Over four million people use the Direct Express card for their daily use. It is widely used for ‘social security purposes.
Most people have been enjoying the service provided by the ‘Comercia bank’ with their Direct Express card.
However, not everyone can have a smooth experience with the card. Many people have been encountering issues like their Direct Express card not working.
In this article, we will explain why Direct Express card not working and how to fix it.
Why Is Direct Express Card Not Working?
The Direct Express card has either expired or damaged, or you have attempted several times to enter an incomplete/wrong pin are some reasons why your Direct Express is not working
Below the reasons in details why your Direct Express Card not working:
1. Your Card Has Expired
Every card comes with an expiration date. If you have missed checking the expiration date, please make sure you remember the expiration date before using the card because if you enter the pin, number, and details, your Direct Express card will not directly be declined, but it won’t simply function.
2. Inadequate Funds In Your Account
Have you checked the balance in your account? If not, then Inadequate funds in your account may be the reason why your Direct express card is not working.
If you are making a hefty purchase with inadequate funds in your bank account, then your transaction will fail.
In other words, your card will not work for that purchase. You can only make transactions(or payments) within the available amount limit in your bank account.
3. You Have Reached The Daily Limit
If your direct express card has a limit and you have touched the daily limit of making transactions, then for your next transaction, your card will not work as you have already crossed the “daily limit.” You can call your bank and then tell them to ”increase the limit”.
4. Several Incorrect Attempts
The other reason which can be the cause of why your direct express card is not working is mainly that you have entered several times the wrong pin or card numbers.
As a result, your card will be blocked. When you hold more than two cards, you can misplace the number or get confused.
That’s normal. Always carry the card with you or check the number and other details twice from your bank account app.
5. Bend Card/Chip Damaged
Another reason why your Direct Express card is not working may be due to the fact that your card is slightly bent or some damages are not visible, like carefully checking the chip if it’s spoiled or if the magnetic strip has been severely damaged.
A point to be noted here is that a high temperature can also affect your card.
6. Issuer Bank Suspected Illegal Activities
If the issuer bank has suspected malicious activities from your card number, the bank authorities will suspect there is someone who is trying to gain unauthorized access to your card or bank details.
As a security measure, your card will be blocked, and while you try to use it, it won’t work.
You may actually not know when your card gets blocked, so try to avoid giving your bank details in an unauthorized place and if you suspect a third person is triggering you to give your card details, please immediately report your problem to the bank.
7. Server Problems
Every debit or credit card commonly faces a Direct Express card not working problem for server or connection problems.
The server is overloaded, or the system has slowed down for other technical reasons.
You can always try to use your direct express card after some time. If you are in urgent need, it is always better to either use the mobile card app or call the bank.
8. Merchant / Vendor Issues
Merchant or vendor issues imply that the shop may not support your Direct express card or the card does not work in a particular geographical location.
There are chances that the shopkeeper has manually entered your card credentials, and he or she has made a blunder.
In such a case, always fill in the details(pin and number) by yourself.
9. International Transactions
Before you make any international payments/transactions, you have to inform your bank and give them the “express approval” for overseas purchases.
If you haven’t done that yet and are trying to make an overseas payment, then your direct express may not work, and eventually, the transaction will be declined.
You can give your issuer bank a call and tell them about your transaction details.
10. Unactivated Card
The unactivated card may be a rare reason for some of you, but for the ones who got a new direct express debit/master card after a replacement or a new user of a direct express card, your card may not have been activated yet.
An unactivated card is a reason why it is not working. There is nothing to be worried about.
You can either activate from your mobile phone card app or directly contact the bank and ask about the activation.
How To Fix “Direct Express Card Not Working”?
Fix 1: Get A Replacement/New Card
Always make sure that you get a replacement beforehand when your card is about to expire.
Do not delay getting a replacement card as there are hundreds of people who couldn’t get a replacement easily after their card expired.
Some had to wait for months. If your card is damaged, you can contact the bank and ask them for a new card.
Fix 2: Cross-Check Everything
Be it a debit or credit card. It is a sensitive case. You have to be careful whenever you are using them, especially when you are entering the CVV number, card number/pin.
Double-check once you have entered. And do not miss out on checking your account balance before you run out of funds.
Fix 3: Inform The Bank
Before you make any international purchase or you are using the card in an unsupported region, you have to notify the bank authorities.
Either visit the bank or give them a call and briefly tell them the issue.
And in cases where you suspect malicious activities with your own card, let the bank authorities know about it and notify them to keep your card “blocked.”
Fix 4: Avoid Using Listlessly
The fix to avoid using listlessly is meant for the cardholders to have a limit for their daily transactions.
If your direct express card has a limit, do not hand it away from the card to some other person who will use it listlessly, and even if you are handing them, let them know about its daily transaction limit or in the middle of the payment, Queue the card will not work, or it will be blocked.
You have to check your available funds and the left transaction (daily) limit.
The four fixes do not deal with on-spot solutions as there is none. Apparently, you must be familiar with the phrase “precaution is always better than cure.”
Contacting the bank while you are in an urgent situation will not solve your issue. You have to wait for hours or days sometimes.
Fix 5: Contact The Bank
Even though you have got a replacement of the card after it was expired, got a new card after it was damaged, you have always cross-checked before entering the number or pin, and you have never crossed the limit, and you still encounter that your direct express card is not working, contact them directly, here’s the link to their official customer service page
https://www.usdirectexpress.com/contact.html.
If you are stuck in an emergency situation, you can directly go to the bank or send any of your known trusted people to the bank and tell them about your card problem.
Why Is Your Direct Express Card Being Declined When You Have Money?
Accessibility issues from the merchant or a specified location can be the major reason why your direct express card is declined even though you have money.
Below are the reasons in details Why Is Your Direct Express Card Being Declined When You Have Money:
1. Blocked Card
There are several reasons why your card can be blocked. However, in this case, maybe the issuer banker has sensed some suspicious acts from your card number.
As for security, they may have blocked your direct express card.
Or you have repeatedly entered the wrong pin of your card that has blocked your card.
2. Accessibility Issues
Accessibility issues here mean that the shop where you have used your direct express card does not support debit card transactions, or simply they don’t support card payments.
The other meaning is your direct express card does not support any transactions in a specified geographic location.
Thereby your card is being declined even if you have money.
3. Technical/Telecom Problems
Telecom and Technical problems include database failure, transaction issues, the time has out, there is no link, or the bank is offline.
There are high chances that due to technical problems, your Direct Express card transaction has declined.
Most people report that for the payment problems, the card has been declined.
4. Entered Wrong Pin
You may have entered the wrong pin or incomplete card number, which is creating a hurdle for the ATM or merchant to accept your card details.
As a result, your direct express card is declined. Make sure you have always cross-checked while you enter the details for transactions.
5. You Have Damaged The Card
Another reason why your Direct Express card is being declined even though you have is that you may have damaged the card in a certain way.
Most of us are familiar that “damaged cards’ ‘ are often declined and have failed transactions.
Do not hesitate to contact the issuer bank about your ‘bend card’ or the ‘chip’ has been spoiled, or the ‘magnetic strips’ have been badly scratched.
Conclusion
Direct express card is not not working mostly because of fraudulent or suspicious transactions on your card or don’t have enough fund.
Direct express card not working is not a rare problem. Several people have faced issues with the card and making transactions.
We have discussed above the ten general and major reasons why your direct express card is not working.
The one basic fix if Direct express card not woking is that you need to be careful and avoid being negligent when it comes to your card.
