Card Declined at Checkout? Pause Before You Panic

Imagine this: you’re out shopping or grabbing some lunch, when suddenly your phone buzzes. It’s a message saying your debit card was declined and to call immediately. Your heart races. What happened? Is your money safe?

This type of scenario is exactly what scammers are counting on. It’s called card decline scams, and we spoke with Beth Stine, PSECU’s Debit Network Disputes Manager, to learn more about these scams – what they are, how they work, and how we’re protecting your money behind the scenes.

1. Let's start it off with the big one - what exactly is a card decline scam, and why are we seeing more of them lately?

These types of scams have been gaining traction lately because they tap into something very real – panic. You might receive an email, text, or phone call claiming your card was declined. The message usually urges you to verify your information or call a fake “customer service” number. Sometimes, they’ll even build realistic-looking websites that mirror real retailers or banks. Once you’re there, you might try to make a purchase, get a card decline message, and be prompted to use another card. Before you know it, you’re re-entering your information or switching to another card the scammer can access and exploit. It’s sneaky and effective.

2. Getting a "your card was declined" message can feel urgent and scary. What's the fraudster's goal in this type of scam? Why does it work so well?

The whole point is to get you rattled and panicked. When people think something is wrong with their money, they act fast. That’s the fraudsters’ goal; they’re counting on that knee-jerk reaction. They want you to click a link or give away sensitive financial information before you’ve had a chance to think it through. That’s why these scams are written to feel urgent, because fear makes people act quickly.

3. They look really convincing - how can someone quickly spot the difference between a real card decline alert and a fake one?

It can be tough, and that’s what makes these scams so tricky. A message from PSECU won’t ask you for your full card number, PIN, or login information. Ever. We’ll only ask you to confirm whether the transaction was valid or not.

If anything feels off, even slightly, it’s okay to pause and check. Call us at 800.237.7328 or log into digital banking directly. Don’t trust a message just because it “looks” legit.

Some red flags include:

• Messages with spelling or grammar errors.
• A sense of urgency, like “Act now!” or “Your account will be locked.”
• Requests for personal or financial information.
• Links that look strange or lead to unfamiliar websites.
• Caller ID that looks spoofed. When in doubt, always verify the message before taking action.

4. What happens behind the scenes when PSECU spots suspicious activity on a card? How do you balance protecting members without blocking legitimate purchases? That feels like a tightrope.

When we spot something that doesn’t look quite right, we move fast. We’ll reach out with a simple yes-or-no message to confirm whether the transaction was valid. We don’t ask for sensitive information, we just want to know if it’s actually you.

While that’s happening, our fraud investigators and analysts are behind the scenes reviewing data and patterns constantly, looking for anything unusual and making changes and updates as necessary. It’s a constant balancing act between keeping your account safe from fraud and not interrupting your everyday transactions.

5. Let's say someone slips up and gives out their information. What should they do next, and how fast should they act?

If you’ve shared something and your gut tells you it might be a scam, don’t wait. Call us or your financial institution immediately. If it’s after hours, you can log into digital banking and lock your card instantly to stop further fraudulent transactions. Then, once business hours are back, you should call us or other financial institution, to close the card, order a new one, and dispute any posted unauthorized charges that were made.

6. We've heard about card lock and account alerts, but can those really help stop fraud before it starts?

Card locks are incredibly helpful. They allow you to instantly stop new, unauthorized transactions from being approved. Alerts are also key, as they notify you right away if something suspicious happens. These tools give you the power to react fast and avoid bigger problems.

You can lock or unlock your card and sign up for account alerts all in digital banking.

7. If you could tell every member one thing about fraud prevention, what would it be?

Be skeptical. Take a second to pause before you react to anything suspicious. It sounds simple, but that one moment can make a difference. Fraudsters are really good at impersonating trusted names like financial institutions, retailers, and even government agencies. They want you to act fast and not question it. If someone’s asking for personal information and you weren’t expecting it, you should question it. Take a breath and reach out to us at 800.237.7328.

8. What don't people realize about the work your team does?

A lot of what we do, our members never see. Our fraud investigators and analysts are constantly reviewing trends, updating fraud detection tools, and adjusting our strategy based on what we’re seeing out there. Every flagged transaction, every blocked charge, it’s not just luck. It’s a team working hard behind the scenes to stop fraud before it ever reaches your account.

If you ever receive a suspicious message about your card being declined, remember, slow down, don’t panic, and verify before acting. Beth and the entire PSECU team are working hard behind the scenes to protect your money every day and by staying aware, you can help stop scams before they start.

Want more tips? Visit psecu.com/fraud to stay one step ahead of the scammers.