Error / Transaction Error
An "Error" or "Transaction Error" decline is a generic processing failure code the network returns when a request can't be completed due to a malformed message, an intermediate system glitch, or an unclassified problem. It doesn't indicate fraud or insufficient funds — it signals something went wrong in transmission or processing rather than a specific cardholder-related reason.
Decline code by card network
| Card network | Code | Network's wording |
|---|---|---|
| Visa | 06 | Error |
| Mastercard | 06 | Error |
Common causes
- A malformed or incomplete transaction message was sent to the issuer or network.
- A temporary glitch occurred at an intermediary processor, gateway, or network node during transaction routing.
- The transaction type or data submitted doesn't match what the issuer's system expected, triggering a generic error rather than a specific decline.
What merchants should do
- Retry the transaction once, since many "Error" responses stem from transient issues that resolve on a second attempt.
- If retries consistently fail, contact your payment gateway or processor to check for message formatting or connectivity issues.
- Log the full response details, not just the decline code, to help your processor's support team diagnose the root cause faster.
How to prevent this
- Keep your payment gateway and POS or terminal software up to date to avoid sending outdated or malformed message formats.
- Work with your processor to implement automatic retry logic with backoff for transient network errors.
- Monitor error rates over time; a sudden increase often points to an integration bug or upstream network issue rather than random chance.
Because “Error” is one of the more ambiguous codes in the response set, issuers and networks use it as a catch-all when a transaction fails validation in a way that doesn’t map cleanly to a more specific reason. Persistent error responses across many transactions usually point to an integration or connectivity problem worth escalating to your processor.
Frequently asked questions
Is an "Error" decline the same as a fraud decline?
No. It's a generic technical failure code indicating something went wrong in processing or transmission — it carries no fraud implication and doesn't reflect on the cardholder's account standing.
Should I ask the customer to try a different card?
Not necessarily. Because the issue is often technical rather than card-specific, retrying the same card once, or trying again shortly after, resolves many "Error" declines without needing a different payment method.