The short answer
A chargeback reason code is the card network's label for why the cardholder's bank disputed a sale, such as Visa 10.4 (card-absent fraud), Mastercard 4853 (cardholder dispute) or American Express C08 (goods or services not received). Each code has its own list of evidence that can reverse it, so your response should answer that code and nothing else. If the claim is valid, a refund or accepting the dispute is usually cheaper than fighting.
What a reason code is
When a cardholder disputes a charge, their bank files it with the card network under a specific code. The code says what the complaint is about: fraud, an authorization problem, a processing error, or a disagreement about what was delivered. Visa uses dispute conditions such as 10.4 and 13.1, grouped into fraud (10.x), authorization (11.x), processing errors (12.x) and consumer disputes (13.x). Mastercard uses four-digit message reason codes such as 4837 and 4853. American Express uses a letter and two digits, such as F29 or C08. The network rules list what counts as a valid response for each code, so evidence that wins one code can be irrelevant to another.
How to read a dispute notice
Your processor sends the notice, usually through its online portal. Before gathering anything, find: the network and reason code; the transaction (date, amount, last four digits, reference number); the stage, whether an inquiry or retrieval request, a first chargeback, or pre-arbitration; the response deadline; and any note explaining the complaint. On deadlines, go by the date on your notice. Visa's merchant dispute guidelines say each step has a defined time limit that may vary depending on your acquirer. American Express's current US disputes reference guide (version 2024PROP) says merchants have 20 days to respond to an inquiry or chargeback with supporting documents. Processors often set shorter internal deadlines, so the date in your portal is the one that counts. Missing it normally means losing by default.
Visa reason codes
Visa's Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants list each dispute condition with its causes and the responses that can remedy it. The table covers the conditions small merchants run into most often. In every Visa condition, proof that you already issued a credit for the transaction (amount and date), or a letter or email from the cardholder saying they no longer dispute it, is also an accepted response.
| Code | Name | Category | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.3 | Other Fraud – Card-Present Environment | Fraud | Compelling evidence from Visa's chart for this condition, such as proof linking the cardholder to the purchase, or proof of a credit already issued. |
| 10.4 | Other Fraud – Card-Absent Environment | Fraud | Proof the sale was Visa Secure authenticated, or Compelling Evidence 3.0 data (see below), or other compelling evidence: delivery to an address with an AVS match of Y or M, a signed pickup form, or digital download records with IP address or device ID. |
| 11.3 | No Authorization/Late Presentment | Authorization | Proof the transaction was authorized, or a receipt showing it was processed within the time limit. If it was not authorized or was late, Visa's guidance is to accept. |
| 12.6.1 | Duplicate Processing | Processing error | Records showing the two charges were separate purchases. If one sale was settled twice, accept or refund. |
| 13.1 | Merchandise/Services Not Received | Consumer dispute | Proof the cardholder or an authorized person received the goods or services, proof the promised delivery date has not passed, or proof they cancelled before delivery. |
| 13.2 | Cancelled Recurring Transaction | Consumer dispute | Proof the cardholder used the service after withdrawing permission to bill. If they cancelled and you billed anyway without a credit, accept. |
| 13.3 | Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services | Consumer dispute | The invoice, contract or listing that matches what was delivered, a point-by-point reply to the cardholder's claims, and proof a return was never received, or that you repaired or replaced the item with their agreement. |
| 13.6 | Credit Not Processed | Consumer dispute | Proof the sale is valid and no credit is owed, or the amount and date of the credit you issued. |
| 13.7 | Cancelled Merchandise/Services | Consumer dispute | Proof your return or cancellation policy was disclosed and agreed to at the time of sale, and proof the cardholder did not cancel or return under that policy, or kept using the service. |
Visa Compelling Evidence 3.0 (CE 3.0)
CE 3.0 is Visa's updated rule for condition 10.4, aimed at customers who report fraud on purchases they actually made. Visa's March 2023 merchant FAQ says it took effect for pre-arbitration attempts processed on or after 15 April 2023. Per Visa's guidance, you need two earlier transactions from the same card that were not reported as fraud and settled 120 to 365 days before the dispute processing date. You also need a description of what was bought, and at least two matching data elements between the disputed and earlier transactions, drawn from customer account or login ID, delivery address, device ID or device fingerprint, and IP address. At least one match must be the device ID, device fingerprint or IP address. When the criteria are met, liability moves to the issuer. To use it, your checkout needs to store IP addresses, device IDs and account IDs for every order, and your processor must support submitting CE 3.0 data. Ask them before you need it.
