Credit card payments is a complex topic. So there is no “One Universal Answer” to this.
Payments fail for a number of reasons which include:
- MOST COMMON REASON is that you entered wrong information. Maybe you skipped a number, or entered wrong Card Holder Name, or wrong expiration date, or wrong CVV number (the 3 or 4 control validation numbers on the back of your card).
- A credit card has reached the limit: A customer card can be declined if it has reached the credit limit. For example, the daily limit.
- Charge exceeds the maximum allowed: Some cards have limits when it comes to maximum charges allowed for a single charge. If the amount is higher, definitely the transaction will fail.
- Card not authorized to accept charges from online sources: Not all credit cards facilitate online transactions. Your customers can always talk with their credit card companies to authorize those charges.
- Card not authorized to allow international charges: Again, if a customer is using a card that does not allow international charges, then the transaction will fail.
- Expired card: No way an expired card will facilitate payment.
- Wrong credit card number: Entering the wrong credit card number will automatically generate errors.
- Wrong bill address: While not a major cause, in some cases, if the address you used for the transaction does not match those the credit company has, errors will be returned.
- Account has been closed: If the bank without noticed closed the credit card account, the transaction will not also go through.
- Account flagged: When an account is flagged as unsafe or unrecognized, the card will also be declined. Unusual spending habit is one thing that can result in a purchaser account been flagged.
