Why did the transaction go through even though I declined the fraud alert? (2024)

FAQs

Why did the transaction go through even though I declined the fraud alert? ›

Why did the transaction go through even though I declined the fraud alert? Declining a transaction will not prevent the transaction from going through. Declining the transaction will disable your debit card to prevent additional unauthorized transactions from processing.

Some common reasons that your credit card might get declined include having the card's credit limit maxed out, accidentally triggering the card's fraud protections and even entering incorrect payment information on a website.

If your transaction was declined, most banks will still hold the charge as “pending.” Most pending charges disappear in around 5 days or less, though some institutions ask cardholders to allow up to 7 days to process charges.

Declined (Card declined by issuer - contact card issuer to determine reason.) This usually happens due to one of these reasons: The customer's credit card issuing bank did not approve the transaction. This could be due to insufficient funds, frozen account status, invalid credit card number or expiration date, etc.

Processor Declined – Fraud Suspected

This means the card issuer has declined this transaction due to suspected fraudulent activity associated with the card or the transaction details.

Declining a transaction will not prevent the transaction from going through. Declining the transaction will disable your debit card to prevent additional unauthorized transactions from processing.

False declines occur when a cardholder presents a valid payment card transaction, but either the merchant or the bank declines it anyway. This may happen due to processing errors, but often it's because the merchant or bank detected some kind of fraud indicator.

When a credit card is declined, the credit card company still pre-authorizes the charge which will show as a pending charge on your bank statement. Since the card was declined, the transaction will not be completed and the pending charge will disappear from your bank statement in a few business days.

There are several reasons why this might happen. Some of the most common ones include insufficient funds in your account, incorrect card details, expired card, or a technical glitch at the bank's end. Sometimes, the bank's fraud detection system might flag a transaction as suspicious and decline it for your protection.

The first thing you should do is contact your bank and explain the situation in detail. Banks are typically understanding of this and will resolve the issue, but it often takes several days for them to be assured that you had been declined three times in a row, yet still charged the amount.

How do you make a declined transaction go through? ›

If you are using a card on file, double-check the card number and CVV security code against the actual card. Make sure you are using the zip code tied to your billing information. If you received a replacement card or recently moved, you may need to update your card number or the billing information.

Verify the mailing address, name on card, CVV, and expiration date. Next, double-check your balance to verify that you have enough funds available. If these do not resolve the issue, contact your bank.

Based on your merchant account contract, you are charged an authorization fee per transaction, including declines and voids, which is between $0.15 - $0.25.

You need to contact your bank for more information. You are bank suspects fraud – you will need to contact your bank for more information. Your bank is declining the transaction for unspecified reasons, possibly due to an issue with the card itself. You need to contact your bank or use a different payment method.

Large purchases, charges from sellers in foreign countries, or activity that seems unusual may trigger the bank or credit union to lock down your account to avoid fraud.

"There's nothing in your cardholder agreement mandating that you respond." That said, not replying may have consequences. If you just ignore the messages, Ulzheimer says, "the issuer will likely disallow recent charges and suspend your credit line." One factor to consider: whether the charge is in fact fraudulent.

If fraud is suspected, the card will likely be locked so that no one else can use it. You can also freeze your card directly through most credit card mobile apps. As part of the process, the existing credit card will likely be canceled and a replacement card with a new number will be issued.

Your credit card company monitors your card activity to protect against criminals using your account. If they see something that looks inconsistent in your spending patterns, they might suspect fraud and place a hold on your account until the issue is resolved.

What Is Flagging? In fraud, flagging is an automated or manual process performed by fraud prevention software and/or fraud analysts. Organizations are alerted to suspicious, potentially fraudulent transactions, which can then be flagged for further investigation and manual review.