge can hold the funds for a short time.
Expired Card
A consumer may not remember to renew their card or may have forgotten the expiration date. In this case, the card issuer may send a reminder email or even cancel the card altogether. If they cannot make payments, the decline will warn them not to use the card.
By avoiding these reasons above, you can reduce the risk of your credit card being declined.
Credit Card Denial Codes That are Most Often Seen
- 05 - Payee's bank refuses to accept this payment. Resolve the issue by contacting the customer's bank.
- 14 - The card number may be invalid. Substitute another credit card number.
- 41 - The customer's bank is blocking this transaction due to a missing card. If this is a recurrent payment, deny service to the individual trying to make it.
- 43 - A stolen card prohibits a transaction. If this is a recurrent payment, deny service to the individual trying to make it.
- 51 - Insufficient funds, which means the cardholder has surpassed their credit limit. Ask them to contact their bank or utilise another payment method.
- R0 or R1 - Error number indicates that the client has asked that you cease billing them regularly. To prevent chargebacks, discontinue the regular payments right away.Then ask your client whether they want to keep working with you and restart their periodic payments.
Also Read: The Untold Truth About Pre-approved Credit Cards
Listing of Declined Credit Card Codes
It is helpful to keep a list of all credit card declined codes for future reference. Listing of credit card denial codes by category are provided below -
- Call/Decline Codes
If you get a ‘CALL’ or ‘DECLINE’ code, it typically means that the client's bank is blocking the transactions. This might be due to inadequate money or an expired card. Ask the consumer to contact their bank or give another option to pay.
- 01 - Referring to the issuer
- 02 - Referring to the issuer for any particular conditions.
- 04 - Obtain a pick-up card (no fraud)
- 05 - Do not respect
- 51 - Inadequate finances
- 54 - Card has expired
- 57 - Transaction is not authorised, the card is not accepted
- 65 - Exceeded the activity limit
- 93 - Violation, unable to finish the transaction
- Codes on Hold-Calls
A hold-call code may signal credit card theft. Don't honour the transaction and don't serve this client. If it's an in-person purchase, take the card phone to confirm receipt of the code and retain the card.
- 07 - Pick-up card, special (fraud account)
- 41 - Return the missing card
- 43 - Collect a stolen credit card
- Error Codes
These error codes might be caused by a mistake or a system problem. Most problem numbers may be resolved by reviewing the account information and attempting again.
If you're a merchant, understanding the details of credit card decline codes can help you avoid fraud.
- 00 - Issuer system down
- 12 - Valid transaction
- 13 - Wrong value
- 15 - No such issuer
- 28 - Re-enter File unavailable
- 58 - No transaction
- 62 - Invalid service code
- 63 - Security breach
- 85 - Issuer system down
- 85 - No cause to refuse
- 91 - Issuer switch is down
- 93 - Incomplete
- 96 - Error
- R0 or R1 - Customer request stopped due to recurring payment error.
Conclusion
The standardised list of credit card declined codes for 2023 is constantly evolving and can change at any time. When you know the reason your card was declined, you can minimise the possibility of errors. An error in communication has occurred between your card and the payment processing system when you receive this card code. Whenever you encounter the credit card decline code, you need to first understand it. A code consists of three or four numbers identifying an account or transaction. To help with future reference, it is helpful to keep a list of all declined credit card codes.
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