It happens to all of us, and at the most inconvenient of times: you go to pay for your purchase, tap (Interac Flash) your debit card, already putting it away when – declined.
“That’s not right,” you tell yourself, because you know you have the funds the pay for your purchase in your account. What happens next? Why isn’t the tap working on my debit card? Why is my debit card declined?
There can be several reasons why your debit card won’t work when you tap – and none of them are user error. There is a lot that happens behind the scenes when it comes to tapping, and knowing these can help you move beyond the stress that comes from a declined transaction.
First – a rolling dollar limit. You might have encountered this after several purchases in a row; as a safety precaution, tap functionality has a rolling dollar limit in which you can use the tap feature several times in a row until you hit a limit. At that point, you’ll be prompted to use the chip and PIN to complete your purchase. Importantly, it is a form of security to ensure that someone hasn’t stolen your card and gone on a spending spree.
Another reason why your tap might not work is due to the merchant’s single transaction limit. Stores can set up limits on their point-of-sale (POS) terminals that are unknown to their customers. You might even instinctively react to this with larger purchases, feeling unsure about tapping and instead using your PIN when completing the sale. This could occur at grocery stores, restaurants, or any other retail outlet.
Lastly, some tap transactions may be declined due to the technology itself – a miscommunication between the terminal and the card can happen randomly and without any fault of the cardholder. When this happens, using the chip and PIN-pad should still work and cardholders can complete their purchase.
While tapping can certainly be convenient, it’s always good to have your PIN set up so that you can make purchases in the event of a tap failure. Make sure you choose a strong PIN that isn’t a birthyear or something easily guessed (read more about choosing strong passwords and PINs).
If you still encounter issues with tap transactions and your chip-and-pin attempt also declines, contact our Member Contact Centre immediately at 1.888.672.6728 or use our Secure Contact Form to send a confidential message. We’re here to help!