Getting the most out of your Eversend virtual card starts with understanding how online payments work. While most transactions go through without any issues, payment declines can happen for several reasons.
The good news is that many of these declines are preventable. Following the best practices below can help you reduce failed transactions and enjoy a smoother payment experience.
Before you make a payment
Ensure your card has enough funds
Before making a purchase, make sure your virtual card has enough balance to cover the full transaction amount.
If you're paying in a different currency, it's also a good idea to keep a small extra balance to cover any exchange rate fluctuations or temporary authorization holds placed by the merchant.
Check that your card is active
Open the Cards section in the Eversend app and confirm that your virtual card is active.
If your card has been frozen, terminated, or is otherwise inactive, your payment will be declined.
Enter your card details carefully
Always copy your card number, expiry date, and CVV directly from the Eversend app whenever possible.
A single incorrect digit can cause your payment to fail.
While shopping online
Use accurate billing information
Some merchants verify your payment using the cardholder's billing information.
Ensure that the name and any other requested details match the information associated with your Eversend account.
Be aware that some merchants don't accept virtual cards
Certain merchants have their own payment policies and may not accept prepaid or virtual cards.
This is particularly common for:
Car rental companies
Hotel bookings
Some subscription services
Certain travel-related merchants
If your payment is declined on one of these platforms, the merchant's payment policy may be the reason.
Allow for pre-authorisation holds
Some merchants temporarily reserve more funds than the purchase amount to verify your card.
This commonly happens with:
Hotels
Car rental companies
Subscription services
Fuel stations
Make sure your card has enough balance to cover both the purchase amount and any temporary authorization hold.
Be aware of transaction limits
Your virtual card may be subject to transaction or spending limits.
If your payment exceeds the permitted limit, the transaction may be declined.
Understand currency conversion
If you purchase in a currency different from your card's billing currency, the payment may be converted using the applicable exchange rate.
Currency conversion charges may apply where applicable.
What if my payment is declined?
If your payment doesn't go through:
Confirm that your virtual card has sufficient funds.
Check that your card is active.
Verify that you've entered the correct card details.
Try again using a different browser or device, or clear your browser's cache if you're paying online.
Confirm that the merchant accepts Visa virtual cards.
Wait a few minutes before retrying if the merchant experienced a temporary payment issue.
Contact Eversend Support
If your card continues to be declined after completing the checks above, contact Eversend Support through the in-app chat.
To help us investigate your transaction more quickly, include:
The merchant's name.
The date and approximate time of the attempted payment.
The transaction amount.
Any error message displayed by the merchant.
Our team will review the transaction and help determine the reason for the decline.