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Reasons for Card Payment Failures

If you’ve encountered an error while making a card payment using our Pay Now feature, you will be presented with an error message.  

What the errors mean:

Bad Track

This means that you have entered your CVV number incorrectly.

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Error parsing ISO Message

This means that you have entered your CVV number incorrectly. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Format error

Your card details were entered incorrectly. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, if possible, use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

Issuer or switch inoperative

How to fix it? You can attempt the transaction again and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Unknown error

Your bank was unable to process the transaction at the time.

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Transaction not honoured

Your bank declined the payment. This could be due to a  

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Withdrawal amount/frequency limit exceeded

The amount of the transaction exceeds the limit on the card/account. 

How to fix it? Make sure your card limits are set appropriately to allow this amount and then retry the payment.  

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

Invalid transaction

Your bank has declined the payment. The card in use may not be able to make this kind of payment. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Issuer or switch is inoperative

The bank was unable to process the transaction at the time 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

No record of the account

Your bank declined the payment as the account/card may be invalid. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

Restricted card/Transaction not permitted to cardholder 

Your bank declined the payment – the account/card may be invalid. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

Stolen/lost card

The card has been blocked or suspended by your bank due to it being listed as lost or stolen. 

How to fix it? Please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and for more details about the card suspension. 

Suspected fraud

Your bank has declined the transaction due to suspected fraud. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details.  

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

Expired card

Your bank has declined the transaction due to an expired card or you’ve entered your expiry date incorrectly. 

How to fix it? If you entered the details incorrectly, you could retry payment with the correct details.  

If the error persists or if your card has expired, please use an alternative card for payment (that hasn’t expired yet) or contact your bank for a new card. 

Security violation

Your bank has declined the transaction due to a security violation. 

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments. 

An error/authentication error has been received

Your bank declined the payment. This could be due to one of several things which could be confirmed by your bank.  

How to fix it? You can retry payment and ensure you enter the correct card details. 

If the error persists, please use an alternative card for payment or confirm with your bank that your card/account is valid and that you’re able to make online payments and to get the reasons for the decline. 

Updated on January 17, 2023

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