Why was my card declined?

Declines can happen for a variety of reasons; most of them are generic. Thus, to our regret, we usually don't have much information as to why a specific charge was declined.

Still, in most cases, it’s the issuing bank that decides on whether a payment card should be declined or not. The correctness of the card number, the expiration date and CVC are the primary factors banks take into account when deciding whether a transaction should be accepted or not.

Every bank has its automated systems that take into account various signals, such as customer’s spending habits, account balance, and the aforementioned card information. Since these signals are constantly changing, even a previously successful card might be declined in future. Even if all of the card details are correct and there were successful payments before, a future charge can still be declined by a bank’s fraud checking systems. Contact your bank or card issuer to find out the reason for your card decline and ask to remove the card block, if any.

Additionally, your card may be declined due to unsuccessful 3D Secure verification. 3D Secure (SCA) is a technical standard created by Visa and MasterCard to enhance the security of CNP (Cardholder Not Present) transactions over the Internet. It safeguards a buyer's payment card against unauthorized use when shopping online. This service enables buyers to validate transactions made over the Internet by requesting a personal code (usually sent to your cell phone or email address as a one-time PIN). Therefore, we recommend checking with your bank to confirm if they support 3D Secure or if it is set up for your cards.

In case of a decline, your card is not charged.

Though we don’t have much information as to why a particular charge is specifically declined, there are several options that can resolve the issue:

1) Make sure that your card supports international payments. Some banks offer two cards: one that can only be used locally, and one that works worldwide. Ask your bank or card issuer if your card can be used internationally for internet transactions.

2) Try using another web browser, clear the cache and disable any add-ons/extensions/plugins that may block the actions with the card. Details on how to clear the cache can be found here.

3) Make sure that your actions are not blocked by a firewall.

4) Try to create a PayPal account with your payment card and make a payment using the card through your PayPal account.

5) Try removing your card and then adding it back to your account. You can do it by following these steps:

- Sign into your Namecheap account.
- On the Dashboard choose Profile >> Billing >> Payment cards.
- Select the Manage Cards option from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the Add New Card button and fill in the required information.
- Click on the Save Changes button.

6) If a direct payment fails, try making a deposit to your Namecheap funds (you may use any Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express card, PayPal, or cryptocurrency) and placing an order using your account balance. Our Knowledgebase article on how to add funds may be of help.

7) Contact your bank or card issuer to make sure you can use your card for internet purchases and there are no limits for on-line transactions. If for some reason you cannot make a purchase or deposit the whole amount at once, it is recommended that you try adding funds in smaller increments, e.g., $5.00 at a time. Exceeding the limits for online payments may also be the root cause of the decline.

8) Try using a laptop or desktop computer with another internet connection (for example, with a VPN so your IP is not associated with your country).

If none of the listed methods works, please contact our Support Team providing your web browser version and the OS installed on your computer; the screenshots of the error will be of help too. After that, we will be able to investigate the situation further.

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