What does stolen_card mean in Stripe?
It means the card was reported stolen. The bank has blocked it for good, and any further attempt is treated as suspicious.
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
Stripe + North MetricPaid · new card
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
What it means
Unlike lost_card, a stolen card can mean earlier charges were disputed; check recent payments for chargeback risk. 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": "stolen_card",
"message": "Your card was declined."
}
}Why it happens
•The cardholder reported the card stolen to their bank.•The bank blocked the card for good and issued a replacement with a new number.•The customer didn’t know the stolen card was still on file with you.
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.
What not to do
✕Retry the card, ever.✕Repeat the bank’s reason to the customer.✕Keep the card on file for future invoices.