My ZEN card payment was rejected

Was your card payment rejected? We understand that can be surprising, especially when you’re trying to pay in the store. The good news is that most rejections have a simple explanation and can be fixed quickly.

Common reasons card payments get rejected

Your card or account status

• Your card is blocked or removed
  Check your card status in the ZEN.COM app. If it’s blocked, you can unblock it. If it was removed, you’ll need to order a new one.
• Your card hasn’t been activated yet
  Activate your card in the ZEN.COM app before making your first payment.
• Your card is damaged
  A damaged physical card may not work reliably. Ordering a replacement usually solves this.

Currency and merchant-related reasons

• The merchant cancelled the order
  Sometimes the merchant cancels the purchase (for example, an item is out of stock) and releases the held funds back to your ZEN account.
  If you didn’t expect the cancellation, contact the merchant to confirm what happened.
• DCC Control protected you
  If DCC Control is active, it may block payments with unfavorable exchange rates. Learn more about DCC here.
• The merchant only accepts credit cards
  ZEN cards are debit cards, which some merchants (for example, hotels or car rentals) may not accept.
• Restricted or forbidden merchants
  Payments to certain types of merchants, such as specific gambling companies, are not allowed due to regulations (external link).

Funds and limits

• Not enough funds available
  Make sure your account has enough balance. Some payments, like at self-service gas stations, require a higher pre-authorization amount. Top-up your ZEN account if needed.
• Daily card limits reached
  You can adjust your daily card payment limits in the app if needed.

Payment details and verification

• Incorrect card details
  Double-check the card number, expiry date, and CVV in the ZEN.COM app.
• Incorrect PIN entered
  You can safely check your PIN in the app.

Security checks

• Transaction blocked for security reasons
  For your protection, payments to some merchants may be temporarily unavailable. If this happens, wait 24 hours before trying again.

Still not sure why it was rejected?

If none of the reasons above apply, contact us using the options below. We’ll help you check what happened and guide you on the next steps.