Twelve percent or 26 million people had either a credit or debit card declined last year in the U.S., according to USA Today. Insufficient funds accounted for just 32 percent of these. The rest were for increasingly common fraud prevention issues. About 30 percent of credit users, along with 16 percent of debit users, reported having their cards declined due to a fraud protection program.
Using a card out of state or country can prompt a decline. Contact your bank before you travel.
Online transactions with debit cards are increasingly blocked if the credit card processor is out of country. If the transaction is essential, the consumer can usually clear the transaction with their bank first.
