Understanding payment decline messages
When a customer's payment doesn't go through, Arca shows a short message explaining why. This guide lists the messages your customers may see, what each one really means, and what they (or you) can do about it.
Quick reference
| Message the customer sees | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction not authorized, contact your card administrator | The customer's bank declined the charge | Use a different card or contact the bank |
| Transaction not authorized, contact your provider | The bank declined a bank-transfer (ACH) payment | Check the bank details or contact the bank |
| Wrong data provided | A card detail didn't match (number, security code, ZIP, or similar) | Re-enter the card details carefully |
| Your card has expired. Please use a different one. | The card's expiry date has passed | Pay with a current card |
| Your card was declined due to too many attempts or amount limit exceeded | Too many tries in a row, or a spending limit was hit | Wait, lower the amount, or use another card |
| Could not find the payment method. Request new attempt | The saved payment method couldn't be used | Start the payment again |
| Something went wrong. Try again! | A temporary processing glitch | Try again in a moment |
| An error occurred while processing your card. Please try again shortly. | A temporary processor error | Wait a moment and retry |
| We couldn't complete your payment. Please try again or use another card. | A card-authentication (3-D Secure) step didn't complete | Retry or use another card |
| Circuit Breaker for this gateway is open. Please try again in a few moments | The card processor is briefly unavailable | Wait a short while and retry |
Grouped by cause
The bank or card issuer declined it
Messages: "Transaction not authorized, contact your card administrator" and (for bank transfers) "Transaction not authorized, contact your provider." The customer's bank refused the charge — usually insufficient funds, a fraud hold, or a card that doesn't support the purchase. This is the bank's decision, not Arca's. The customer should try another card or call their bank.
Incorrect card details
Message: "Wrong data provided." Something the customer typed didn't match — the card number, the security code (CVV), the billing ZIP/address, or (for some methods) a phone number or tax ID. Ask them to re-enter their details carefully, making sure the CVV and billing ZIP match the card on file with their bank.
Expired card
Message: "Your card has expired. Please use a different one." The card is past its expiry date — the customer needs to use a current card.
Too many attempts or a limit reached
Message: "Your card was declined due to too many attempts or amount limit exceeded." The customer tried too many times in a short window, or hit a per-transaction/amount limit. They should wait a little, lower the amount, or use a different card.
A temporary system issue
Messages: "Something went wrong. Try again!", "An error occurred while processing your card. Please try again shortly.", "We couldn't complete your payment. Please try again or use another card.", or "Circuit Breaker for this gateway is open…" These mean the payment processor had a brief problem or an authentication step didn't complete. Waiting a moment and retrying usually works.
Payment method not found
Message: "Could not find the payment method. Request new attempt." The payment method couldn't be located — the customer should start the payment again to enter a fresh one.
Still having trouble?
Contact Arca support and include:
- The exact message the customer saw (a screenshot helps)
- The approximate time of the attempt and the last 4 digits of the card
- The order or payment link reference