Why is Response Code 3 instead of 2 for the following Reasons?

[qwertyfinger]

Why is Response Code 3 instead of 2 for the following reasons:

6. The credit card number is invalid.
7. The credit card expiration date is invalid.
8. The credit card has expired.
78. The Card Code (CVV2/CVC2/CID) is invalid.

I understand that these could be classified as transaction errors, but wouldn't it be better to dish out transaction has been declined status instead, since these are validation errors, not real errors.

[stymiee]

It can only be a decline if the card issuing bank declines the transaction. If Authorize.Net catches an error before processing the transaction, the transaction is not processed and cannot be declined. FYI, validation errors are real errors. If they are not caught prior to transmission it does make them any less real (some of those scenarios can be caught prior to transmittal).

Transactions that pass validation will come up as declines in the cases you listed above.