WINNINGCHARGEBACKS

VISA · MASTERCARD · AMEX · DISCOVER

Chargeback Reason Codes

Defense guides for every major chargeback code across all four card networks — what each code means, what evidence wins, and the exact language to use in your response.

Card networks assign reason codes to every chargeback to classify what the cardholder is claiming. Understanding the specific code you are defending is the difference between a generic response that fails and a targeted response that wins. Each guide below breaks down the network evaluation criteria and the evidence that moves the outcome in your favor.

42

Reason Codes Covered

4

Card Networks

15+

Years of Dispute Experience

VISA

Visa 13 codes

EMV Liability Shift Counterfeit Fraud

Fraud · Card Present

Chip card swiped instead of dipped. EMV liability shift makes this unwinnable without an EMV-certified terminal.

EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud

Fraud · Card Present

Lost, stolen, or never-received chip card used at a non-EMV terminal. Pin bypass and fallback transactions carry full merchant liability.

Visa Fraud Monitoring Program

Fraud · Compliance

Issued when Visa's monitoring systems identify a merchant with abnormal fraud volume. Requires systemic process changes, not just a dispute response.

Card Recovery Bulletin

Authorization · Declined Card

Transaction completed on a card flagged for pickup or decline. Completing a blocked transaction is a per-se violation with no winning defense.

Incorrect Amount

Processing Error · Amount

The settled amount differs from the authorized amount. Easily won with matching auth and settlement records; easily lost without them.

Duplicate Processing

Processing Error · Duplicate

The same transaction was submitted twice. Prove two distinct purchases with separate order IDs — or accept the chargeback if it's a true duplicate.

Misrepresentation

Consumer Dispute · Misrepresentation

The cardholder claims your product or service was materially misrepresented. Accurate product listings and documented terms are your defense.

Other Fraud — Card Absent Environment

Fraud · Card Not Present

The primary fraud chargeback for e-commerce merchants. 3D Secure authentication shifts liability away from you entirely.

Merchandise / Services Not Received

Consumer Dispute · Non-Receipt

The most common delivery-related chargeback on Visa. Issuers require specific carrier tracking language, not just a tracking number.

Cancelled Recurring Transaction

Consumer Dispute · Recurring Billing

The dominant chargeback code for subscription and SaaS businesses. Cancellation policy clarity and documented opt-in are your primary defenses.

Not as Described or Defective Merchandise

Consumer Dispute · Item Quality

Filed when an item arrives but does not match what was sold. Product description accuracy and return policy terms are your first line of defense.

Credit Not Processed

Consumer Dispute · Credit

Filed when a refund was agreed to but never appeared. Win by proving the credit was issued, or that you had no obligation to issue one.

Cancelled Merchandise / Services

Consumer Dispute · Cancellation

When a customer cancels, refuses delivery, or returns goods. Your return and cancellation policy terms determine whether this dispute is winnable.

MC

Mastercard 9 codes

Point of Interaction Error

Processing Error · POI

Transaction errors at the point of sale: wrong amounts, duplicate charges, late presentment. Authorization records and receipts are your defense.

Goods or Services Not Provided

Consumer Dispute · Non-Receipt

The Mastercard equivalent of item-not-received. Carrier tracking showing delivery to the billing address is the primary winning evidence.

Addendum, No-Show, or ATM Dispute

Consumer Dispute · Addendum

Covers hotel no-show charges, disputed add-on fees, and ATM errors. A signed check-in agreement or no-show policy acknowledgement is key.

Credit Not Processed

Consumer Dispute · Credit

The cardholder returned goods or cancelled but no refund appeared. Win by proving the credit was issued or that refund terms were not met.

Chip Liability Shift

Fraud · Card Present

Mastercard's EMV liability shift code for counterfeit card-present fraud. Non-EMV terminals carry automatic merchant liability for chip card fraud.

No Cardholder Authorization

Fraud · No Authorization

Mastercard primary fraud chargeback. 3D Secure 2 is the only reliable defense; without it, layered behavioral evidence is your best option.

Cancelled Recurring Transaction

Consumer Dispute · Recurring Billing

Mastercard recurring billing chargeback. The cancellation policy gaps that make most 4841 disputes unwinnable — and how to close them.

