This content is structured to be shared as a help article, social media post, or email FAQ. Seeing this message when trying to pay with PayPal can be frustrating. Don’t keep retrying the card – that could lead to a temporary block. Here’s exactly what’s happening and how to resolve it. What Does This Error Actually Mean? This is not a PayPal problem. PayPal is telling you that your bank or card issuer declined the transaction before PayPal could process it.