Reason codes
Chargeback reason codes, in plain English
Search a code, or the words your processor shows you, like “Product not received”.
Visa: fraud
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 10.1: counterfeit card fraud at the counterVisa 10.1 is a fraud dispute: the cardholder says a counterfeit copy of their chip card was used at your counter, and your terminal didn’t read the chip. The bank has 120 days to file, and the loss sits with whoever skipped the chip.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 10.2: lost or stolen chip-and-PIN card fraudVisa 10.2 is a fraud dispute: a real card that was lost, stolen or never received was used at your counter, and your terminal didn’t handle its chip and PIN properly. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 10.3: keyed-in card fraud at the counterVisa 10.3 is a fraud dispute over an in-person sale where the card number was typed in rather than read by the terminal. The cardholder says they didn’t make it. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 10.4: fraud on online and phone ordersVisa 10.4 is the fraud dispute for card-absent sales: online, in-app, phone and mail orders. The cardholder says they didn’t authorize or take part in the purchase. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 10.5: Visa Fraud Monitoring ProgramVisa 10.5 isn’t driven by one customer’s complaint. Visa told the cardholder’s bank the transaction was flagged by the Visa Fraud Monitoring Program, and the bank has 120 days from that report to file.Read the code
Visa: authorization
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 11.2: declined authorizationVisa 11.2 means an authorization request came back declined, or as a pick-up response, and the business completed the sale anyway. The cardholder’s bank has 75 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 11.3: no authorization or late presentmentVisa 11.3 means the charge needed an authorization and didn’t get one, or got one but was processed too long afterward. The cardholder’s bank has 75 days to file.Read the code
Visa: processing errors
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.2: incorrect transaction codeVisa 12.2 is a processing-error dispute: a refund went through as a charge, a charge went through as a refund, or the business sent a refund where it should have reversed the charge. The cardholder’s bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.3: incorrect currencyVisa 12.3 is a processing-error dispute about currency: the transaction currency didn’t match what was sent to Visa, or the customer was charged in their home currency without clearly choosing it. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.4: incorrect account numberVisa 12.4 is a processing-error dispute: the charge was processed using the wrong card number. The cardholder’s bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.5: incorrect amountVisa 12.5 is a processing-error dispute: the amount charged was wrong, or there was an addition or transposition error. The bank has 120 days to file, and it can dispute only the difference.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.6: duplicate charge or paid by other meansVisa 12.6 covers two complaints: the same purchase was charged twice, or the customer already paid for it another way, such as cash or another card. The cardholder’s bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 12.7: invalid dataVisa 12.7 is a processing-error dispute: the authorization was obtained with invalid or incorrect data, or the merchant category code in the authorization didn’t match the one in settlement. The bank has 75 days to file.Read the code
Visa: consumer disputes
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.1: merchandise or services not receivedVisa 13.1 means the customer says they paid but never received the goods or service, because the business was unwilling or unable to provide it. The bank usually has 120 days to file, and up to 540 days for goods or services expected later.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.2: cancelled recurring transactionVisa 13.2 means the customer says they withdrew permission for a recurring charge, or their account was closed, and the business charged them anyway. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.3: not as described or defectiveVisa 13.3 means the customer says the goods or service didn’t match what was described at purchase, arrived damaged or defective, or was poor quality. The bank usually has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.4: counterfeit merchandiseVisa 13.4 means the merchandise was identified as counterfeit by the brand owner, a customs or government agency, or a third-party expert. The bank has 120 days to file, counted from one of three dates.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.5: misrepresentationVisa 13.5 means the customer says the business misrepresented the terms of sale. The classic case is a free trial or intro offer that turned into charges the customer wasn’t clearly told about. The bank usually has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.6: credit not processedVisa 13.6 means the customer has a credit receipt, a voided receipt or another record showing a refund is due, and the refund never arrived. The bank has 120 days from the date on that receipt.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.7: cancelled merchandise or servicesVisa 13.7 means the customer cancelled a service or reservation, or returned goods, and got no refund, and says your cancellation or return policy wasn’t properly disclosed or applied. The bank usually has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.8: original credit transaction not acceptedVisa 13.8 is about money sent to a card, not taken from it. An Original Credit Transaction, a payout pushed to a Visa card, was refused by the recipient or isn’t allowed by law. The bank has 120 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · VisaVisa reason code 13.9: non-receipt of cash at an ATMVisa 13.9 means the cardholder used an ATM and didn’t receive the cash, or received only part of it. The bank has 120 days to file, and the dispute is limited to the amount not received.Read the code
