Invalid card message when adding debit card to Wallet

I have been going back and forth with apple support and my banks customer support yet no one can help me resolve this issue. I received a new debit card after my old one expired. I deleted the expired debit card from wallet. I tried entering and scanning the new debit card into wallet but every time it gives me an error message “invalid card.” My bank customer support said the error message they were receiving from apple had something to do with the new expiration date on my debit card so my bank issued a new card. I just picked up my new debit card with new expiration date, tried entering it into apple wallet and AGAIN says “invalid card.” I told my bank customer service rep this and they directed me to Apple support. I called apple support and they said everything is correct on their end and I needed to call the bank again. I called the bank again and they said it’s nothing wrong on their end and I needed to speak to apple support. Why can’t anyone figure this out!

iPhone 15 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on May 6, 2025 1:24 PM

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May 7, 2025 4:58 AM in response to sberman

Hi, in theory it should work, but in practice all too often what we’re seeing here happens. When account holder removes a valid card, the token(s) stays. Subsequent attempts to add a valid card results in either “Contact Bank or Invalid Card” error.


Your card probably had a fraud tag on it so the token was already invalidated and was removed with the card. Removing valid virtual cards when a new card issued seems to confuse the tokenization process resulting in the old token staying, and the new card invalid because a token exists. Which in theory can’t happen. I think it’s either an issuing bank issue or Token Service Provider issue.


The wait 24 hours is probably because the cardholder attempted to add the card 5 or more times which is an automatic freeze in the system for 24 hours. This is an anti fraud protection.

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May 6, 2025 3:28 PM in response to sberman

Apple wallet has the scrolling four digit year selection. I’m not entering it incorrectly. Ive rechecked the info multiple times and it’s still the same error message. The bank and apple keep blaming each other and keep redirecting me to each other.

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May 6, 2025 5:55 PM in response to cocogulley

Never delete cards from Apple Wallet app unless instructed to by the bank or Apple. The digital version of your card in the Wallet app is a virtual card placed there by your bank. The 16 digit number is different, the expiration date is different, and the CVV2 security code is different from your physical card. It should never have been removed.


Ask your bank to remove all tokens associated with the old card. The card may also have merchant tokens associated with it. I’m not sure the bank can remove those. But the bank should be able to see any merchant tokens and be able to tell you who the merchant is and we can figure out what payment the token is associated with.


What bank is it? The information in your Walket is only partly visible to you, but the bank can see everything. Apple sees next to nothing because everything on/in your Wallet app was encrypted on your iPhone itself or by the bank and in neither case Apple can’t see it. The key to decrypt the data is with your bank, not Apple.



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May 6, 2025 6:11 PM in response to Jeff Donald

Two different bank reps told me to delete the old card from apple wallet and restart my phone. But after the 4th time of contacting my bank I was transferred to someone who was able to delete tokens. But she told me to wait 24 hours to see if it worked. We’ll see! 🤞🏼

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May 6, 2025 7:02 PM in response to Jeff Donald

Jeff Donald wrote:

Never delete cards from Apple Wallet app unless instructed to by the bank or Apple.

Jeff, would you please help me (and the other readers) understand this?


I have had cards in Wallet that suffered fraudulent charges. I removed these from Wallet of course (I guess I had implicit approval from the bank after notifying them). I also assume I could remove an expired card and simply re-enter it with an updated expiration date, which is what cocogulley described. Thank you.

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Invalid card message when adding debit card to Wallet

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