Frustrated with rejected ATM transactions? Take a look at our guide so you can understand why this happens and how to fix it.
Ever wondered why your ATM card transaction was declined? It could be due to an expired card, insufficient funds, incorrect PIN entry, or even fraud protection measures. In this guide, we’ll explain the causes of declined transactions and what you can do to fix the problem.
The reasons for ATM card rejection may be many. It could be because of any reasons mentioned before but knowing exactly is what it matters. Find out why it happens to you.
Check to make sure your account balance is sufficient.
One of the most common reasons for a declined transaction is insufficient funds in your account. Before retrying a transaction, make sure that you have enough money in your bank account to cover it. If possible, try making the transaction again when you know your balance has increased.
You might also want to check the account status. Sometime what happen is that, your bank may put a hold on the account because of loan repayment overdue or when legal obligations such as court order or order form regulatory authority such as Income Tax Office might order freezing of account.
The last thing you want to check is whether your account is inoperative/inactive or not. The condition of maintaining a bank account is that if you do not use it for a couple of years, account become inactive. Inactive account cannot be used for cash withdrawal unless its activated.
Ensure that your card is valid and not expired or blocked
If you’ve double-checked your balance and have enough money, the next step to take is to ensure that your card is valid.
Sometimes cards can become blocked, expired or even damaged during transit which may cause the transaction to be declined when you try and use it at an ATM. Verify that your card has not been either blocked or expired before retrying a transaction.
You can check the card validity on the front side of it, just below the card number you would find the card validity along with the CVV number. Though some card has CVV number on the other side of it.
Blocked, expired and damaged card can be confirmed with the ATM error codes which you get when transacting in ATM. As per SBI ATM error codes, the codes are 150, 51 and 64. In addition to that, you may refer it to your bank as these codes differs between banks.
If unauthorized or suspicious transactions happen to your card, bank usually block or hotlist your card. Banks take this initiatives to avoid further loss of money that you would incur. You might want to find out how to use ATM card securely.
Make sure you are using the correct PIN number
Many times declined ATM transactions are due to providing the wrong PIN number. Make sure that you are typing in the correct 4-digit PIN associated to your account. If it is incorrect, you will need to contact your bank to help reset it for you.
In some cases you may be required to make an online or in-person banking appointment with a representative in order to resolve this issue.
Multiple attempts with wrong PIN would lead to card blockage which gets un-blocked automatically after 24 hours.
You may reset the PIN via tele-calling customer helpline, through internet banking and by visiting the bank and sought help.
Verify that the ATM machine is working properly
Before continuing, verify that the ATM machine is working properly. This means confirming that all lights on the screen are illuminated and that no error messages appear.
If it appears to be malfunctioning, choose a different ATM machine or contact your bank to get more help.
While in most cases, its the ATM which give trouble not the card. There are many parts of ATM that coordinate to accept your card transaction request. When the card reader of an ATM is malfunctioned, your card will get rejected.
Contact your bank for assistance if you are still having problems
If you’re still not able to complete your ATM transaction, contacting your bank directly is the best way to get help.
Depending on the situation, your bank may be able to work with you to adjust your withdrawal limit, investigate a declined transaction for an unknown reason, or provide instructions on how to resolve complications with magnetic code readers or systems issues.