Mastercard
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4808: authorization-related chargeback4808 means the bank says the charge didn’t have a valid approval: none at all, less than you charged, or one that expired before you processed the sale. The bank has 90 days to file. Most 4808s are prevented at the terminal, not won in a response.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4812: account number not on file4812 means the card’s bank says the card number on your sale isn’t one it has on file. Mastercard now handles it under 4808 Authorization-related Chargeback, and says 4812 will eventually be eliminated. The bank has 90 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4831: transaction amount differs4831 means the customer says the amount charged doesn’t match what they agreed to pay. Mastercard now handles it under 4834 Point-of-Interaction Error, and the bank has 90 days to file. The agreed amount, in writing, is what settles it.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4834: point-of-interaction error4834 is Mastercard’s code for processing errors at the point of sale: duplicate charges, wrong amounts, wrong currency and a few others. Most must be filed within 90 days. Two separate receipts beat any explanation.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4837: no cardholder authorization4837 is Mastercard’s main fraud code: the cardholder says they didn’t make or allow the purchase. The bank has 120 days from the transaction to file. You win it by tying the real cardholder to the purchase, not by showing the card was approved.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4840: fraudulent processing of transactions4840 is a legacy Mastercard fraud code that doesn’t appear in the current Chargeback Guide. Fraud claims now run as 4837 and a few chip-specific codes. If you see 4840, read the notice’s description and ask your processor which current rule applies.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4841: cancelled recurring transaction4841 means the customer says they cancelled a subscription or recurring plan and kept getting charged. Mastercard now handles it under 4853 Cardholder Dispute. The bank has 120 days from the disputed charge to file.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4842: late presentment4842 is a retired Mastercard code for sales processed too late after the purchase. It doesn’t appear in the current Chargeback Guide. Late sales are now charged back under 4808 as an expired approval, which the bank can file within 90 days.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4846: correct transaction currency code not provided4846 means the customer says the charge was in the wrong currency, or they were converted to their home currency without a real choice. Mastercard now handles it under 4834 Point-of-Interaction Error. Most banks have 90 days to file.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4849: questionable merchant activity4849 isn’t a normal customer complaint. Banks can only use it when Mastercard has named the merchant in its Questionable Merchant Audit Program or confirmed a coercion claim in writing. If you see one, your processor relationship needs attention right away.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4853: cardholder dispute4853 is Mastercard’s code for customer complaints about the purchase itself: not received, not as described, cancelled or never refunded. Most claims must be filed within 120 days. Your proof has to answer the exact complaint on the notice.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4855: goods or services not provided4855 means the customer says the goods never arrived or the service never happened. Mastercard now handles it under 4853 Cardholder Dispute, usually within 120 days. Dated proof of delivery or service to this customer is what counts.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4859: addendum, no-show or ATM dispute4859 covers charges added after the sale, hotel no-show fees and ATM disputes. Mastercard now handles the first two under 4853 Cardholder Dispute and ATM problems under 4834. Most claims must be filed within 120 days.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4860: credit not processed4860 means the customer says they returned something or cancelled, and the refund never arrived. Mastercard now handles it under 4853 Cardholder Dispute. The bank usually files 15 to 120 days after the refund, cancellation or return date.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4863: cardholder does not recognize4863 means the cardholder looked at their statement and didn’t recognize the charge. It’s an older code that doesn’t appear in Mastercard’s current Chargeback Guide, where fraud claims run as 4837. Some processors still show it, so check your notice for the deadline.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4870: chip liability shift4870 is a counterfeit-card chargeback. A chip card was copied, the copy was used in person, and the sale went through without the chip being read. The bank has 120 days to file, and the liability lands on whoever had the weaker technology.Read the code
- Reason code · MastercardMastercard 4871: chip liability shift, lost, stolen or never received4871 means a lost, stolen or never-received card was used in person, and your terminal couldn’t take a PIN even though the card was set up for one. The bank has 120 days from the transaction to file. The liability shifts to the side without PIN.Read the code
American Express
