Card being declined...why is this happening?

Have you checked the balance on the card? Has someone taken money from it? Worth checking. Sometimes banks ask for further verification but seeing as you spoke to them I guess it could just be an issue with the banking process and happens to have happened twice to you.

Usually, if there is genuinely no problem at the bank's end, the card has not actually been declined but referred and the retailer has not bothered to follow up the referral (it involves a phonecall so often they won't bother).

If this is the problem, the only solution is making a fuss to the retailer, but it's often hard to prove that that is what's happening.

Could it be down to excessive spending? My card was declined once due to irregular use. I had to speak to the bank in the shop.

Are you sure the replacement card has not been sent by the bank, this happened to a mate, it was intercepted in the post and was activated thus leaving her old card invalid from that day.

I would double check with the bank about the new cards

Mine was refused once because a new card had been issued, and they cancelled the old one within 7 days of issue. Unfortunately, they hadn't actually sent me a card, only a request was done, so I had no vaild card.

I'd ring the bank again, and ask if a new card has actually been sent out in the post.

There is plenty of money (he has just been paid and we have checked the balance), spending hasn't been any more or less than usual, both are regular payments (Sainsburys varies each month but is always around the same time). Mr P is on the phone to Sainsburys now trying to sort that one out / give a different card so I don't have to shop after WW tonight.

This is just so ruddy irritating!

I've had this issue with Barclays as well. Definitely call your bank and check.

I suspect as soon as he is done with Sainsburys he will be onto the bank.

Thanks all, I hate this. I feel guilty like I we have done something wrong but I know it is all fine!

Just got to the bottom of it. One of the ATMs we used in Venice had a card scanner on it so the bank has blocked online payment and has issued us a new card which is in transit. Thankfully it would seem that the scanner has not taken any money from us.

Gah, blinking irritating!

I can't buy anything online with Debenhams, with neither my credit or debit card it always says declined which is sooo frustrating, especially when they have their sales, I have to call customer services (and I can't use my secretly found vouchers codes either ☹️).

The bank never see any problems or issues with the cards but debs have said it's something to do with their security software???

Impressive that the bank found out before any money was taken from your account, though.

Oh definitely, very impressive!