If you use an Amplify Credit Union debit card, you may have questions about how that card functions. Members often ask about the rules regarding debit card declines or zero dollar authorizations with external vendors. In this article, we'll break down some common debit card questions and help you learn more about limits and actions.

Key Takeaways:

• Debit card transactions can be declined for a variety of reasons, including insufficient funds, incorrect PINs, or expired cards.
• To ensure the safety of your funds, Amplify debit cards also come with a daily spending limit. You can learn more about increasing that limit here.
• Debit card functions can also be restricted to ATMs only.

Why was my card declined?

A  debit card transaction can be declined for various reasons. The top five reasons are:

• Your transaction was flagged as suspicious. Amplify has tools to decline transactions that are out of character with your normal spending habits and to help prevent fraudulent transactions. You can avoid this by responding to the alert or reaching out to us and placing travel notifications when you plan to be out of your normal geographic location.
• You have insufficient funds. This is the most common cause of a debit card being declined and can be avoided by closely monitoring your incoming and outgoing transactions. If you frequently experience overdrafts on your accounts, consider looking into Rebound, Amplify's overdraft protection program.
• You entered the wrong PIN. The personal identification number (PIN) you choose must be entered correctly for the transaction to be approved. If entered incorrectly, the transaction will be automatically declined. For security purposes, it is recommended that you memorize your PIN and never write that number on your card or keep it in your wallet. You can reset your PIN by calling our contact center at 1 (800) 992-3808.
• You reached your transaction limit. To help protect your funds, we have set up daily spending limits for purchases and ATM transactions. Be aware of the number of transactions you complete in a day and request a temporary debit card limit increase if you are in need of additional funds.
• It’s expired. Your debit card is valid through the last day of the month and year in which it expires. When your card comes up for expiration, Amplify will automatically send you a new card in the mail to ensure you are never left without access to your funds. Confirm that you are entering the correct expiration date when doing online transactions and that you've updated any merchants that have your card on file when you receive a new card with an updated expiration date.  

What is my daily debit card limit?

To protect your funds, Amplify has daily spending limits in place. This may result in certain debit card transactions being declined when that limit is reached. If you have questions regarding your limits, visit our Increasing Your Debit Card Limits article in Ask Amplify.

Can my debit card be set up as ATM only?

Absolutely! If you’d prefer your debit card to only be accessible at ATMs, please reach out to our customer service team directly at (512) 836-5901 or toll-free at 1 (800) 237-5087.

Why do I see a pending $0.00 transaction on my account and why don’t I recognize the merchant?

A zero dollar authorization - also sometimes referred to as a verification transaction - provides merchants with an effective way of validating account numbers and other elements such as CVV and AVS (Address Verification Service) without actually charging the card. This verification transaction may come through with the merchant processor rather than the merchant name, so it is important to monitor your account when the transaction post and notify Amplify immediately if the transaction is not authorized.