"Card Declined" SCs

[Sonoma]

I actually had a card decline when we were on vacation last week. No problem, I just apologized, then took out the card to my other checking account, where I KNEW there was money. The one that was declined is my 'backup' account, and I didn't have as much in there as I thought.

[RootedPhoenix]

Usually if a customers card declines, I let them try it again (rarely a 3rd, usually when the register is being a tard that day anyway). Sometimes an initial decline really IS a fault, or they're trying to get cash back and ask for more than the account can give the first time, and lower it the 2nd.

I used to run cards twice for that very reason. Sometimes the register can't contact the bank (for any number of reasons), and so a second try gets through.

[Dreamstalker]

I had fun with that. My bank canceled my check card becasue of the whole VISA security debacle, but didn't tell me about it until 2 weeks later.

Citi canceled/reissued my "main" card last month, which I didn't know about until I tried to pay online (I could still use it in person at stores, just not online). Another merchant security breach.

(what I would have loved is to find out which merchant had the breach; there are only a few places I use my card online)

[MoxisPilot]

My husband's card gets declined relatively often. You see, we live in Italy, and the card is from a bank in the States...

So whenever a major transaction goes through on it, they freeze the account because, "It was used in a foreign country" and they "weren't certain it wasn't stolen".

[JLG]

On a Friday when my direct deposit went into my bank I did a little bit of shopping and stopped to get something to eat. My card was declined and I thought no way did I just spend my entire check. I got home and called the bank and their system had been DOUBLING all of my purchases

[infinitemonkies]

I have a bad tendency to mix up my debit card & voice mail pin numbers.

The last time I ever dealt with P.C. Financial banks, was when my first rent check for a new apartment was bounced. Even though I had overdraft protection, my CASH deposit was still on "hold" EIGHT BUSINESS DAYS after I'd deposited it.

Then, even though they admitted it was thier mistake, they charged me $27 TWICE, once for being overdraft (which I wasn't) and once for writing a bad check (which A) I hadn't and B) thats the exact same thing!) Took me 6 months of harrassing them before they returned my money, even though every single time they freely admitted it was thier fault and would fix it asap.

[irish76]

Yep, had my bank card decline when I was in Scotland last year - despite the fact that I had used it twice earlier in the week when I was in London!! Went to the same bank and all! Couldn't figure it out, and neither could my bank when I got home - there was no stop on the card for being used abroad or anything. Thankfully, I had my credit card and just pulled money out on that for the duration of the trip...

[bainsidhe]

Along with the other examples, I also get customers who:

Me: Sorry, the card didn't go through.
SC: Here's a different one
Me: Hmm, that didn't work either
SC: Okay, let's try this one
Me: *shakes head* No, sorry. Is there another card?
SC: *sighs* Fine, then. I don't know why it's just your sotre that won't take my cards. I'll use cash then. *Customer pulls out a big wad of hundreds and twenties*

[Bagboy]

I've had mine decline a few times. Once due to the strip becoming demagnetized and the other two I was chomping at the bit to get my money.

[Jester]

Any time a customer's card gets declined, I run it a second time automatically. Sometimes it goes through the second time, though usually it doesn't. But that way when I tell the customer their card was declined and they ask me to try again, I can honestly tell them I DID try it twice.

I've had mine decline a few times. Once due to the strip becoming demagnetized and the other two I was chomping at the bit to get my money.

A card should not be declined just for the strip becoming demagnetized. Generally when that happens the reader just won't read the strip, and the clerk will have to enter the credit card info into the computer manually. Weird.

[Seraph]

My card was declined once because I had just deposited my paycheck the day before. Turns out the bank clerk, instead of depositing the money, somehow deducted that amount from my account. I'm still not sure HOW in the world she did that.

[Bagboy]

Also, I've deposited a check before, and they forgot to send it through. So, I frantically went up to the bank and asked. what happened. They told me that it didn;t go through proofing, or whatever that is

[Mr. Security]

I remember last year when I tried to use my card at a 7-11 and it got declined and a weird message came up. For the life of me I can't remember the message but any way I thought it was weird since I had been using my card all week including some rare large purchases. When I went to my bank it turned out that one of the places in the recent past that I used my card got flagged as a place some identity theft happened. I had to make a new pin code and get a new card

[Primer]

A card should not be declined just for the strip becoming demagnetized. Generally when that happens the reader just won't read the strip, and the clerk will have to enter the credit card info into the computer manually. Weird.

I have had a credit card be declined only once. For some bizarre reason, the message popped up as "expired" even though the date embossed on the card was no where near time. The clerk refused the card, and I merely used a different one. When I got home, I called the bank, and they had no explanation. I had to force them to send me a new card, as they tried to tell me the clerk would go by the embossed date. Um no, he would not.