Mastercard reason codes
Mastercard's Chargeback Guide (Merchant Edition) consolidates most disputes into a small number of message reason codes. Code 4853, Cardholder Dispute, covers many situations that other networks split up, including goods or services not provided, not as described or defective, counterfeit goods, disputed recurring transactions, and refunds not processed. Read the dispute detail on your notice to see which of those applies before building your response.
| Code | Name | Category | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4808 | Authorization-related Chargeback | Authorization | Proof a valid authorization approval was obtained for the transaction as processed, or proof of a refund already issued. |
| 4834 | Point-of-Interaction Error | Processing error | Records showing the charges were separate purchases, the amount was correct, or the transaction was presented on time, or proof of a refund already issued. |
| 4837 | No Cardholder Authorization | Fraud | For e-commerce, mail or phone orders: a signed receipt or delivery proof, written correspondence showing the cardholder took part, proof of pickup, or for registered customers, proof of prior undisputed purchases and use of a registered device and IP address. For recurring billing: a description of the service, the start date and original authorization details, and proof the cardholder accepted the recurring terms. |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Consumer dispute | Match the evidence to the dispute type: proof of delivery or service provided, the description and terms the cardholder accepted, repair or replacement records, cancellation policy and records, or refund details. |
| 4870 | Chip Liability Shift | Fraud | Transaction records showing the chip was read at the terminal. If the card was swiped or keyed on a chip card at a terminal that was not chip-enabled, this one is usually lost. |
American Express reason codes
American Express publishes a dispute reference guide for US merchants (How to Manage and Help Prevent Disputes, version 2024PROP) that explains each chargeback code, why it happens and how to respond. Amex's own notices use the same codes. For almost every code, Amex also accepts proof that a credit directly offsetting the disputed charge has already been processed.
| Code | Name | Category | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| A02 | No valid authorization | Authorization | Proof a valid authorization approval was obtained. |
| A08 | Authorization approval expired | Authorization | Proof a valid authorization approval was obtained in accordance with the agreement, or proof that an offsetting credit has already been processed. To avoid it, the guide says to submit the charge within 7 days, with exceptions for cruise line, lodging and vehicle rental, and to obtain a new approval if you submit beyond 7 days. |
| C02 | Credit not processed | Consumer dispute | Your return policy with how it was disclosed and how the cardholder did not follow it, or proof goods were accepted, or proof the credit was already processed. |
| C05 | Goods/Services Canceled/Not Received/Partially Received | Consumer dispute | Your cancellation policy with an explanation of how you disclose it and how the cardholder did not follow it, or the charge record showing the terms and conditions of the purchase, or proof an offsetting credit has already been processed. |
| C08 | Goods/services not received or only partially received | Consumer dispute | Proof of delivery or that the service was provided. For digital goods: IP address or email address matching the purchase, or proof the cardholder accessed the goods after the sale. For in-store pickup: a signed pickup form plus proof identity was verified. |
| C14 | Paid by other means | Consumer dispute | Proof the other payment was for something else, or that the cardholder agreed to use this card for the charge. |
| C28 | Canceled Recurring Billing/Goods Not as Described/Defective/Damaged | Consumer dispute | Proof the cardholder did not cancel, or cancelled outside your disclosed policy. For introductory offers: clear disclosure, express consent, enrollment confirmation and a reminder before the first recurring charge. |
| C31 | Goods/services not as described | Consumer dispute | The description, invoice or contract that matches what was delivered, and records of how you handled the complaint. |
| F24 | No Card Member authorization | Fraud | The current guide asks only for proof that a credit directly offsetting the disputed charge has already been processed. Its prevention list is where the work is: a clear billing descriptor with your doing-business-as name and location or website, a customer service phone number in the descriptor, EMV-enabled acceptance, checking ID on face-to-face sales, and express consent tied to the specific goods or services for card-not-present billing. |
| F29 | Card Not Present | Fraud | Proof of delivery to the Card Member's billing address, or proof that a valid authorization approval was obtained and you attempted to validate the CID, or proof you validated the address via authorization and shipped to the validated address, or a prior undisputed transaction plus two or more matching elements — device ID, full IP address, or the email address used to confirm the transaction. |
| P08 | Duplicate charge | Processing error | Records showing the charges were separate, or proof the duplicate was credited. |
Discover reason codes
Discover's dispute rules for merchants are not published as a public document we could verify, so we have not listed Discover codes here. If you receive a Discover dispute, ask your processor for Discover's current description of that code and the documents it requires, and answer it with the same category logic below.
