American Express · Chargeback reason codes
American Express C04 chargeback: Goods or Services Returned or Refused, Credit Not Received
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American Express reason code C04, Goods or Services Refused or Returned but Credit Not Received, means the Cardmember says they returned or refused the goods in good faith and no credit followed. The issuer waits 15 days before filing. Win with proof refuting the return, or with the return policy you disclosed at purchase and how the Cardmember broke it, alongside proof of any credit already given.
- Category
- Cardmember dispute
- Time limit for the bank to file
- 120 days from the return or refusal date; after a 15-day wait
- Time limit to respond
- 20 days from the Amex chargeback or inquiry in the US (your processor's deadline may be earlier); no reply means a "No Reply" chargeback
- Typical evidence
- Proof refuting the return, or disclosed return policy and how it was broken
- Can it be prevented?
- Yes: clear return policy at checkout and fast refunds on returns
- Who usually wins
- The merchant with a disclosed policy the Cardmember did not follow
What PlatformDTC does
For a "refund not received" dispute, PlatformDTC reads the refund history from Stripe: if the money was already returned it sends each refund's amount, date and acquirer reference number (ARN) and asks the bank not to pay twice; if not, it quotes the store's published refund policy. With "Answer a chargeback automatically" switched on, it sends the response to the bank for you before the deadline.
What it means
The Cardmember sent the goods back or refused delivery and expected a credit. Amex requires a good-faith return attempt.
Why customers file it
Returns that arrive but are not refunded, returns outside the policy, or parcels refused at the door.
Evidence that wins
For every Amex code, a credit that directly offsets the disputed charge is also an accepted response.
- Proof refuting the claimed return
- The return policy disclosed at the time of purchase
- How the Cardmember did not follow that policy, for example the receipt plus an explanation
- Proof of any credit already processed
How to prevent it
- Show the return policy at checkout
- Refund promptly when an eligible return arrives
For developers
On Stripe the dispute object arrives with reason "credit_not_processed" and the card network's own code in payment_method_details.card.network_reason_code; listen for charge.dispute.created and read evidence_details.due_by for the deadline.
American Express uses one letter plus two digits for US and Canada merchants; elsewhere it uses four-digit ISO codes, and each letter code sits under one.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Cardmember have to try to return the item?
- Yes. Amex requires a good-faith attempt to return for C04.
- What wins a C04?
- Proof the return did not happen, or the disclosed return policy and how it was not followed.
Sources
Related
- C02 — The Cardmember says a credit you owed them never reached their account.
- C05 — The Cardmember cancelled the order or service and did not get a credit.
- C08 — The Cardmember says the order never arrived or only part of it did.
- C14 — The Cardmember says they paid for the purchase another way.
- C18 — The Cardmember says they were wrongly billed for a guaranteed reservation or advance deposit.
- C28 — The Cardmember says a subscription kept billing after they cancelled.
- C31 — The Cardmember says the goods or services did not match the description or quality promised.