Common card transaction errors

Updated 24 month ago

Our goal at Flutterwave is to simplify payments and ensure successful transactions for you and your customers.

However, transaction errors are sometimes inevitable. This article outlines some common card transaction errors and their causes to help you guide your customer if a transaction error occurs.

Transaction error

Reason

Account number, phone number validation failed. Received invalid response from remote entity:

This is an error from the customer's bank (Usually temporary).

AUTHENTICATION_FAILED

3D secure authentication was attempted on the card, but the customer's bank did not authenticate the transaction. Please advise your customer to contact their bank.

Cannot retrieve the account number from the card

No primary account is associated with the card.

CARD_NOT_REGISTERED_ON_TOKEN_PLATFORM:

The card has not been enrolled for Safe Token at the bank. Kindly ask the customer to contact their bank.

Could not verify this payment

For International card transactions, Card details supplied on the Bank 3D-Secure page do not match with what the bank has on file. Kindly advise the customer to contact their bank.

FAILURE: DECLINED

The transaction was declined by the customer's bank. Kindly advise your customer to contact their bank.

Having issues? Please call GTConnect on +234 700 48266 6328:

This is a temporary issue customers sometimes experience while trying to pay with GTBank. Most times, this is usually fixed when the customer tries again after a while.

Having Issues? Please call us at 0700 ZENITHBANK

This is a temporary issue customers sometimes experience while trying to pay with Zenith Bank. Most times, this is usually fixed when the customer tries again after a while.

Invalid Card Verification Code!

The CVV provided is invalid. Kindly ask the customer to input the correct CVV of the Card. The CVV is the three-digit number written on the back of the card.

Invalid transaction

The bank has declined the transaction because of an invalid format or field. This indicates the card details were incorrect. Check card data entered and try again. Please ensure that there are no spaces or special characters (#, &, $) in the card number.

No Message

The transaction timed out at the cardholder's bank and should be retried

NOT_ENROLLED_NO_ERROR_DETAILS

The card is not enrolled for 3DS authentication. Kindly ask the customer to contact their bank.

Sorry, that Card AVS failed!

This occurs when a customer enters a billing address different from the one on their card statement. The Address Verification System check is put in place to help prevent unauthorized use of credit cards and to also minimize charge-back occurrences for merchants. Kindly advise the customer to use the correct billing address as used on their card.

Suspected Fraud

The transaction did not check out, so the bank placed a temporary hold. Kindly ask the customer to contact their bank.

Transaction Error

There was an error processing the transaction. The customer should please try again.

Transaction Failed

The payment was declined, and no reason was given.

Transaction not Permitted to Cardholder

The customer’s card issuer has declined the transaction as the card cannot be used for this type of transaction. The customer should use an alternate credit card or contact their bank.

FAILURE: DECLINED

The transaction was declined by the customer's bank

The issuer or Switch Inoperative

This usually turns up when there is an error with the bank such as downtime. The cause is usually temporal. Please inform your customers to try again after some time.

Pick Up Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction and requested that your customer’s credit card be retained (the card has been reported lost or stolen). The customer should use an alternate card.

Do Not Honour

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the credit card number has failed a security check, or the funds have been frozen or depleted. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Pick Up Card, Special

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction and requested that your customer’s credit card be retained. (The card was reported lost or stolen). The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Request In Progress

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has indicated there is a problem with the credit card number. The customer should contact their bank. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Invalid Transaction

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction because of an invalid format or field. Check the transaction information and try processing the transaction again.

Invalid Amount

An invalid character (e.g. a dollar sign or space) may be being passed to the gateway. Check your website’s code.

Invalid Card Number

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the Credit Card number does not exist. Check the credit card information and try processing the transaction again.

No Issuer

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) does not exist. Check the credit card information and try processing the transaction again.

Re-enter the Last Transaction

The transaction has not been processed and the customer should attempt to process the transaction again.

No Action Taken

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has indicated there is a problem with the credit card number. The customer should contact their bank. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Suspected Malfunction

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) cannot be contacted during the transaction. The customer should check the credit card information and try processing the transaction again.

Unable to Locate Record On File

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) does not recognize the credit card details. The customer should check the credit card information and try processing the transaction again.

Format Error

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) does not recognize the transaction details. The customer should check the transaction information and try processing the transaction again.

Bank Not Supported By Switch

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as it does not allow transactions originating through mail/telephone, fax, email or Internet orders. This error is associated with customers attempting to use a Discover Card. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Expired Card, Capture

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as Credit Card has expired or the date is incorrect. Check the expiry date in the transaction and try processing the transaction again.

Suspected Fraud, Retain Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as there is suspected fraud on this Credit Card number.

