A
American Express Network Decline CodesAmex 122
Invalid Card Security Code (CID)
Hard Decline
Permanent failures that should not be retried
Do Not Retry
Retry will not succeed
Description
The card security code (CID — the 4-digit code on the front of the card) is incorrect.
Recommended Action
Ask the customer to verify and re-enter the 4-digit security code from the front of their American Express card.
Common Causes
- Incorrect CID entered
- Customer confused CID with CVV (CID is on the front of Amex cards)
Recovery Tips
- Send a dunning email asking the customer to update their card details
- Provide clear instructions that the Amex security code is 4 digits on the front of the card
Quick Reference
Code
122
Category
Hard Decline
Retryable
No
Source
Amex
Recoverability verdict
Retrying 122 will not work
This is a hard decline. Retrying code 122 will not recover the payment. But most merchants seeing this code also have soft declines they are not recovering. Check what your retry strategy is leaving behind.
Related Decline Codes
101Non-Retryable
Expired Card / Invalid Expiration Date
The card has expired or the expiration date provided is invalid.
109Non-Retryable
Invalid Merchant
The American Express network does not recognise the merchant with the submitted transaction details. This needs to be investigated by the acquirer or payment service provider.
110Non-Retryable
Invalid Amount
The card issuer has declined the transaction due to a format or amount field error.
111Non-Retryable
Invalid Account
The card issuer is unable to find the card or account number. The account may be closed or the number may be incorrect.