The error code “GENERIC_DECLINE” is returned when the card-issuing bank declines the payment. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as insufficient funds, incorrect card details, or suspicious activity detected by the bank. It’s important to note that the exact reason for the decline is not provided to Square or to the merchant for privacy and security reasons.
In your case, it seems like the card details were stored on file and used for the payment. If you’re seeing an increase in these errors, it might be due to the cards on file being outdated or no longer valid. You might want to prompt your customers to update their card information regularly to avoid such issues.
Also, it’s worth noting that the CVV status in your error message is “CVV_NOT_CHECKED”. This means that the CVV was not provided when the card was stored on file or the payment was processed. Including the CVV can often help in reducing payment declines.
Remember, the ultimate decision on whether to approve or decline a transaction is made by the card-issuing bank, so it might be helpful for the customer to contact their bank for more information if they’re seeing consistent declines.
This answer was reviewed by @Bryan-Square.