Sometimes Stripe's algorithm blocks a customer's card outright. This is different from a normal decline: a declined payment comes from the customer's bank (insufficient funds, expired card, etc) and can succeed on a retry.
A blocked payment is refused by Stripe itself because the card was flagged as high risk or because too many payment attempts failed, and retrying the same card will keep failing. This is an irreversible status in Stripe for that card (typically across the entire Stripe network).
Paythen detects Stripe blocked cards automatically across all plan types so if one of your customer's cards is blocked, we flag it in the dashboard. Here's more info:
How Paythen handles a blocked card
The card on file is marked as blocked in Paythen too, and automatic retries stop for that card. Retrying a blocked card cannot succeed, and repeated failed attempts only create noise in your Stripe account.
The plan moves to the Overdue - manual action required status, so it stands out on your customers page as one that needs attention. This means all retries and future attempts on the plan stop immediately since they can't succeed with a blocked card.
On the customer's page, the usual retry option is replaced with a notice asking them to update their card on file, since that is the only way forward.
How to get the customer's plan back on track
The customer needs a different card on file. There are two ways to do this:
Ask the customer to update their card themselves. They can do this via their unique customer page link, or through your company link. This is usually the fastest path. You can get your company link here.
Update it for them. On the customer's summary page, use Change payment info in the Admin controls section to enter new card details on their behalf.
At the moment no automated email is sent to customers when their card is blocked. You'll need to let them know manually if this happens. This is quite rare though. We will automatically notify customers in the future.
Once a new card is saved, the overdue payments can be retried (the retry now button at the top will become active again) and once overdue payments resumes as normal.
Why cards get blocked
Stripe blocks charges based on its Radar risk rules, for example when a card has been reported stolen, is associated with fraud elsewhere on the Stripe network, fails too many retries to collect a scheduled payment, or trips a custom rule in your account.
To see the exact reason, open the payment in Stripe (use View customer in Stripe in the Admin controls on the customer's summary page) and check the payment's risk details.
If you believe Stripe is blocking legitimate customers, you can review and adjust your Radar rules in your Stripe dashboard under payments > fraud prevention. You can also reach out to Stripe support directly if this is a persistent issue.
There is nothing Paythen can control or determine re: blocked cards on Stripe since this is handled entirely by Stripe's algorithms.