“The bank didn’t say why”
Short answer
If the message is only "The card was declined.", your customer’s own bank refused the payment and gave no reason we can pass on. They can call their bank or try another card.Verified 1 November 2026
In this article
What to tell your customer
"Your bank declined the payment and did not tell us why. Please call the number on the back of your card, or try another card."
Why we cannot say more
Banks often give no reason, and when they do it may be kept general on purpose, so that someone testing a stolen card learns nothing. We will not guess, because a wrong guess sends your customer the wrong way.
What we cannot do
Neither you nor we can overrule the bank’s answer, or try the card again for them. Your customer has to try again, on a page you send them.
If it keeps happening
If many different customers are declined, write to us. One person’s card being refused is about their card. Many at once may be about something else.
Other messages say more, and Why was a payment declined? lists them all.