American Express · Chargeback reason codes
American Express FR4 chargeback: Immediate Chargeback Program explained
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American Express reason code FR4, Immediate Chargeback Program, means the merchant is enrolled in a program where Amex charges back disputes right away, with no inquiry first. The Merchant Rules describe the program as covering disputes other than actual or alleged fraud, although Stripe files FR4 under fraudulent. The only answers are a credit already issued or proof the merchant was not enrolled.
- Category
- Program
- Time limit for the bank to file
- No filing deadline applies (N/A in the Merchant Rules)
- 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
- Credit already issued, or proof the merchant was not enrolled
- Can it be prevented?
- Partly: resolve complaints before the Cardmember calls Amex
- Who usually wins
- Usually the Cardmember
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC emails the merchant the moment a dispute arrives with the reason and deadline, stops the subscription behind the order, and records the chargeback on the order, so an immediate chargeback is visible the same day.
What it means
Merchants can opt in, and in the US and Canada Amex may also place merchants in the program. Disputes arrive as chargebacks without the inquiry step that normally lets you answer first.
Why customers file it
Enrollment in the program; the underlying claims are ordinary Cardmember disputes.
Evidence that wins
For every Amex code, a credit that directly offsets the disputed charge is also an accepted response.
- Proof a credit was already issued
- Proof the merchant was not enrolled in the program
How to prevent it
- Answer customer complaints quickly so they come to you first
- Refund promptly when a refund is due
For developers
On Stripe the dispute object arrives with reason "fraudulent" 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
- Is FR4 a fraud code?
- Stripe files it under fraudulent, but the American Express Merchant Rules describe the Immediate Chargeback Program as covering disputes other than actual or alleged fraud.
- What is FR6?
- The Partial Immediate Chargeback Program: the same, but only for disputes below a set amount.
Sources
Related
- FR6 — Disputes below a set amount are charged back immediately with no inquiry first.
- FR2 — Amex placed the merchant in Fraud Full Recourse, so any fraud dispute can be charged back.
- P01 — The card number submitted does not belong to any American Express account.
- P03 — A refund was processed as a charge, so the Cardmember was billed instead of credited.
- P04 — A charge was processed as a credit by mistake.
- P05 — The amount charged differs from the amount on the Cardmember's receipt.
- P08 — The same charge was processed more than once.