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex A01: charge amount exceeds authorization amountA01 means the final charge was bigger than the amount the card was approved for, and no new approval covered the difference. It’s a paperwork code, not a customer complaint. Your answer is the approval record, or a refund that already offsets the charge.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex A02: no valid authorizationA02 means the charge went through without a valid approval. The approval was declined, didn’t match the charge, or the card had expired. You answer with the approval record, proof the charge came before the card expired, or a refund.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex A08: authorization approval expiredA08 means you submitted the charge after its approval had expired. Amex’s guide says to submit within 7 days, with exceptions for cruise lines, lodging and vehicle rental. Your answer is a valid approval record or a refund already processed.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C02: credit not processedC02 means the Card Member was owed a refund, full or partial, and Amex never saw it arrive. Often it starts with your own reply to an earlier inquiry saying a credit was on its way. You answer with proof the credit went through, or proof no credit is due.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C04: goods or services returned or refusedC04 means the Card Member says they returned the goods, or refused them, and never got a refund. Your return policy, how you showed it, and whether the customer followed it decide most of these cases.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C05: goods or services canceledC05 means the Card Member says they canceled the order or service and still got charged, or never got the refund. Your cancellation policy, proof the customer saw it, and your cancellation records decide these cases.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C08: goods or services not received or only partially receivedC08 means the Card Member says they never received what they paid for, or only part of it. The filing window can run up to 540 days after the sale for services expected later. Dated proof of delivery or service is what answers it.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C14: paid by other meansC14 means the Card Member has shown Amex proof they paid for the same thing another way: cash, another card, or someone else. To keep the charge, show the other payment was for something else, or that the customer agreed to this card.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C18: “no show” or CARDeposit canceledC18 is Amex’s lodging code. The Card Member says they canceled a reservation and were still billed as a no-show, or never got credit for a canceled advance deposit. Your booking terms and cancellation log decide it.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C28: canceled recurring billingC28 means the Card Member says they canceled, or tried to cancel, a subscription or other recurring charge and you kept billing them. Proof they didn’t cancel and kept using the service is one of the answers Amex accepts.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C31: goods or services not as describedC31 means the Card Member says what they received doesn’t match what was described, or is worse quality than promised. Amex measures it against the written description at the time of the charge, so that description is your starting point.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex C32: goods or services damaged or defectiveC32 means the Card Member says the goods arrived damaged or defective, or the service was delivered in a defective state. Whether the goods came back to you changes which answers Amex accepts.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F10: missing imprintF10 is an Amex fraud code. The Card Member says they didn’t make the charge, and you have no imprint of the card: it wasn’t swiped or chip-read, or a keyed sale had no manual imprint. A common cause is a phone or online sale coded as card-present.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F14: multiple ROCsF14 means the Card Member says they made one valid purchase with you but deny the additional charges that followed. A ROC is a record of charge. Processors don’t all label F14 the same way, so read the description on your notice.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F24: no Card Member authorizationF24 means the Card Member denies making the charge and you didn’t show they took part. It usually follows an Amex inquiry that went unanswered or fell short. By the time F24 arrives, Amex’s guide lists only one response: a refund already processed.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F29: card not presentF29 is Amex’s fraud code for online, phone and mail orders: the Card Member says they didn’t make the purchase or get anything from it. Amex accepts a short, specific list of proof. A general “the order looked fine” isn’t on it.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F30: EMV counterfeitF30 means the Card Member denies the charge and a counterfeit chip card was used where the sale wasn’t processed as a chip transaction, because the terminal couldn’t read chips or the card was keyed. It’s a liability-shift code: the fix is at the counter.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex F31: EMV lost, stolen or non-receivedF31 means the Card Member denies the charge and their chip-and-PIN card was lost, stolen or never received, then used where the sale wasn’t processed as chip with PIN. Contactless, digital wallet and No Signature/No PIN charges are excluded.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex FR2: Fraud Full Recourse ProgramFR2 means the Card Member denies authorizing the charge and your merchant account is enrolled in Amex’s Fraud Full Recourse Program. Amex’s guide lists only two answers: you weren’t in the program at the time, or a refund already offsets the charge.