Evidence by category: fraud
Fraud codes (Visa 10.x, Mastercard 4837 and 4870, Amex F24 and F29) turn on one question: did the real cardholder take part? The strongest answers are authentication (Visa Secure or Mastercard Identity Check), chip-read records for in-person sales, and data tying the buyer to the cardholder: delivery to the verified billing address, AVS and CVV results, IP address, device ID, login history and earlier undisputed orders from the same card. Customer emails or chats about the order also help.
Evidence by category: authorization
Authorization codes (Visa 11.x, Mastercard 4808, Amex A02 and A08) are about process, not the customer. You win with the authorization approval record for the exact amount and date settled. If you settled more than was approved, settled late, or never got an approval, the rules usually favor the cardholder and accepting saves time.
Evidence by category: processing errors
Processing error codes (Visa 12.x, Mastercard 4834, Amex P codes) cover duplicates, wrong amounts, wrong currency and late submission. The answer is usually your transaction log. Show that two charges were two separate purchases, that the amount matches the signed receipt or order, or that a refund already went through. If the error is real, refund it and say so.
Evidence by category: consumer disputes
Consumer dispute codes (Visa 13.x, Mastercard 4853, Amex C codes) are about what was promised and what was delivered. Send proof of delivery or completed service, the product description or contract the customer agreed to, your refund and cancellation policy with proof it was shown before purchase (for example, a checkbox at checkout), and your message history with the customer. Address each point the cardholder raised. Visa's guidance specifically recommends this for quality disputes.
How to prevent the most common codes
Use a billing descriptor customers will recognize, with your trading name and a phone number or website; Visa lists an unclear merchant name as a cause of 10.4 fraud disputes, and American Express's current disputes guide tells merchants to keep billing descriptor information consistent, include the doing-business-as name and physical location or website, and put a customer service phone number in the descriptor. Ship to the verified billing address with tracking. Get authorization for the full amount and settle promptly. Show return and cancellation terms before payment and record acceptance. For subscriptions, confirm sign-up, make cancelling easy, stop billing the day someone cancels, and remind customers before a trial converts. Store IP address, device ID and account ID on every online order. Answer refund requests quickly, because a refunded customer has no reason to call their bank.
When to accept instead of fight
Accept or refund when the network's own guidance says the cardholder is right: you settled without a valid authorization, charged the same sale twice, billed after a cancellation, or owe a refund you have not issued. Also accept when you do not have the evidence the code requires; unrelated documents rarely change the outcome. Fight when you have exactly what the code asks for, such as delivery proof for a not-received claim, authentication or CE 3.0 data for card-absent fraud, or a disclosed and accepted policy for a cancellation claim. Watch your overall dispute ratio too, since the networks run monitoring programs for merchants with high dispute levels.
Key takeaways
- Read the network and reason code first; the code decides which evidence counts.
- Fraud codes are won with data tying the buyer to the cardholder: authentication, AVS, IP, device and prior undisputed orders.
- Consumer dispute codes are won with delivery proof and terms the customer accepted before paying.
- Visa CE 3.0 for 10.4 needs two undisputed transactions 120 to 365 days old with matching device, IP, account or address data.
- Use the deadline in your processor's portal; it is often shorter than the network's.
- If the network guidance says the cardholder is right, refund or accept instead of fighting.
Related guides
Sources
- Visa, Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants, June 2024
- Visa, Evolution of Compelling Evidence – Merchant FAQs, March 2023
- Mastercard, Chargeback Guide Merchant Edition, 13 May 2025
- American Express, How to Manage and Help Prevent Disputes, Global Merchant Network Services (version 2024PROP) (checked 2026-09-17)
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