Sandbox and REST API: Large amount causes “instrument declined” error

[davidtraveller]

I have a Payflow Pro sandbox account. I am submitting credit card transactions to the sandbox using Payments REST API. I have found that if the amount is $1500 or greater, then the transaction fails with error: INSTRUMENT_DECLINED The instrument presented was either declined by the processor or bank, or it can't be used for this payment.

However, the same fake credit card number works fine if the amount is less than $1500.

Is there a limit that I can adjust somewhere? I've done some searching but haven't found anything

[MTS_Ciaran]

Hey, 

can you post the full API response, including the debug ID please?

[davidtraveller]

Hello, the status code is 400.  The response body is:

{"name":"INSTRUMENT_DECLINED","message":"The instrument presented  was either declined by the processor or bank, or it can't be used for this payment.","information_link":"https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/#INSTRUMENT_DECLINED","debug_id":"28b7ad24b45c2","processor_re...":{}}

[MTS_Ciaran]

Thanks, this looks odd and only seems to affect REST card payments on sandbox, Im not able to reproduce on legacy API's. I'll escalate to some of the PD folks to see the root cause and get it fixed. 

[davidtraveller]

Hi, any news on this?  thanks

[MTS_Ciaran]

hey, its scheduled for fix but will take time since its impacting just sandbox I'll keep you posted once I get a date for this to go live. 

[davidtraveller]

FYI it looks like this error is occurring in the sandbox again for amounts greater than $1500.

[MTS_Ciaran]

@davidtraveller - Just running some tests on this and it looks to be working at the moment with my test tools, can you check on your side please?

[davidtraveller · Accepted solution]

It works!  Thanks for your help.

[skitii]

hi, I occur this problem in the sandbox again, when I try to pay $9990000, my personal account paid, but I can not capture this order.

error response as below,

{

"name": "UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY",

"details": [

{

"issue": "INSTRUMENT_DECLINED",

"description": "The instrument presented was either declined by the processor or bank, or it can't be used for this payment."

}

],

"message": "The requested action could not be performed, semantically incorrect, or failed business validation.",

"debug_id": "2b384de5ce061",

"links": [

{

"href": "https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/orders/v2/#error-INSTRUMENT_DECLINED",

"rel": "information_link",

"method": "GET"

},

{

"href": "https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/checkoutnow?token=290877806J367514R",

"rel": "redirect",

"method": "GET"

}

]

}