Stripe decline codeStripe: card declined, decline code fraudulent

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Why Stripe flags the payment, and the fix

1. 01

   Stripe suspects the payment is fraud

   “By default, a score of 65 or above indicates elevated risk, while a score of 75 or above indicates high risk.” Stripe, Risk evaluations

   Open the payment in the Dashboard and read the risk level. On Radar plans that show a score, it runs from 0 to 99. By default a high risk payment is blocked before the bank is asked, so the customer isn’t charged.

2. 02

   The app shows the real reason

   “Don’t report more detailed information to your customer.” Stripe, Decline codes (fraudulent)

   Telling a fraudster the payment looked fraudulent helps them adjust. Catch the card error and show one generic message for fraudulent, lost_card and stolen_card.

   try {
     await stripe.paymentIntents.confirm(paymentIntentId);
   } catch (err) {
     const hide = ['fraudulent', 'lost_card', 'stolen_card', 'merchant_blacklist'];
     if (err.type === 'StripeCardError' && hide.includes(err.decline_code)) {
       console.error('card declined', err.decline_code); // for your logs only
       return res.status(402).json({ message: 'Your card was declined. Try another card or contact your bank.' });
     }
     throw err;
   }

3. 03

   A burst of declines is card testing

   Many small payments with different cards, often from the same IP address, mean someone is testing stolen cards. Rate limit the payment endpoint, add a CAPTCHA, and require sign-in before checkout.

4. 04

   A real customer was blocked

   “If Stripe Radar blocks a payment that you know is legitimate, you can remove the block by viewing the payment in the Dashboard and clicking Add to allow list.” Stripe, Risk evaluations

   If you know the customer is real, open the payment in the Dashboard and click Add to allow list, then ask them to pay again. Allow-listing doesn’t retry the payment for you.

Checked against the vendor’s docs on November 9, 2026: Stripe docs: Decline codes; Stripe docs: Declines; Stripe docs: Risk evaluations; Stripe docs: Review payments.

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• $950Stripe Billing Fix and SetupSubscriptions, webhooks, customer portal and failed payments set up or fixed, tested in Stripe test mode.See scope and start
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Related: Stripe lost_card and stolen_card · Stripe generic_decline · Stripe card_velocity_exceeded · Stripe dispute (chargeback)