You often can take steps beforehand to avoid the embarrassment of a rejected transaction.
Hopefully this has never happened to you: You hand your credit card to a sales clerk to make a purchase then are told, after the clerk swipes it, that your card has been declined. It’s embarrassing just thinking about it, right? Plus, it might have you scratching your head wondering exactly why your card was declined.
Bill Hardekopf, CEO of credit-card comparison site LowCards.com, says that there are several reasons a credit card might be declined — many of which you might not even suspect. Fortunately, there often are steps you can take to avoid ending up in this predicament. And situations that can’t be averted often can be resolved quickly if you contact your credit card company as soon as your card is declined, says John Oldshue, LowCards.com founder and editor.
Here are seven common reasons your credit card might be declined and ways to avoid or remedy the situation.