paypal problems

Q. I do not have a PayPal account and my debit or credit card is being denied. Why?

A. To help prevent lost or stolen cards from being used to make payments, PayPal uses a complex screening process for card payments. On rare occasions, the PayPal screening process may deny a credit or debit card that is valid. A card might also be denied if:

  • The card issuer is having technical problems that prevent authorization of a transaction.
  • The card issuer sees a charge that does not fit your normal spending patterns and blocks the transaction to protect you.
  • You have inadvertently exceeded the limit on your card.


If you know that your card is valid but your payment is not going through, you can:

  • Wait awhile and try your transaction again.
  • Try using another card to make your payment.
  • Contact your card issuer directly and ask why your card was declined.
  • Pay with your bank account instead of a credit or debit card. To pay with your bank, you will need to sign up for a PayPal account. After you link and confirm your bank account, you can use it to make payments.