North Metric

    lost_card: stop retrying.

    Never retry it: repeated attempts on a lost card can raise your risk score with the card networks.

    lost_cardDECLINE CODE · STOP RETRYING
    RECOVERYLOWRETRYNeverCUSTOMER ACTIONNew card

    What does lost_card mean in Stripe?

    It means the cardholder reported this card lost, and the bank has canceled it. The card will never work again.

    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 · risk
    M✕
    T
    W✕
    T
    F✕
    S
    S✕
    M
    T
    W
    T
    F
    S
    S
    Four attempts on a card its bank has canceled. Card networks watch repeated tries on lost cards.
    Stripe + North MetricPaid · new card
    M
    T
    W
    T
    F
    S
    S
    M
    T
    W
    T
    F
    S
    S
    North Metric drafts a neutral note asking for a new card, at once if Stripe can’t retry it, or when its retries end. You approve it first.

    What it means

    The customer almost always has a replacement already; what they need is a reason to add it, not a warning. 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": "card_declined",
    "decline_code": "lost_card",
    "message": "Your card was declined."
  }
}

    Why it happens

    •The cardholder reported the card lost to their bank.•The bank canceled the card and usually sent a replacement with a new number.•The old card is still on file in your billing, so the renewal tried it.

    What to do

    01Stop every retryRetrying a lost or stolen card can flag your account with the network.
    02Ask for a different cardNeutral wording: never repeat the reason the bank gave.
    03Watch for a disputeIf the charge looks fraudulent, refund it before a chargeback lands.
    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

    Keep it neutral. Don’t mention “lost” or “stolen”; just ask for a new payment method.

    From: Maya at AcmeSubject: Please add a new payment method
    Hi Sam, We weren’t able to charge the card on file for Acme. Could you add a different card here? Your account stays active in the meantime. Maya
    SEND AT ONCE IF STRIPE CAN’T RETRY, OR WHEN ITS RETRIES END

    What not to do

    ✕Retry the card, ever.✕Repeat the bank’s reason to the customer.✕Keep the card on file for future invoices.
    01RELATED CODES

    Same type,same playbook.

    Codes Stripe returns for the same underlying reason. Each one opens its own guide.

    stolen_cardThe card was reported stolenLOWOpen code →pickup_cardThe issuer asked merchants to keep the cardLOWOpen code →fraudulentThe payment was flagged as fraudulentLOWOpen code →
    All decline codes →
    02FAQ

    Questions aboutthis decline.

    Short answers. The full list of codes is one click away.

    Hard. Never retry it; ask for a different card.

    AFTER STRIPE’S RETRIES

    Know who’s at riskafter a decline.

    Actions off until you turn them on