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Original poster

Increase in cards being declined - anyone else noticed this?

77 replies

tulips27 · 06/10/2022 08:49

I was in the queue for the checkout in M&S yesterday and someone's card was declined in front of me and I suddenly realised I've been seeing it more and more often recently. One notable example was in Morrison's where the self checkout loudly announced "sorry, your card has been declined" which I thought was a bit embarrassing for the guy in question. I mean, surely it could be a lower volume or something? I'm going to mute the self-checkout every time I use it now.

Anyone else noticed this?

OP posts:
Honnomushi · 06/10/2022 09:44

It's due to extra security measures. As pp have said you have to put the PIN every so many transactions. Also some banks add an extra security measure which means you occasionally need to call them to verify payments. Although this usually happens with online purchases rather than contactless.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 06/10/2022 09:44

I've noticed contactless get declined more, or rather requiring a pin to be entered.

girlmom21 · 06/10/2022 09:44

Mines been declined about 4 times in 3 weeks. Varying transaction amounts in varying locations. I'd rather the bank be vigilant.

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Thisbastardcomputer · 06/10/2022 09:46

It's not forced to be insufficient funds, several times while shopping I'm encountering increased bank security and having to login bank and authorise via a text with a one time code on.

Caroffee · 06/10/2022 09:47

Yes, I've noticdd it with my own cards (healthy bank balance so not related to that). It's often accepted when I try again after a decline (without needing to input the PIN).

Manekinek0 · 06/10/2022 10:01

I have had more issues recently across all cards (debit and credit, various banks). Sometimes they decline and then work the next time, othertimes they repeatedly decline. They always have a balance on them, I regularly check my balances online. Thank god I have options now because years ago I only had one debit card with my main bank.

BamBamBilla · 06/10/2022 10:04

I never had my contactless been declined even for a 'put your pin in to check after 10 goes' type thing and I use my card a lot. I don't even know my pin, I'd have to check my phone. Since the google pay is now unlimited I now use that all the time.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 06/10/2022 10:08

I get this but mostly with Apple Pay which is really frustrating if I just used that as my one method of payment. I now have the debit card attached to it in a purse/wallet or an alternative card.

It's not embarrassing as such because I know I have money in my account, the shop assistants must get this all the time too.

I do recall a few years back - I was in a supermarket shopping queue behind a couple with a huge shop. Both their debit/bank cards were declined and then any credit card they tried to use were also declined. They didn't look poor, looked professional but who knows what goes on in people's lives?

Tealpoppy · 06/10/2022 10:10

Funny you’ve said this-where I work,the card scanner seems to hate Santander for some reason-both contactless and pin

we always have to try again-sometimes a few times

in the last few weeks,it seems to have turned its hatred onto every single card,no matter the which bank the card is from-I thought it was just ours but I guess not

its happened to me few times in sainsburys (I buy my lunch from there) but I just used my pin and it was fine

really odd

torquewench · 06/10/2022 10:10

One of mine's been declined a couple of times when I've tried to get petrol and pay at the pump. Which is annoying when I've got money to cover the £50 cost of fuel but not the £100 the pump insists in taking and then crediting the difference. Why do petrol companies need to grab £100 in the first place? I've never had to put £100 worth of fuel in my 17 litre motorbike tank, for example (yet 🙄).

Arenanewbie · 06/10/2022 10:10

No haven’t noticed this. My card is usually declined after about 10 contactless payments so I just put it in straight away, use my PIN and it’s fine. I do have 2 ways verification for online payments: I receive a code on my mobile. Again I put the code and the payment goes through.

Rosehugger · 06/10/2022 10:14

Mine just randomly didn't work somewhere in Sheffield the other day. I'm not normally in Sheffield so it could have been an unusual spending pattern, but it had worked in other places there.

AriettyHomily · 06/10/2022 10:14

I was in Tesco the other day and was using my phone, it wanted me to chip and pin it but I couldn't because I didn't have the card. Very annoying.

reigatecastle · 06/10/2022 10:33

One way of avoiding this is to put your PIN in even if it's not technically required, and then you should be ok for a few transactions. It is really silly if you have to put your PIN in for say 80p because that's the random check, when the last time you bought something it was £80! I tend to put my PIN in if it's over £50, even if it's not asked for. One of my cards has a £50 contactless limit anyway but my other banks don't allow you to change it.

StewartPie · 06/10/2022 10:38

Funny how people mention Sainsbury's because that's where my contactless payment gets declined. Sometimes even with pin and it's not a money or bank issue. It's them and their card readers.

WireSkills · 06/10/2022 11:08

We were in the States recently and there was one shop that just refused to accept our card. Every other shop plus another branch of the same shop that refused it also accepted it, so think there was an issue in that particular shop.

In the UK I've seen a few times people's cards not accepted as contactless, but then it works when they input the PIN instead, so I think it's just a security thing.

I think you're perhaps noticing more because of the press about Cost of Living, rather than it actually happening more.

Interestingly, in the US, there were a few occasions where we had to put a PIN in when using contactless - that was a new one on me!

gannett · 06/10/2022 11:20

Encountered this twice yesterday. First time was a woman in front of me in the shop and for a second I did think "ooh cost of living crisis" but she just pulled out another card to pay without blinking. Second time was me, the bastard Sainsbury's self-service checkout was obviously shonky (scanning barcodes had been a struggle) and it gave up the ghost when I tried to pay.

WhiteFire · 06/10/2022 12:25

My old card once it was coming close to its valid to date would hardly ever work, the new one gets refused every so often, I just put the pin in.

bippityboppity87 · 06/10/2022 12:37

I've noticed this too. With my card and also customers (I work in hospitality) It is annoying. Mainly with contactless, no rhyme or reason to it. But works when I put my pin in. Announcing loudly that a customer's card has declined is rude though. I never say that. More along the lines of "I don't think that worked. Let me set the card payment back up and you can try again. Or put your pin in instead if it doesn't work. Here's your (declined) receipt in case you've accidentally doubled paid" etc. I never assume straight off the bat it's because they have no money. It's more commonly a machine issue

seasocutis · 06/10/2022 15:02

what bank card did you use?

jessycake · 06/10/2022 15:21

I had a new contactless card that changed from visa to mastercard and I am always having to give a signature in supermarkets . I complained to Santander and was issued a new one , but its still the same . I now draw cash quite often and pay with that instead .

Stellaris22 · 06/10/2022 15:31

I work on a checkout and it happens a lot. It won't have been declined, just security and needing a pin.

As a checkout worker I do wish:
a. People wouldn't tap and walk off, assuming transaction has gone through
b. Wouldn't blame me that they don't know their pin and can't buy their shopping

Newnewername · 06/10/2022 15:50

Yes. Every other purchase for me seems to be declined because they want me to put my pin in.

I'm not embarrassed anymore. I mean, it's not great when there are people behind you but it's happened so much now.

Newnewername · 06/10/2022 15:53

And shopping online is also asking me to verify on my banking app a lot more too. It's not always clear that is the issue though which us frustrating.

I guess it's for my own protection though.

mouse70 · 06/10/2022 16:12

Happened to me last week chip and pin at Lidl, as shopping was £180, I panicked as only had £40 cash. First time ever since bank cards introduced(no idea how many years ago). Retried and on third attempt went through. No idea why.

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