You’ve just provided service for a client and you attempt to run their credit card for payment and the card declines. This is always disheartening. You may be inclined to try to run the card again, “just in case”. You run the card a second time and again it is declined. Your next thought will probably be to try the card again. Don’t do it!
This is the moment that you need to reach out to your client and ask for another form of payment. It is possible the transaction may appear to go through after multiple attempts, but there is a likely probability the transaction was forced through due to a communication issue with the card issuer’s authorization system. If this is the case, the issuing bank may issue a chargeback when they see the repeated attempts to run the card. As soon as a chargeback is issued, the funds for the forced transaction will be taken from your bank account immediately until the whole thing gets sorted out. This leaves you back in your original position of not having payment for the job.
If a card declines, there is likely a good reason why it declined. Automated approval or declines are based on algorithms of seeing if a card is valid, seeing if the credit limit has been reached, and checking for indicators of fraud.
In the event the transaction is declined due to it being reported as lost/stolen and you are in possession of repeatedly trying to run it, red flags will pop up questioning you as a merchant and may imply you are participating in suspicious activity.
The bottom line is, if a card declines twice, ask for a new form of payment immediately to avoid placing yourself in a bad position with the bank and your client.
Remedy is powered by Chosen Payments whom is a registered ISO and FSP of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, CA and BBVA USA, Birmingham, AL., and Elavon, Inc., N.A., Atlanta, Georgia, and Evolve Bank & Trust; Memphis, TN., and Merrick Bank, N.A., Draper, UT.