# "Unable to charge credit card." **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 22, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732 "2004-03-22T18:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jdavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@jdavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdavis)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/21 "2004-03-22T20:05:14Z")
We believe the problem has been resolved. Jerry ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/22 "2004-03-22T20:27:27Z")
> [@jdavis](#): > > We believe the problem has been resolved. Thanks, Jerry. But there’s still a problem. It doesn’t say “God” under your name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/23 "2004-03-22T22:41:21Z")
I also had this problem. The error I got seemed to have something to do with the fact that my card had an expiration date of December. I went ahead and paid by PayPal. Esprix ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/24 "2004-03-23T01:25:08Z")
Jerry? Administrator? Where has he been hiding? Come visit us a bit more often y’hear. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/25 "2004-03-23T01:25:14Z")
Another bank-issued MC debit card user reporting in: It’s still not working right. (for me, at least) **Palikia** ’s Amex worked just fine, thank goodness! ---
**Author:** ![Stage\_Manager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stage_manager/32/7267_2.png) [@Stage\_Manager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stage_Manager)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/26 "2004-03-23T01:51:48Z")
My subscription apparently went through, too. I used a Visa debit card. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/27 "2004-03-23T08:20:05Z")
If we’re reporting credit card bugs here, when I registered yesterday at about 6 p.m. CST, it kept telling me my regular Visa card had an “invalid number” (which is stupid, trust me, I use it once a week to charge gas, is all), but it finally accepted my Discover card. ---
**Author:** ![blackhobyah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blackhobyah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackhobyah)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/28 "2004-03-23T08:25:04Z")
Well, I tried it with two different VISA cards, one a debit card which is also a VISA card and a regular old VISA and I got the “Unable to charge credit card” message everytime I tried. I tried each card a couple of times, I shut my browser down and restarted it, I made the ultimate sacrifice and tried IE instead of my usual Mozilla and still couldn’t do it. So there’s a half hour of my life I won’t get back. I’m not willing to set up a PayPal account for something I could use my VISA for, and since the debit/VISA has worked on EzyBoard and Amazon, I don’t think it’s the card. I don’t mind at all paying five dollars to subscribe, but I do mind it being so difficult. And since the error message doesn’t give me any suggestions about what is going wrong, I have no idea what else to try. I think that if the SDMB really wants to attract not just old subscribers but new members its going to need to make subscribing a bit more foolproof. Anyway, I’ve had a go and much as I like this message board I can’t really be bothered filling in the form another ten times just for the hell of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/29 "2004-03-23T08:34:05Z")
I had the same problem earlier with my MC debit card. It expires in September, so for some reason, they are apparently just rejecting debit cards. Fortunately, I just clicked on the Paypal option and it went right through. ---
**Author:** ![BethCro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cdc98d/32.png) [@BethCro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BethCro)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/30 "2004-03-24T13:28:58Z")
I am trying to use my UK NatWest MasterCard credit card to subscribe to SDMB but I keep getting the reply “unable to charge credit card”. I am an American living in England, but as I have lived in the UK for 15 years, I do not have an American credit card. I don’t have a PayPal account. I don’t have any other debit or credit cards. The name is correct, the address is correct, the credit card number is correct, the expiration date (06/2005) is correct … why can I not subscribe? I have just checked my credit card statement and I have far more than $4.95 available! Please help. ---
**Author:** ![E72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@E72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E72521)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/31 "2004-03-24T13:53:02Z")
It took two tries for my SunTrust VISA debit card to work. However, my exp date is not December. **BEWARE:** I was charged, quite by surprise, $7.48, not $4.95. I must have missed some of the fine print… You guys have taken the banning of **december** to the ultimate extreme. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/32 "2004-03-24T23:21:49Z")
I can’t help you solve the credit card problem, but I can certainly help you get a subscription to the Dope. Feel free to email me (dlnevins @ earthlink dot net - close up the spaces, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/33 "2004-03-24T23:28:08Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > I can’t help you solve the credit card problem, but I can certainly help you get a subscription to the Dope. Feel free to email me (dlnevins @ earthlink dot net - close up the spaces, etc.) Whoops - the above message was in answer to **BethCro** (although the offer also stands to any other Doper who’s having problems subscribing). ---
**Author:** ![BethCro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cdc98d/32.png) [@BethCro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BethCro)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/34 "2004-03-25T00:09:31Z")
Thanks Artemis, but after exchanging emails with EdZotti (who, contrary to what I’ve read on previous posts did actually reply quite quickly tho he didn’t have a solution to my problem) I used my ‘never to be touched except in absolute emergencies co-signed by my dad credit card’. I had to phone him in Oklahoma to get the number and explain the dire emergency, but he was cool about it so hopefully I will be a member. If not, Ed can expect some more mail from me. Anyways, I appreciate your kind offer, that’s one of the reasons I enjoy this community so much - great people! ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/35 "2004-03-25T00:12:59Z")
For the record, I used my Visa card, which was debit (it didn’t ask credit or debit,) on me and someone else, and it worked flawlessly and painlessly. So it’s not debit by itself. /S ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/36 "2004-03-25T06:10:56Z")
Is there any particular reason why MC debit cards seem to be in such a decline? ATM withdrawls take 4-5 **days** to clear, and the Wal-Mart thing, and now the SDMB thing… Or is this more of a GQ? Any word on why the MC debit thang won’t work here? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/37 "2004-03-25T06:16:34Z")
Over in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246990) **Maple Leaf** suggested that maybe the month and year of expiration are reversed on your card information. Try putting the month and then the year. Just a thought. Or, if for some reason, a full date is asked for, give it in this order: Month, day, year (unless asked for in a different order, of course. Now I feel silly. I don’t mean to insult your intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/38 "2004-03-25T06:24:29Z")
Now, I REALLY feel silly. :o Best line in a long time: > [@](#): > > **E72521** : You guys have taken the banning of december to the ultimate extreme. ---
**Author:** ![chattywine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@chattywine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chattywine)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/39 "2004-03-25T23:52:29Z")
Hey cool thanks! I have a Dec exp. too, was a shocker that I couldn’t get 4 euros off it. Woo! ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732/40 "2004-03-26T02:56:55Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Dammit. What the hell is wrong with December? Oh my, there was many a day I would say that to myself, and…uh…what? Oh…um, you meant the month, december. Nevermind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-charge-credit-card/235732.md?page=3)