My Regions card keeps getting declined

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The most common reason your debit card is declining or not working for purchases in stores and online is that it's expired. Check the expiry date on the front of the card and, if it hasn't expired but it isn't working, there are a bunch or reasons why it might be declining (but don't worry, it's easy to fix!).

Here are 10 reasons why your card might decline and what you can do to fix it.

Reason 1: You don’t have enough money in your account

This is a common cause of a debit card being declined and one that you can easily avoid by topping up your account balance. Unless you have a linked overdraft facility, most banks will not allow you to make a purchase or withdrawal that exceeds your available balance.

How to fix this: Log into your account via Internet banking or using the mobile banking app to check you've got enough money in there to make your purchase. You might have paid a bill or large expense recently without remembering to top up your account - it's an easy mistake.

How to avoid it:

Download your bank's mobile app so you can easily keep an eye on your balance. You can check this before making larger purchases to ensure that you have enough funds to cover them.

Reason 2: You’ve made an international purchase

Many accounts now offer Visa or Mastercard debit cards, which allow you to use them when travelling overseas. This is a convenient and secure way to make your overseas purchases and ATM withdrawals. Sometimes, if your bank thinks your card might have been stolen or if you make a purchase from a suspicious overseas location, it might block your card.

How to fix this: Contact your bank and, if it has blocked your card, they'll be able to unblock it after verifying your identity.

How to avoid it:

When you're overseas, try to use ATMs from reputable banks and preferably ones that are attached to a physical branch. You should also inform the bank before making your trip so that they will not flag your purchases as unusual activity. This should usually help in making sure that your money is always available to you.

Reason 3: Your bank was suspicious of the transaction

Most banks do reserve the right to decline any transaction that they deem to be out of character with your normal spending or withdrawal habits. In most cases this can be cleared up at the register with a quick call to the bank, but it still could cause you some embarrassment.

Banks such as ANZ have security features in place, such as ANZ Falcon. Sometimes, they can be a little too safe and block authentic transactions.

How to avoid it:

If you have plans on making a large purchase, notify your bank beforehand to get pre-authorisation.

Reason 4: You’ve reached your withdrawal limit

To help protect your funds, most financial institutions will have daily withdrawal limits on your accounts. This will often be a combination of ATM and EFTPOS withdrawals, and can stop you from getting the cash you need if you've already hit your limit.

How to avoid it:

Know what the daily withdrawal limits are for your accounts, and if you know that you will need to exceed them, inform the bank ahead of time. In most cases they will extend the daily limit for you if given notification. You can also check these online.

Reason 5: It's expired

Debit cards don't last forever. If yours has expired, it will not be accepted at ATMs, EFTPOS terminals or online. This is one of the main reasons why debit cards decline.

How to avoid it:

Check the date and know when the debit card is due to expire. If possible, ask for your replacement card well in advance of that date. When you get your new card, make sure that you destroy the old card, as it does contain personal information. If your debit card has already expired, it's a great opportunity to compare debit cards on the market.

Card expired? It's a good time to compare your options and get a new debit card.

Reason 6: Your joint holder deactivated your card

If you have opened a joint bank account with your spouse, partner, or other family member they could be allowed to deactivate your debit card without permission from you. This means your card will be unusable for making purchases or withdrawing cash.

Or, they could have simply made a large purchase and drained the account without either one of you remembering to top it back up.

How to avoid it:

With a joint account you can opt to make it necessary for both account holders to sign for any major changes to it, including adding or deactivating any debit cards.

Reason 7: You entered the wrong PIN

The personal identification number (PIN) you chose must be entered correctly in order for some transactions to be allowed. If you enter that number incorrectly, the transaction will automatically be declined. Sometimes if you enter it incorrectly more than once your card may be blocked until you contact the bank.

How to avoid it:

Memorise your PIN and try not to confuse the cards if you have more than one account with a linked debit card. It is never suggested that you write the PIN on the card or keep it in your wallet as this will make it easier for a thief to access your account if your wallet or purse is stolen.

Reason 8: You entered the wrong card details

A common reason why your card hasn't worked for an online purchase is you've accidentally entered in the wrong card number, expiry date or CVV number. All it takes is one number to be wrong, which is an easy error to make.

How to avoid it:

After you've entered in your card details online at the checkout, triple check you've entered them correctly before clicking proceed. Some sites might not let you make the purchase if you've entered the card details wrong more than once, as a safety measure.

Another option to avoid this is to use a digital wallet like Apple Pay to make payments online. You don't need to enter your card details each time, as these are securely stored within the app.

Reason 9: It's not you, it's the website

If your card isn't working online but it's working in stores and at ATMs, it could be the website itself with the problem instead of your card.

How to avoid it:

You should only shop online from reputable websites. If your card isn't working online, you could try contact the site via live chat, phone or email to see if they're experiencing issues on their side. If they're not, then you know it's likely to be your card in which case you should contact your bank.

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