What does incorrect_number mean in Stripe?
It means the card number doesn’t match a real card at the issuer. The details on file are wrong or the card was replaced.
What happens next
The same decline, handled two ways: a fixed retry ladder, and Stripe Smart Retries with North Metric following up once they end. North Metric never retries a card; its part in failed payment recovery starts when Stripe stops.
THE NEXT 14 DAYS · EXAMPLE✕FAILED RETRYACTIONPAID
Fixed retry ladder · day 1, 3, 5, 7Fails ×4
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Stripe + North MetricPaid · next day
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What it means
It almost never appears on a card that has charged successfully before; when it does, the bank has reissued the number. Stripe returns it as a decline_code inside a card_error, so your integration sees the charge fail and the reason sits in this field.
{
"error": {
"type": "card_error",
"code": "incorrect_number",
"decline_code": "incorrect_number",
"message": "Your card was declined."
}
}Why it happens
•The card number was mistyped when the card was saved.•The bank replaced the card with a new number and closed the old one.•The card was canceled, so its number no longer matches an open account at the issuer.
What to do
01Don’t add retriesThe same details will fail every time, so a new card is the fix.
02Send a hosted update linkOne click, card form prefilled, no login needed.
03Collect on the new cardOnce a new card is saved, the open invoice can be paid with it.
See which customers with a failed payment are at risk, in your own Stripe.Actions off until you turn them onGet your free churn report →
What to tell the customer
Be direct and short: the card on file needs updating, here’s the link, nothing else changes.
What not to do
✕Retry the same card on a schedule.✕Ask the customer to log in before they can update.✕Pause the account before they’ve had a chance to fix it.