Why Can’t Target Process My Card – Things To Know

Have you ever been shopping at Target.com, and the moment you are ready to pay, your card declines? While this can happen to anyone, Target.com suggests looking at the issue and offers online tips.

If your payment declines at the store, it would be best to pay cash or with another accepted card, but if you pay online, you might have other options before choosing a different form of payment.

But what if you do not have another form of payment or want to use a Target card? A couple of steps can be taken to assist you in resolving this issue.

Did you verify your Target REDCard?

When a new REDcard is received, the recipient must activate the card to use at any Target store or online. According to WalletHub.com, to activate the card, the user must either go online or call the number on the card. Whichever way you activate your card, you must submit your billing zip code, first and last name, and the last four digits of your social security number.

Have you hit your Credit card limit?

When you are issued a credit card, the card issuer limits how much can be charged on that card before payment is needed from the cardholder.

Target has the right to change the credit limit at any time depending on multiple factors, including purchase and payment history and credit capacity. In addition, target pulls its card holder’s credit reports, and with this information, it is at their discretion to increase or decrease the credit card limit.

When you hit the credit limit, the Target card will stop working if you try to use it. Keep in mind that both credit and debit cards have spending limits, and this includes limits on how many transactions can be processed in one day and within a month.

Spending limits are a security measure if the REDcard is stolen and used multiple times within the same month. Therefore, it is essential to understand these limits when applying for a card.

What to do if your payment declines?

Target offers payment options for consumers when ordering online. Fortunately, Target, especially if shopping online, accepts multiple forms of payment, including all major cards and PayPal. Online ordering allows you to use a different form of payment or to call the recommended numbers to resolve your issue before placing an order.

• Target credit card or Mastercard – Call 1-800-424-6888.
• Target Debit Card – check your bank account to ensure enough funds. If there are, call 1-800-729-7331.
• Target Gift card – Check your gift card balance online. If the amount shown seems incorrect, please call 1-800-544-2943 for further assistance.
• Third-Party credit card – The card issuer will need to be contacted. Their phone number is generally on the back of the declined card.
• PayPal – Use the contact us option online or call 1-402-938-3614.

Check if your card is locked or stolen

When a REDcard is reported as lost or stolen, the company will immediately lock the card so that no additional fraudulent charges can be made while they assess the case. Once a solution is reached that determines that the card was not stolen, it will need to be reactivated by Target again, which requires the user to call their customer care line.

Additionally, if making a large purchase, Target may require that the purchaser provide proof of identity through a government-issued ID. Proof must be provided before the purchase is made. If the buyer does not have the accepted forms of ID, the sale will decline.

Did you recently update your contact information?

The Target card may not go through if personal information is updated, like a physical address, since it still shows outdated information. To fix this, the user must ensure that the personal information provided to Target is up to date, including the cardholder’s phone number and mailing address. This can be done quickly through the Target app or Target online.

Using another form of payment

If you prefer to use another form of payment, Target accepts multiple payment types online. They ask the customer for alternative card information (name, card number, date, and security code). Sometimes, they will also ask for the order number if it was placed beforehand to apply the form of payment.

Server Issues

While unlikely, server issues within the Target system may prevent them from accepting specific payment methods. Sid Wallet Card explains that if this were to happen at a physical location, the registers likely would have signup.

These outages can be internet-based or can be company based. If this happens, there is no choice but to either use an alternative payment method or come back another day once their system is back online.

Target Debit Card Scandal

In 2018, Consumers who opened a Target debit card found that they were seeing their purchases decline despite sufficient funds in their bank accounts. To make matters worse, Target charged cardholders fees for insufficient funds, leading to a class action lawsuit.

The debit REDcard was advertised to reflect that of a traditional debit card with the added benefit of 5% off purchases made at Target. A pretty good deal for any avid Target shopper. However, the card came with hidden fees and would not decline like a standard debit card.

These issues are not commonly found in traditional debit cards, and consumers argued that the Target REDcard was not precisely what was advertised.

Cardholders claimed that they were not notified if they did not have enough funds in their account, and if the consumer did not check their card account, it could go a long time, racking up overdraft fees for which they would be liable to pay.

Cardholders also allege that Target would purposefully process transactions days after the purchase where some consumers would not have the money in their accounts. As a result, some customers did not allocate enough funds, which would trigger the account overdraft fee.

The Takeaway

Even though having a payment decline is a significant inconvenience, Target accepts multiple forms of payment to sell its products. Easy payment options allow sales to go through and customers to receive their items as needed.

Target accepts major credit cards and PayPal and offers their Target REDcard and store credit card. If there are payment issues at any point, there is usually a quick solution that can be done online or through their customer care team.