Card Acceptor, Contact Acquirer, Retain Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction and requested that the customer’s credit card be retained (card reported lost or stolen). The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Restricted Card, Retain Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction and requested that the customer’s credit card be retained. (card reported lost or stolen) The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Contact Acquirer Security Department, Retain Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction and requested that your customer’s credit card be retained. (card reported lost or stolen) The customer should use an alternate credit card

PIN Tries Exceeded, Capture

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the customer has entered the incorrect PIN three times. The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has requested you retain the credit card. The customer should use an alternate credit card and contact their bank.

No Credit Account

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the Credit Card number used is not a credit account. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Function Not Supported

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as it does not allow this type of transaction. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Lost Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the card has been reported lost. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

No Universal Account

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the account type selected is not valid for this credit card number. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Stolen Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the card has been reported stolen. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

No Investment Account

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the account type selected is not valid for this credit card number. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Insufficient Funds

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the credit card does not have sufficient funds. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

No Cheque Account

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the credit card number is associated with a cheque account that does not exist. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

No Savings Account

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the credit card number is associated with a savings account that does not exist. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Expired Card

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the credit card appears to have expired. The customer should check the expiry date entered and try again, or use an alternate credit card.

Incorrect PIN

The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has declined the transaction as the customer has entered an incorrect PIN. The customer should re-enter their PIN, otherwise, use an alternate credit card.

No Card Record

The Customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the credit card number does not exist. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Function Not Permitted to Cardholder

The Customer’s bank has declined the transaction as this credit card cannot be used for this type of transaction. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Function Not Permitted to Terminal

The Customer’s bank has declined the transaction as this credit card cannot be used for this type of transaction. This may be associated with a test credit card number. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Suspected Fraud

The customer’s bank has declined this transaction as the credit card appears to be fraudulent.

Acceptor Contact Acquirer

The customer’s bank (card issuer) has declined the transaction. The customer should contact their bank and retry the transaction

Exceeds Withdrawal Limit

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as it will exceed the customer’s card limit. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Restricted Card

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the credit card has some restrictions. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Security Violation

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction. The customer should use an alternate credit card

Original Amount Incorrect

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction due to the amount attempting to be processed. The customer should check the transaction amount and try again.

Acceptor Contact Acquirer, Security

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction and requests the Merchant to contact the bank. The customer should use an alternate credit card

Capture Card

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the card is suspected to be counterfeit. The customer’s bank (Card Issuer) has requested that your customer’s credit card be retained. The customer should use an alternate credit card

PIN Tries Exceeded

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as the customer has entered the incorrect PIN more than three times. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Cutoff In Progress

The customer’s bank is temporarily not able to process this customer’s credit card. The customer should attempt to process this transaction again.

Card Issuer Unavailable

The customer’s bank is unable to be contacted to authorize the transaction. The customer should attempt to process this transaction again

Unable To Route Transaction

The customer’s bank cannot be found for routing. This response code is often returned when the customer is using a test credit card number. The customer should attempt to process this transaction again.

Cannot Complete, Violation Of The Law

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction and requests the customer to contact their bank. The customer should use an alternate credit card.

Duplicate Transaction

The customer’s bank has declined the transaction as this transaction appears to be a duplicate transmission. No action required

System Error

The customer’s bank was not able to process the transaction. The customer should attempt to process this transaction again.

AUTHENTICATION_FAILED

The issuing bank could not authorize the transaction with the authentication details provided

AUTHENTICATION_ATTEMPTED

Authentication was attempted but the card issuer did not perform the authentication

AUTHENTICATION_NOT_AVAILABLE_ERROR_DETAILS_PROVIDED

Authentication is not currently available

FAILURE: BLOCKED

Transaction blocked due to Risk or 3D Secure blocking rules

FAILURE: DECLINED

Transaction declined by issuer

FAILURE: EXPIRED_CARD

Transaction declined due to expired card

FAILURE: INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS

Transaction declined due to insufficient funds

FAILURE: SYSTEM_ERROR

Unable to process the transaction at this time

FAILURE: TIMED_OUT

Response timed out

FAILURE: UNKNOWN

Response unknown

FAILURE: UNSPECIFIED_FAILURE

The transaction could not be processed

NOT_ENROLLED_NO_ERROR_DETAILS

The card is not enrolled for 3DS authentication

Suspected Fraud

This might be a fraudulent transaction. It was flagged by the issuing bank fraud engine

MPI_PROCESSING_ERROR

The card is not enrolled for 3DS authentication

ERROR

The customer should contact support

INVALID_REQUEST: Relationship not found for merchant ID, card type VC

The customer should contact support

Your activity is under review due to an irregular transaction pattern, please contact support.

This happens when the customer's card or email address has been flagged. The customer should contact support with proof of identity.

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