Mastercard · Chargeback reason codes
Mastercard 4863 chargeback: Cardholder Does Not Recognize – Potential Fraud
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Mastercard reason code 4863, Cardholder Does Not Recognize – Potential Fraud, is a legacy code for a charge the cardholder does not recognise on their statement. Mastercard's current Chargeback Guide no longer lists it, and Stripe maps it to "unrecognized". The fix is recognition: a clear statement descriptor, receipts, and evidence that ties the cardholder to the order, such as their email, IP address, delivery address and earlier purchases.
- Category
- Fraud / unrecognized (legacy code)
- Time limit for the bank to file
- Not listed in the current Mastercard guide
- Time limit to respond
- Your processor's deadline (on Stripe usually 7–21 days); Mastercard gives the acquirer 45 days from the chargeback for a second presentment
- Typical evidence
- Order details, email and IP, delivery proof, earlier undisputed purchases
- Can it be prevented?
- Yes: a recognisable descriptor and receipts
- Who usually wins
- The merchant who shows the cardholder made and received the order
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC answers this kind of dispute with its standard evidence pack built from the order: customer name, email, IP address, billing and shipping address, items bought, carrier, tracking and ship date, the refund policy, and any refund already issued. With "Answer a chargeback automatically" switched on, it sends the response to the bank for you before the deadline.
What it means
Mastercard's current Chargeback Guide no longer lists 4863; its summary of changes records a standard that eliminates legacy chargeback codes. Stripe still shows the code on some disputes.
Mastercard's guide does not name a successor sub-reason. A cardholder who says they did not authorize a charge is handled as 4837 No Cardholder Authorization.
Why customers file it
A statement descriptor the customer does not connect with your store, a family member's purchase, or a forgotten order.
Evidence that wins
Send the items that answer the bank's exact question. Each one should be dated and tied to this order.
- Order details, receipt and the email it was sent to
- Purchase IP address and billing address
- Tracking showing delivery to the cardholder's address
- Earlier undisputed purchases by the same customer
How to prevent it
- Use your store name or website as the statement descriptor
- Email a receipt with every charge
For developers
On Stripe the dispute object arrives with reason "unrecognized" 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.
The acquirer answers with a second presentment within 45 days; the Central Site Business Date of the chargeback counts as day zero. For cardholder disputes the issuer may then file pre-arbitration within 30 days, and the acquirer has 30 days to accept or reject it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is 4863 still used?
- Not in Mastercard's current Chargeback Guide. Stripe still maps it to unrecognized.
- How do I stop "don't recognize" disputes?
- Make the charge recognisable: a statement descriptor with your store name, and a receipt email for every charge.
Sources
Related
- 4837 — The cardholder says they did not authorize the purchase. Mastercard's main fraud chargeback.
- 4853 — The umbrella cardholder dispute: not received, not as described, refund missing, cancelled subscription.
- 4808 — A required authorization was missing, expired or declined, or the charge cleared too late.
- 4834 — A processing error at the point of sale: charged twice, wrong amount, currency conversion or surcharge.
- 4870 — A counterfeit copy of a chip card was used at a terminal that did not read the chip.
- 4871 — A lost, stolen or never-received PIN chip card was used at a terminal that could not take a PIN.