Cardholder Dispute

Consumer Dispute · Catch-All

Mastercard catch-all consumer dispute code. The sub-reason matters more than the code number — each sub-type requires a different evidence package.

Cardholder Does Not Recognize

Fraud · Unrecognized Charge

Often a billing descriptor problem more than fraud. Connect the charge to the purchase and this dispute type is more preventable than most.

AMEX

American Express 12 codes

No Reply to Inquiry / Cancelled Recurring

Consumer Dispute · Recurring Billing

Filed when a cancelled recurring billing continues or Amex receives no merchant response to an inquiry. Documentation of cancellation is critical.

Cancelled Recurring Billing

Consumer Dispute · Recurring Billing

Cardholder cancelled a subscription but was still charged. Prove the cancellation was not received, or that charges post-cancellation were authorized.

Goods / Services Not as Described

Consumer Dispute · Item Quality

Amex item-not-as-described chargeback. Product listing accuracy, photos, and a documented return policy are your first line of defense.

Goods Damaged or Defective

Consumer Dispute · Item Quality

Cardholder received damaged or defective merchandise. Carrier damage claims and replacement offers can resolve this before it reaches arbitration.

Missing Signature

Fraud · Card Present

Transaction completed without obtaining the cardholder's signature. EMV chip or contactless payment replaces the signature requirement entirely.

No Cardholder Authorization

Fraud · Card Not Present

Cardholder claims they did not authorize an online transaction. 3DS authentication data is the strongest defense; device/IP logs are the fallback.

EMV Counterfeit Transaction

Fraud · Card Present

Chip card processed via magnetic stripe, enabling counterfeit fraud. The EMV liability shift makes this virtually unwinnable without a chip-capable terminal.

Missing Imprint

Fraud · Card Present

Arises when a transaction lacks proper electronic card capture. Primarily affects merchants processing manual entries or fallback swipes.

No Cardholder Authorization

Fraud · No Authorization

Amex primary CNP fraud chargeback. Amex SafeKey is the only reliable defense. The 20-day response window is the shortest of any major network.

Credit Not Processed

Consumer Dispute · Credit

Filed when an expected refund never arrived. The most straightforward dispute to win if you have the credit record on file.

Goods / Services Returned or Refused

Consumer Dispute · Returns

Filed when a cardholder returns or refuses merchandise. Return policy clarity and receipt documentation determine your defense.

Goods / Services Not Received

Consumer Dispute · Non-Receipt

Amex non-receipt chargeback with the same delivery evidence standard as Visa and Mastercard, but a compressed 20-day response window.

DISC

Discover 8 codes

Does Not Recognize

Fraud · Unrecognized Charge

Cardholder doesn't recognize the charge — often a billing descriptor problem, not actual fraud. Clear descriptors prevent the majority of AA disputes.

Authorization Noncompliance

Authorization · Processing

No valid authorization was obtained — declined auth processed, expired auth at settlement, or missing authorization entirely. Almost always preventable.

Duplicate Processing

Processing Error · Duplicate

The cardholder was charged twice for the same transaction. Audit the charges first — true duplicates should be refunded, not contested.

Non-Receipt of Goods or Services

Consumer Dispute · Non-Receipt

Discover's non-receipt code for physical goods, digital goods, and services. Carrier tracking with delivery confirmation to the billing address wins most cases.

Fraud — Card Present Transaction

Fraud · Card Present

Discover in-person fraud chargeback. EMV chip compliance is the definitive defense; magnetic stripe fallback carries full merchant liability.

Fraud — Card Not Present Transaction

Fraud · Card Not Present

Filed when a cardholder claims they did not authorize an online or phone transaction. 3DS enrollment determines your dispute window and win rate.

Cardholder Disputes Quality of Goods / Services

Consumer Dispute · Quality

The cardholder claims what they received did not match what was sold. Defective goods, misrepresented services, or unmet quality expectations.

Non-Receipt of Goods or Services

Consumer Dispute · Non-Receipt

The cardholder says they never received what they paid for. Delivery evidence must be submitted before the 30-day window closes.

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