There are a few common reasons why your card may be getting declined when trying to make purchases through Facebook Pay:
Insufficient Funds
The most obvious reason your card is declining is because there are insufficient funds in your account. Before trying to make a purchase, double check your current balance and make sure you have enough available credit on your card to cover the full amount.
Expired Card
If your credit or debit card has expired, the updated card information has not been provided to Facebook so any payments will be declined. Go into your Facebook Pay settings and update your payment method with valid card details.
Card Not Supported
While Facebook Pay supports most major credit and debit cards from top providers like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, some more obscure card brands or types may not be eligible. Use a supported mainstream card issued by a major bank.
Over Credit Limit
Attempting to make a purchase that would put your credit card balance over the approved limit results in a decline as well. Either request a limit increase or use a different card that has sufficient room under its credit limit.
Fraud Protection Measures
If Facebook’s fraud detection systems flag your transaction as potentially unauthorized or suspicious, it will also lead to a declined payment. This might happen if you are trying to use Facebook Pay from an unusual location or device. You may need to contact your card provider to remove any anti-fraud blocks.
Temporary Bank Block
Some banks will temporarily block transactions through Facebook Pay, especially if they notice a series of declines or you do not typically use your card for online purchases. Contact your bank to get the block removed.
Incorrect Card Details
One simple explanation for declined payments is that you have entered your card details incorrectly on Facebook. Double check that you have the right card number, expiration date, CVV code, and billing zip code.
Suspicious Activity
If Facebook detects suspicious patterns like repeated declined attempts or other signals that your account may be compromised, it will block payments for security reasons. Strengthen your Facebook password and review recent account activity.
How to Fix Declined Card on Facebook Pay
Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue if your card is getting declined on Facebook Pay:
Verify Account Balance
Check that you have sufficient funds by logging into your bank account or card provider’s app. Top up the balance if needed.
Confirm Card Details
Carefully enter or re-enter your card information in your Facebook Pay settings to rule out any typos or errors.
Contact Card Provider
Let your credit card company or bank know you are attempting payments through Facebook but transactions are being declined. They can remove restrictions.
Use Different Card
Try making a purchase with another eligible card added to your Facebook Pay account to see if it goes through.
Remove Card and Re-Add
Delete the declined card from your Facebook Pay settings and add it back fresh to reset any blocks.
Enable Notifications
Turn on purchase alerts through Facebook Pay so you are notified any time a payment succeeds or fails.
Strengthen Facebook Security
Implement strong authentication measures like two-factor sign-ins to secure your account from unauthorized access attempts.
Contact Facebook Support
If you cannot resolve the declined card issue on your own, reach out to Facebook’s customer service for additional troubleshooting help.
Tips to Avoid Declined Card on Facebook Pay
Here are some tips to avoid having your card declined when making purchases through Facebook Pay:
- Monitor your account balances frequently.
- Make sure your card is active, not expired, and has online purchasing enabled.
- Stay under your credit limit.
- Use a card that Facebook accepts.
- Provide accurate card details.
- Beware of fees or holds that could exceed your balance.
- Contact bank if you’ll be making larger Facebook purchases.
- Set Facebook purchase notifications.
- Strengthen your Facebook password and enable two-factor authentication.
Most Common Facebook Purchases
Here are some of the most common things people purchase using Facebook Pay:
- Facebook ads – Promote pages, products, events, etc.
- In-game purchases – Coins, extra lives, boosts, etc. for games.
- Fundraisers – Donate to causes through Facebook fundraisers.
- Messenger – Purchase items or send payments through Messenger.
- Marketplace – Buy and sell items on Facebook Marketplace.
- Subscriptions – Subscribe to Pages or premium content.
- Tickets – Purchase event tickets on Facebook.
- Gifts – Send digital gift cards and vouchers to friends.
Facebook Pay Transaction Limits
Facebook imposes some limits on transactions for security reasons. These include:
| Transaction Type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Personal payments | $10,000 per payment |
| Personal payments | $10,000 per day |
| Ad purchases | $100,000 per day |
| Game purchases | $2,500 per day |
| Messenger purchases | $2,500 per day |
Keep these limits in mind when conducting transactions so your payments are not unexpectedly declined.
Is Facebook Pay Safe?
Yes, Facebook Pay is generally considered safe to use as long as you take appropriate precautions. Here are some of the security features Facebook has implemented:
- Encrypted transactions – Payment details are encrypted end-to-end.
- Fraud monitoring – Continuously scans for suspicious activity.
- Account protections – Login approvals, two-factor authentication.
- Purchase notifications – Alerts on all attempted payments.
- PCI compliance – Meets payment card industry security standards.
- No card numbers – Actual card numbers are not stored on Facebook servers.
As long as you have a strong Facebook password, enable two-factor authentication, monitor account activity, and use trusted devices, Facebook Pay is reasonably safe for making purchases.
Facebook Pay Customer Support
If you are having trouble with Facebook Pay transactions being declined or other issues, here are some Facebook customer service options:
- Help Center – Troubleshooting guides on Facebook Paydeclines and errors.
- Email Support – Email contact form for account and payment issues.
- Live Chat – Chat with Facebook Pay support agents.
- System Status – Check if Facebook is having technical issues.
- User Forums – Post questions to the Facebook user community.
- Facebook App – Request help through the in-app support.
Be prepared to provide details on when transactions were declined, the specific error shown, and steps you’ve already taken to resolve the problem.
Conclusion
Getting your card declined on Facebook can be frustrating, but the issue is often fixable. Common reasons include insufficient funds, expired cards, bank blocks, exceeding limits, or entering wrong card details. You can troubleshoot the problem by verifying your balance, contacting your bank, updating card info, or strengthening Facebook account security. Enabling purchase notifications and two-factor authentication can also help avoid declines. With some diligence, you should be able to successfully use Facebook Pay again.