Credit Card is Declined

I am also having this issue....in europe....

1) Can't change credit cards more than 5 times in 30 days
2) tried Clickandbuy.... not working
3) tried to solve with gift card.......unable to buy gift card even with a newly created itunes account with a brand new credit card.....

Numerous mails to apple in the past 15 days.....and the issue is not solved...

Having the closed network itunes store...and not able to solve the basic issue....The itunes payment system seems basically flawed and unusable by end consumers.......

I too created a Click and Buy account - after my credit cards and paypal failed - but despite Click and Buy telling me the account is successfully connected to Itunes, it still won't work.

The fact that I can't even use the Itunes gift card I especially went out and bought after all else failed is the most fustrating thing to me.

The only responses I have had from Itunes customer service are two emails that the issue has been "flagged for follow-up".

Over a two week turn around time for an issue obviously effecting a large number of people is unsatisfactory to me.

I haven't read all 10 pages of this thread. I had this problem, any solution that used my US based credit card, Apple would deny. Paypal included. However, today I verified my Paypal account with my savings account at a US bank and I'm renting and downloading movies fine in Costa Rica. My Visa is removed from Apple's sight. Hope this might work for some others.

I sent an email earlier to Apple but have received no helpful reply. Also, Google Chrome doesn't work with the Apples - Paypal information exchange.

Same problem here, foreigner living in China.
I tried all combinations of address and valid credit cards without success.
Sent a support request, no response yet.
My brand new ipod4g and ipad are completely useless. Very very bad user experience, if they don't solve very soon, I'll consider returning all.

What I find unacceptable is that they force you to have a credit card, even to download free apps and if you never intend to buy anything.

Please read my post earlier for a workaround. You will not be able to purchase apps but will be able to update, get free apps, purchase/ rent movies, songs and whatever.
The only fix at this time is an account reset and through iTunes customer service email (no phones). It is taking more than 10 days to have this done as they are very busy and doing this one by one for security reasons.

@Don- I just tried the work around, it did not work for me.

Has anyone tried just buying a gift card while they wait? Worked for me!

Did you try on a friend´s computer or any other computer that has been never authorized for your account? You will need to run iTunes and authorize this computer with your account. When iTunes asks you for the credit card code and you enter it, this should end the loop. You may then de-authorize this computer and log off and use your own computer and devices.
However if you purchased an app, the loop will start again.
The only fix is having iTunes Customer service unblocking your account and it takes a long time.

Knock on wood mine has been working since the last Apple representative got back to me on my account. Not sure how long this will last for but so far it has been about a week and I have been able to download music and applications for both my Ipad and Iphone without any problems this last week.

Gift card did not work for me. Tried that nearly 2 weeks ago. The credit shows on my account but still cannot make purchases. Interesting that my season passes continue to download.
I have been in an infinite loop with customer support. How do I get them to simply unblock my account?

I tried accessing from the country I am traveling to and it doesn't work either. I cannot change countries because I bought a season pass in the US store Apple needs to figure out that its user base is mobile and we travel and want access no matter where we are.

Wow - then anyone who travels is in violation of their protocols. I cannot change my "store" location because I have season passes. Obviously the folks who are writing the protocols do not travel outside their home country. I wonder if my account will be unlocked once I am back in the US? These protocols keep making it harder and harder to purchase legitimate versions of digital media. I avoid pirated versions but they are making it nearly impossible to stay in compliance while residing overseas.

I am having the same problem in Hong Kong. My iTunes account was created when I lived in the States (with an US credit card and billing address). I have been working in Hong Kong since 2006 and spend most of the year here.

Prior to the problem, I was able to purchase both music and app on both of my computers (work/home) and my iPhone 3GS.

After upgrading my home computer to iTunes 10, I started getting the credit card problem and e-mailed iTunes Store support right away on September 5th. In the meantime, I was able to buy music on my work computer, which still ran iTunes 9.

On September 14th I e-mailed support again because I still have not heard back, and Brian got back to me right away saying he had not heard back from the engineering team either.

Then last night he e-mailed me saying the problem's been fixed - so I tried buying music, and it works on both my 3GS and my home computer. However the problem started happening again when I tried buying an app.

After reading the recent replies of this thread, I think that the act of buying an app reset my account and threw me back into the loop, and now I am unable to purchase anything from the store.

Now why would Itunes (apple) cancel a paypal agreement with me ? I emailed apple in regards to this same issue and this is the email I received in return. Nothing friendly just this...

"iTunes Store has cancelled a Billing Agreement with you.

Description: iTunes Store purchases.

Manage your Billing Agreement by logging into your PayPal account and clicking the Billing Agreement link under your Profile. In your Profile, you can choose and edit your preferred funding source and cancel your Billing Agreement.


If you need to contact iTunes Store directly, please use the following avenues:


-----------------------------------
Business information
-----------------------------------

Business: iTunes Store
Contact E-Mail: do notreply@apple.com


Sincerely,
PayPal "

Some may ask if the funds are there to pay the bill. **** YES THEY ARE !

I tried to contact them again regarding this but received the exact same email.

Just a few facts.
I am a resident of Texas.
I do travel abroad, but have not been out of the country for the past 3 months.
My internet connection is through HughesNet.

I have been watching this, and the other two related threads on this subject, for several days since I got locked out of my iTunes account after attempting to download a free App from a replacement iPhone 4.
I am not satisfied with the support response I am getting from Apple and based on the postings on the subject, neither are many other people.
The fact that the number of combined views of the three threads exceeds 40,000 indicates that this is a very widespread issue.
I have started a thread in the Macworld 'Playlists' forum (there is no iTunes forum)
http://forums.macworld.com/index.php?/topic/130478-itunes-erroneously-declining- payments/ in the hope that the issue may be picked up by the influential Macworld editorial staff and given greater visibility.
It would clearly help the cause if others added their comments to the thread to reinforce the point....