How To Get A Failed POS Payment Reversed To Your Account 2022
Failed POS Transaction? See How To Get A Failed POS Payment Reversed To Your Account; Common POS Errors Meanings
Paying for goods bought with your card is probably one of the easiest things to do these days. I mean – choose account type, enter PIN, and off you go! For most Nigerian banks, you can do transactions up to 1 million naira worth daily via the Point of Sales machine. You can also ask your bank to increase that for you as well.
It, however, becomes an issue if the device keeps coming up with “FAILED” responses while also debiting your bank account. Everyone becomes confused, some argue when the merchant refuses to release the goods – where do we go from here?
This article will assist with information on why transactions fail, POS failed transaction refund, give us a step-by-step guide on what to do in situations like this and how to get our money reversed after a failed POS transaction.
Reasons for Failed POS Transactions
Failed POS Transaction? See How To Get A Failed POS Payment Reversed To Your Account; Common POS Errors Meanings
Paying for goods bought with your card is probably one of the easiest things to do these days. I mean – choose account type, enter PIN, and off you go! For most Nigerian banks, you can do transactions up to 1 million naira worth daily via the Point of Sales machine. You can also ask your bank to increase that for you as well.
It, however, becomes an issue if the device keeps coming up with “FAILED” responses while also debiting your bank account. Everyone becomes confused, some argue when the merchant refuses to release the goods – where do we go from here?
This article will assist with information on why transactions fail, POS failed transaction refund, give us a step-by-step guide on what to do in situations like this and how to get our money reversed after a failed POS transaction.
Reasons for Failed POS Transactions
POS transactions fail for different reasons. These reasons are usually printed on the “failed” advice printed after the ill-fated transaction. Here is a list of POS transaction error codes and what they mean:
Code Code Text Explanation
| 00 | Transaction Approved | Successful transaction |
| 96 | System Error | The customer’s bank is currently not available. The customer can wait a bit and retry the transaction. |
| 34 | Suspected Fraud, Retain Card | The card has been reported as stolen or lost. The merchant should also retain the card with them and not give it back. |
| 43 | Stolen Card | The card has been reported as stolen. The customer should contact their bank. |
| 62 | Restricted Card | The card is restricted due to irregularities on the account. The customer should contact their bank. |
| 09 | Request In Progress | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 02 | Refer to Issuer, special | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 01 | Refer to Card Issuer | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 38, 75 | PIN Tries Exceeded | The customer has entered wrong PIN thrice, should contact their bank. |
| 04 | Pick Up Card | The card has been reported as stolen or lost. The merchant should also retain the card with them and not give it back. |
| 15 | No Issuer | The customer should contact their bank, if it exists. |
| 41 | Lost Card | The card has been reported as lost. The customer should contact their bank. |
| 12 | Invalid Transaction | An invalid character has been entered. The transaction should be retried with correct entries. |
| 03 | Invalid Merchant | The merchant should contact the bank/device issuer |
| 14 | Invalid Card Number | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 13 | Invalid Amount | An invalid character has been entered. The transaction should be retried with correct entries. |
| 51 | Insufficient Funds | The balance in the account is not enough for the transaction being attempted. The customer should fund the account or try alternative means to pay. |
| 55 | Incorrect PIN | The customer has entered wrong PIN. The card will be blocked on the third wrong attempt. |
| 08 | Honour With Identification | Successful transaction |
| 58 | Function Not Permitted to Terminal | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 57 | Function Not Permitted to Cardholder | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 30 | Format Error | The customer should contact their bank |
| 29 | File Update not Successful | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 33, 54 | Expired Card | Card is expired. The customer should get a new card. |
| 65 | Exceeds Withdrawal Frequency Limit | Banks have default transaction frequency limit (the number of transactions permitted in one day). This means the customer has exceeded that limit. Has to wait till next day. Try alternative means of payment. |
| 05 | Do Not Honour | The card has failed a security check, or the funds have been frozen due to account irregularities/fraud. The customer should contact their bank. |
| 82 | CVV Validation Error | The customer should contact their bank. |
| 91 | Card Issuer Unavailable | The customer’s bank is currently not available. The customer can wait a bit and retry the transaction. |
| 11 | Approved, VIP | Successful transaction |
| 89 | Administration Error | The customer should contact their bank. |
- First of all, a merchant should NEVER release his/her goods without confirming a successful payment. Some would say, the buyer was debited – yes, but you have not received a successful notification/advice.
- Merchants should always have POS paper rolls available and in place for every transaction – the customer’s bank would ask for the slip as evidence of the failed transaction.
What To Do After Your Account is Debited for a Failed POS Transaction?
First and foremost, this is not unusual and you don’t have to over-calculate if someone is trying to defraud you, especially if you saw the slip roll out of the POS machine. Sometimes, transactions fail and the customer is not debited, or is debited and credited immediately – fine, move on.
This is a step-by-step guide on exactly what to do if you have a failed transaction AND your account is debited and not credited immediately:
- Make sure you collect the “failed” slip from the merchant
- If you have a smartphone, take a clear picture of the slip immediately. This is because the print of the slip fades off easily.
- Contact your bank to lodge a complaint via mail/phone call/in-person with the “failed” slip.
- Wait for a resolution.
This is what happens at the backend after your POS error complaint is logged:
- Your bank contacts the merchant’s bank to confirm if the merchant got value for the transaction.
- If the merchant did get value, your claim is declined as a successful transaction.
- If the merchant did not get value, a reversal process is initiated and your money will be credited back to your account within the agreed time.
How long does a POS reversal take?
24 – 72 working hours.
