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Accepting credit cards as a method of payment is a necessity for merchants these days, but an invalid service code can stop a transaction in its tracks. If you see “error code 62” or “invalid service code” on your terminal screen, you may wonder what it means. Sometimes when you attempt to process a payment, you receive one of many credit card decline codes. It’s important to understand why you’re receiving the error response, to determine what steps to take next, and complete your customer’s purchase. If a payment can’t go through, a terminal will produce any one of about a hundred decline, error, and hold codes, each with their own associated number. This includes one for an invalid service code (62).
What Does Invalid Service Code Mean?
The error code 62: invalid service code will appear due to one of two reasons:
- You’re trying to process an American Express or Discover card and the merchant account you have cannot accept these types of payment
- A customer attempted to make an online payment using a credit card that does not allow online payments
What is an Error Code?
On occasion, you’ll attempt to process a credit card and the transaction is declined. Your customer’s bank is typically the source of where the transaction has failed. To determine why the payment can’t go through, the bank will display an error code on the terminal. The code gives better insight into the reason for the decline.
There are many error codes, so you probably won’t know them all. Your payment processor will typically give a guide to what each decline, error, and hold code means. Keep this guide handy so you can refer to it as necessary.
Some of the reasons for a declined transaction are in your control, while others are unfixable. Then there are others that may require some additional steps. You want your customer to have the opportunity to walk away with your product. Depending on the reason for the error code, you may still be able to complete the sale.
How do I Fix Error Code 62?
If you receive the invalid service code (62) error from an American Express or Discover transaction, you’ll want to ask your customer for a different form of payment. You may contact your payment processor to discuss configuring Discover and American Express payments to your merchant account. If you should be able to take these payments and can’t, your merchant service provider can also help you troubleshoot.
If you received the invalid service code (62) because of an online payment attempt, then you’ll want to implement an error message on your website. This message should ask customers to use a different card or call their bank with the error code.
