ScotiaCard FAQs (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Scotia debit card declined? ›

The account doesn't have enough funds available (e.g. a recent deposit may be on hold) Card details or PIN were entered incorrectly. New or replacement card isn't activated yet. Card has been closed, cancelled, or is expired.

Your ScotiaCard^® is enabled with Visa^* Debit that allows you to shop online and worldwide – while paying¹ directly from your bank account! Enjoy shopping at thousands of merchants online, pay in-store in the US and at international retailers.

New or replacement card has yet to be activated. Card has been closed, cancelled, or is expired. The card is locked, or has been temporarily blocked (for example, you may have reported your card as lost or stolen, or there has been unusual purchasing activity detected)

Shop with your ScotiaCard with VISA Debit anywhere VISA is accepted in the US. There is no transaction fee when shopping with your ScotiaCard with VISA Debit.

There are several reasons why a debit card may be declined even if you have money in your account. Common reasons include travel and reaching your daily purchase limit. Stay on top of your cards and consider using budgeting apps to help avoid debit card denial.

If you recently activated your card and this is the first use, it is possible the activation process was not fully completed. The card provider may need to manually activate the card. Often, your card is declined for your protection to prevent fraudulent purchases.

For Visa Debit purchases at merchants outside of Canada, the transaction amount will be converted to Canadian dollars based on the foreign exchange rate charged to TD Canada Trust and will include an additional fee equal to 2.5% of the converted amount.

Scotiabank customers can withdraw cash from participating member ATMs without paying any access fees. That means free access¹ to your account from more than 44,000 cash machines in Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Use your ScotiaCard at our ATMs to:

Customers can withdraw cash and get account balances through a network of ATMs in Jamaica displaying the Multilink symbol and in more than 130 countries worldwide, at ATMs displaying the Cirrus symbol.

How do I unblock my Scotia card? ›

Shop with your ScotiaCard with VISA Debit anywhere VISA is accepted in the US and worldwide. There is no transaction fee when shopping with your ScotiaCard with VISA Debit.

You no longer need to notify us of any upcoming travel plans. Our fraud detection measures are in effect wherever you are, and you can continue to use your debit and credit cards on your trip.

Scotiabank operates in 20+ countries across the globe, with deep roots in North America. We are uniquely positioned as the only bank with scale in Canada, U.S. and Mexico.

Your card issuer, whether your bank or credit card provider, may decline a transaction if it appears suspicious or potentially fraudulent. This precaution often occurs when the purchase is outside your regular spending pattern, such as making a large purchase or trying to pay for something atypical.

Insufficient Funds

You'll avoid declined transactions by keeping enough money in your checking account. Set up low balance alerts with your bank or credit union to notify you when funds run low. Consider linking your checking account to a savings account for overdraft protection to ensure a financial safety net.

There are a few reasons why a customer's card might not work – whether their card has expired, they've spent too much on it, or the issuing bank thinks there might be suspicious activity, among other reasons. The first step to improve your payment success rate is to understand why payments are declined.