American Express Payment Decline Code
American Express Decline Code 107: Please Call Issuer
Category General DeclineRetry Guidance Conditional Decline (Editorial Classification)By Payment Defender Editorial TeamUpdated July 17, 2026Last reviewed July 17, 2026
What American Express Decline Code 107 Means
American Express declined the transaction and requested that the cardholder contact the issuer before the payment can proceed.
Where the Response May Come From
This response comes from American Express. The issuer needs to speak with the cardholder, often to verify identity or clear an account hold.
Common Reasons for This Response
Common causes include a temporary security hold, verification requirements, or account conditions the issuer wants to confirm directly with the cardholder.
Should the Merchant Retry the Payment?
Retrying before the cardholder contacts American Express is unlikely to succeed. A retry may work after the hold is resolved.
Recommended Merchant Action
Ask the customer to call the number on the back of their card, then attempt the payment again or offer an alternate method.
What to Tell the Customer
Tell the customer American Express needs to speak with them and suggest they call the number on the back of the card.
How to Reduce Similar Payment Failures
Offering alternate payment methods at checkout may help capture the sale while the customer resolves the hold with their issuer.
Important Limitations
Decline-code meanings vary by processor, gateway, and payment environment, and American Express does not always disclose the specific reason behind a response. The retry classification on this page is Payment Defender editorial guidance, not an official network rule. Merchants should confirm handling with their processor or gateway.
Related Decline Codes
Sources and Review Information
- American Express: American Express Merchant Regulations
- PayPal Braintree: Braintree Processor Response Codes
Last reviewed July 17, 2026
Raw network-response codes are supplemental to the complete processor or gateway response. Meanings and recommended actions can vary by issuer, processor, gateway, card network, payment method, region, and merchant configuration.