Payments
Chargeback reason code
Updated
A chargeback reason code is the label a card network attaches to a dispute, such as Visa 10.4 or Mastercard 4837, saying what the cardholder claimed.
Every chargeback carries a code from the network's list. It tells the merchant what the cardholder claimed, how long the bank had to file, and which evidence can win. Visa groups its codes into fraud (10.x), authorisation (11.x), processing errors (12.x) and consumer disputes (13.x).
The code decides the response. A fraud claim is answered with proof the cardholder made the purchase, such as matching IP addresses and earlier undisputed orders; a not-received claim with tracking and delivery proof; a cancelled-subscription claim with the cancellation terms the customer agreed to.
Payment providers translate network codes into their own categories. Stripe, for example, shows a dispute reason such as fraudulent alongside the network's own code.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most common chargeback reason code?
- For online stores, card-absent fraud claims such as Visa 10.4 are the most common.
- Do all card networks use the same reason codes?
- No. Visa uses codes like 10.4 and 13.1, Mastercard four-digit codes like 4837, and American Express its own letter and number codes.
Sources
In depth: Chargeback reason codes, every network