Blocked Transactions

When reviewing cardholder transactions, you may see some transactions that are not completed and are labeled “Blocked.” A transaction can be blocked because of Spending Monitor settings or due to another reason (e.g., insufficient funds on the True Link Visa® Prepaid Card).

In this article, you’ll learn how to view blocked transactions, why they occur, and how to set up alerts for blocked transactions.

Identify and review blocked transactions

There are two ways to identify and review blocked transactions.

Option 1 - Online dashboard: You can view blocked transactions by going to the “Transactions” tab on the administrator dashboard. Click the “Blocked” button on the top left-hand side of the screen to see a list of all blocked transactions.

You can click the blue “Review Transaction” button to see details, including an explanation of why the transaction was blocked.

You can also view blocked transactions by going to the “Reports” tab on the administrator dashboard. Select the dates you would like to review and then “Open” or “Download as Spreadsheet” for a report of all blocked transactions during that time period.

Option 2 - Automated phone system: Cardholders or administrators can call 1-800-299-7646 at any time to hear reasons for recently declined transactions.

Press 7 to to hear the reasons for recently declined transactions on the card.
Enter the last 4 digits of the Card number.
Enter the 4 digits of the year the cardholder was born.
Enter the last 4 digits of the cardholder’s Social Security number.

Why transactions are blocked

Transactions can be blocked for several reasons:

Spending Monitor settings: Transactions will be blocked if they fall under a category that is blocked on the Spending Monitor. See our article on Spending Monitor settings for details. For example, you can block transactions at a specific merchant, transactions at merchants on True Link’s ScamWatch list, or transactions over a certain dollar amount.
Insufficient funds on card: If the Card balance is not sufficient to cover the amount that was authorized by the merchant, the transaction will be declined when the purchase is attempted.
Invalid PIN used for transaction: If an incorrect or invalid PIN is entered, the transaction will be declined when the purchase is attempted. If a cardholder cannot remember their pin, it is still possible to make the transaction. See our article on PIN purchases for details.
Bad Card information provided: Some purchases (e.g., purchases at gas stations, online) will require additional information. This may include the 3-digit CVV code on the back of the card, or the cardholder’s billing address. If a cardholder enters information that does not match what is on file, the purchase will be declined. Please note that the billing address associated with the True Link Visa Card is the address listed as the cardholder’s home address.
Card closed, inactive, not yet activated, or reported lost or stolen: A True Link Visa Card must be open and active for a purchase to go through. A purchase attempted on a card that is not open and active will be declined.

Receive blocked transaction alerts

If the True Link Visa Card has Spending Monitor and Alert features, the administrator can receive a text or email notification when a transaction is blocked. These notifications indicate that a block has occurred and provide an opportunity to take action if needed (e.g., if an administrator sees that the Card has been declined based on insufficient funds, they may add funds to the card).

Alerts can be set in two ways:

Option 1 - Online dashboard: Go to the “Alerts” tab of your dashboard, and update the settings under the “Blocked transaction alerts” section to select which types of blocked transactions you would like to receive alerts for. You can also select your alert preferences, including receiving alerts by text message and / or email.

Option 2 - Customer Support: Administrators can set up alerts by contacting our Customer Support team.

Please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Support team if you have any questions regarding blocked transactions.