China Business Tips

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Why Was Your Credit Card Declined?

You've waited twenty minutes at the store and you're ready to pay. But when the cashier swipes your card, it comes back "DECLINED." Are you angry? Embarrassed? Confused?

Don't be. Type the phrase "Why Credit Card Declined" into Google. In seconds you will see 527,000 search results. Clearly, this problem can happen to the best of us.

In fact, billionaire Google owners Larry Page and Sergey Brin dined in Brazil on February 4, 2006. Their credit cards were refused for ?30 salad! They had to fish in their wallets for another card. It could happen to anyone.

All you need to do is call the bank that issued your card. Within a minute, the Customer Service Rep should be able to tell you why your card was declined. If your card has not expired, and you're within your credit limit, there may have been just a simple misunderstanding.

Whether you're shopping online or in a store, credit card problems are a fact of life. If there is no problem with the bank, you could be facing one of these scenarios:

1. Your card is inactive. If your card is new, make sure it has been activated.

2. You have a daily transaction limit.

3. You chose debit or check card when a credit card is required.

4. The address you entered doesn't match the address information on your billing statement. Check for typos. Some credit card companies will not let you abbreviate the words "street" or "avenue", add hyphens or "#" symbols to your address, or leave out apartment numbers.

5. The bank was unreachable during the time of processing for your request.

6. The credit card number or expiration dates were incorrect.

7. There is a hold on your card. For example, if you check in to a hotel, they have your credit card information. They may request a hold on funds for the duration of your stay to cover incidental charges such as meals or room service.

8. The internet connection was bad when processing your request.

9. You bank was having technical issues. Wait a bit and try again.

10. The gateway company who process your credit card was having technical issues.

11. You may have some "offline content" or "cookies" on your computer. Delete them, restart your computer, and make this request again.

12. The bank has doubts about your location, or suspects that your purchase may be fraudulent. You can notify your bank that you will be outside your home country, and ask them not to put holds on your account.

13. Finally, some banks simply admit that "Legitimate cards can be declined for no apparent reason."

Usually, by dealing with one or more of these small glitches, you can resolve your payment issues and get back to business. Happy shopping!

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