Card errors

This page sets out reasons for common credit card errors returned by issuers and recommended actions.

If the issue can't be resolved, ask the cardholder for another card number or to use a different payment method.

Card errorDescriptionAction
4001: Do not honorThe issuer has flagged a problem with the card.Cardholder: Contact the issuer
4002: Insufficient fundsThe cardholder has exceeded their maximum daily credit limit.Cardholder: Contact the issuer to increase your credit limit or pay into your account to make more credit available. Once resolved, reattempt.
Merchant: Consider implementing a partial authorization service to accept a lesser amount than requested.
4003: Suspected fraudThere is a security violation, suspected fraud, or the card is temporarily blocked.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
4004: Soft declineAuthentication required.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
4005: Expired card, or Invalid Account NumberThe card may have expired, or the account may be invalid or closed.Cardholder: Check the expiry date or try another card.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. Make sure you update any recurring payments with the new card details.
4999: DeclinedSee below for a description.See below for the action required.

Specific reason codes for 4999 Declined error
Card errorDescriptionAction
Refer to the card issuerThe issuer wants to check the transaction.Cardholder: Contact the issuer to complete the transaction.
Invalid merchant or service providerThe issuer restricts the merchant or service provider.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Pick up the cardThe transaction was declined because the cardholder's account was closed or blocked.Cardholder: Contact the issuer to complete the transaction
Pick up the card, special conditionsThe issuer wants to check the transaction.Cardholder: Contact the issuer to complete the transaction
Invalid merchant or service providerThe merchant or service provider is restricted by the issuer.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Invalid transactionThe transaction is invalid.Cardholder: Check the payment method type and payment details
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Invalid amountThe payment amount exceeds issuer policies or regulatory limits.Cardholder: Contact your bank.
Invalid card, or account numberThe card may have expired, or the account may be invalid or closed.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Invalid issuerThe first digit of the card number doesn't match any issuer.Cardholder: Check the first digit of the card number, or contact the issuer.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Re-enter transactionThere was a transaction error, or the issuer was temporarily unavailable.Merchant: Reattempt if still unsuccessful after several attempts, email [email protected]
File temporarily unavailableAuthorization failed due to a temporary error.Merchant: Reattempt if still unsuccessful after several attempts, email [email protected]
Format errorThe format may be incorrect.Merchant: Check the transaction data.
Insufficient funds or over credit limitThe card exceeds the holder's credit limit or will go over if the transaction is processed.Cardholder: Contact the issuer to increase your credit limit or pay into your account to make more credit available. Once resolved, reattempt.
Merchant: Consider implementing a partial authorization service to accept a less than requested.
Invalid PINThe PIN may be incorrect.Cardholder: Try again with the correct PIN.
Transaction not permitted to cardholderThe cardholder isn't permitted to perform this type of transaction, e.g.:
- Product type
- Issuer policy
- Restricted country or across borders
- Card has not yet been activated
Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Transaction not permitted to acquirer or terminalYour MultiSafepay account is not set up for this payment method or type of transaction.Merchant: Email [email protected]
Restricted cardThe card is restricted, e.g.:
- Deceased cardholder
- Permanently blocked
- Embargoed country
Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Merchant: Reattempt if the cardholder confirms the restriction has been removed. Do not alter the country code or any other transaction data.
PIN not changedA PIN change request was not completed successfully.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
PIN tries exceededThe number of PIN tries exceeded.Merchant: Do not reattempt on the same day to allow limits to reset.
Invalid or non-existent accountThe account is temporarily blocked. The card may not have been activated yet.Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Merchant: Reattempt. If the cardholder confirms the account is unblocked or the card has been activated.
Negative CAM, dCVV, iCVV, or CVV resultsThere may have been an issue with the card reader or a voltage spike during the read.Merchant: Reattempt, but monitor for potential fraud.
Cannot verify PINAn issue with card verification.Merchant: You can reattempt within the same day, or attempt POS transactions as non-PIN transactions, if applicable.
Cryptographic failureTechnical issues.The issuer cannot authorize the transaction for technical reasons.
Authorization or issuer system inoperativeThe issuer couldn't be contacted, or the authorization timed out.Merchant: You can reattempt within the same day.
Unable to route the transactionThere was a technical destination error in the issuer's system.Cardholder: You can reattempt.
Transaction cannot be completedThere is a temporary or permanent restriction on the cardholder's account, e.g.:
- Gambling
- Unauthorized card-not-present transaction
- No two-factor authentication
Cardholder: Contact the issuer.
Merchant: Reattempt if the cardholder confirms the restriction has been removed. Do not alter any transaction data.
Duplicate transmission detectedThe same transaction has been submitted more than once.Cardholder: Do not reattempt.
System errorThere is a temporary error in the issuer's system.Merchant: Reattempt if it still unsuccessful, email [email protected]
Card type verification errorThe CID or CVV2 code provided doesn't match the card.Cardholder: Provide the correct code, and then reattempt.
Merchant: You can try again without a code, but be aware that it may be a fraudulent transaction if the cardholder doesn't have the correct code, or Your MultiSafepay account may be configured incorrectly. Email [email protected]
Stop payment orderThe cardholder has requested that the issuer stop a recurring payment transaction.Cardholder: Provide an alternative payment method, or contact the issuer.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Revocation of authorization orderThe cardholder requested that the issuer stop recurring payment transactions with a specific merchant.Cardholder: Provide an alternative payment method, or contact the issuer.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Revocation of all authorizations orderThe cardholder requested the issuer to stop all recurring payment transactions for that card.Cardholder: Provide an alternative payment method, or contact the issuer.
Merchant: Do not reattempt. The issuer will never approve.
Decline for CVV2 failureCVV2 verification failed in a card-not-present transaction.Merchant: Validate the CVV2 value before reattempting. Monitor reattempts for potential fraud.
Additional customer authentication requiredThe transaction falls within the scope of PSD2 and did not pass 3D Secure.Merchant: For card-not-present transactions, reattempt with 3D Secure.
Declined by MultiSafepayOur automated fraud filter flagged the transaction as probably fraudulent.Email [email protected]
3D Secure authentication cancelled3DS authentication was cancelled.Ask the cardholder to reattempt.
3D Secure-authenticated cardsMerchant only accepts 3D Secure-authenticated cardsEmail a request to accept non-3D Secure authenticated cards to [email protected]


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