What should I do if a customer claims that the card payments are being declined?

There are several reasons why a card transaction may be declined. In case of an unsuccessful transaction, the error message, along with a code, will be displayed.

If a merchant contacts you regarding a terminal that is not processing card transactions, first ask them to share the specific error message and code displayed on the screen. You may also request proof that the transaction was declined, such as a copy/ photo of the printed receipt from the POS terminal showing the decline message.

Here’s a brief explanation of the errors and what you should advise the merchant in the specific situation:

• Declined transaction (03) -  the terminal could not process the transaction. The merchant should retry the transaction and if the same error is returned, you should contact our team so we can make additional checks on the device settings.
• Capture card (04) or (43) - the used payment card was reported as stolen by the issuing bank. The merchant should not attempt to process the transaction with this card and should ask their customer to pay with an alternative method.
• Lost card (41) - the used payment card was reported as lost by the issuing bank. The merchant should not attempt to process the transaction with this card and should ask their customer to pay with an alternative method.
• Not sufficient funds (51) - the customer does not have enough balance to complete the payment. The merchant should ask them to provide a different card.
• Expired card (54) -  the used payment card has expired. The merchant should ask their customer to provide a different card.
• Incorrect PIN (55) - the provided PIN code was not the correct one. The merchant should retry the transaction and ask their customer to verify the entered PIN code.
• Transaction not permitted by issuer (57) - the transaction is not permitted by the issuing bank. This may happen if the card is temporarily blocked or there are limits imposed. The merchant should ask their customer to check the status of the card or try with an alternative payment method.
• Transaction not permitted on terminal (58) - the terminal cannot process the attempted transaction. The merchant should not attempt to process the transaction and you should contact our team so we can make additional checks on the device settings.
• Exceeds amount limit (61) - the transaction amount exceeds the card payment limits. The merchant should ask their customer to check the limits of their card or try with an alternative payment method.
• Restricted card (62) -  the transaction is not permitted by the issuing bank. The merchant should advise their customer to contact the card issuer or ask them to try with an alternative payment method.
• Security violation (63) - the transaction was declined by the issuing bank due to security considerations. The merchant should not attempt to process the transaction with this card and should ask their customer to pay with an alternative method.
• Exceeds count limit (65) - the count limit (number of transactions) for the card was exceeded. The merchant should ask their customer to check the limits of their card or ask them to try with an alternative payment method.
• PIN tries exceeded (75) - the card’s PIN has been entered incorrectly three consecutive times. The merchant should not attempt to process the transaction with this card and should ask their customer to pay with an alternative method.
• Declined transaction without a code stated  - it is possible for the terminal to show an error without a code. This means that the terminal has lost connection and the merchant needs to try to reconnect following these steps.

If you are not able to assist the client with the troubleshooting, you can contact us at partners.portal@icard.com, including the device serial number, the exact time of the payment attempt, a photo of the printed receipt showing the declined transaction and the error code displayed on the screen. We will make the necessary checks.