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex FR4: Immediate Chargeback ProgramFR4 means the Card Member disputed the charge and your account is enrolled in Amex’s Immediate Chargeback Program. Amex’s guide lists two answers: you weren’t in the program at the time, or a refund already offsets the charge.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex FR6: Partial Immediate Chargeback ProgramFR6 means the Card Member disputed a charge, your account is in Amex’s Partial Immediate Chargeback Program, and the amount falls under the program’s threshold. Amex gives examples from $20 up to $250. Two responses apply.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex M01: chargeback authorizationM01 means you agreed to it. Your reply to an Amex inquiry authorized Amex to charge back the disputed amount. There’s nothing to fight, but there is something to check: that you didn’t also refund the customer directly.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P01: unassigned card numberP01 means you submitted a charge to an invalid or incorrect card number, often a canceled or replaced card still on file. Amex’s guide notes you may resubmit if you can verify the correct number.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P03: credit processed as chargeP03 means the Card Member says a transaction that should have been a refund was processed as a charge. It’s a processing error, and the fix is usually fast: show the charge was right, or show the offsetting credit.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P04: charge processed as creditP04 is the mirror image of P03: a transaction submitted as a credit should have been a charge. It’s a processing-error code. You answer with proof the credit was correct, or proof an offsetting charge was processed.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P05: incorrect charge amountP05 means the amount you charged differs from what the Card Member agreed to pay. Added fees, taxes, delayed charges and short refunds all lead here. Your answer is proof they agreed to the amount, or an itemized record that supports it.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P07: late submissionP07 means the charge was approved but submitted to Amex after that approval had expired. It’s a timing error on the merchant side. Your answer is proof you submitted in time, or a refund already processed.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P08: duplicate chargeP08 means the Card Member says the same charge was submitted more than once. Sometimes it’s a true duplicate. Sometimes it’s two real purchases that look alike, or a subscription the customer forgot. Show each charge stands on its own, or refund the copy.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P22: non-matching card numberP22 means the card number you submitted with the charge doesn’t match the card number that was approved. It’s a processing error, usually from keying or from charging later than the sale. Your answer is the imprint or terminal record.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex P23: currency discrepancyP23 means the charge was processed in a different currency than the one the Card Member agreed to be billed in. Amex’s guide lists one response: a refund that already offsets the charge. Some processor documents label P23 differently, so read the description.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex R03: insufficient replyR03 means you replied to an Amex inquiry, but the reply fell short: incomplete, off-topic, missing a policy, or explaining only part of the amount. At this stage Amex’s guide lists one response: a refund already processed.Read the code
- Reason code · American ExpressAmex R13: no replyR13 means Amex didn’t receive your reply to its inquiry by the due date, or it arrived late. The money comes back to you only if you can prove you replied in time, or show a refund already processed.Read the code
Discover
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover AA: cardholder does not recognize the transactionAA means the cardholder doesn’t recognize the charge. It isn’t a fraud claim yet: often the customer just can’t match the statement line to you. Answering Discover’s earlier document request, if one came, matters more than anything you send later.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover AP: recurring paymentsAP is Discover’s recurring-billing code. The cardholder says a recurring charge posted after their plan expired or after they canceled. Processor guides have listed a 15-day condition: the cancellation came at least 15 days before the disputed charge posted. Check your notice.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover DP: duplicate processingDP means the cardholder says you charged them more than once for the same purchase. If they’re right, refund the copy. If the charges are two separate purchases, show each one standing on its own.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover RG: non-receipt of goods or servicesRG is Discover’s not-received code. The cardholder says the goods or services never arrived, they canceled and were still charged, or they refused delivery. Claims can come up to 540 days after the sale. Dated proof of delivery or service answers it.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover RM: cardholder disputes quality of goods or servicesRM means the cardholder says the goods or services didn’t match what the two of you agreed. Chase’s processor guide notes RM can’t be used for mere inconveniences, such as disliking a meal. Your agreement and proof of what you delivered decide it.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover RN2: credit not receivedRN2 means the cardholder says a refund you promised them was never processed. The question is whether a credit was actually due under your policy, and if it was, whether it went through.Read the code
- Reason code · DiscoverDiscover UA02: fraud, card-not-present transactionUA02 is Discover’s fraud code for online, phone and mail orders: the cardholder says they didn’t make the purchase. Processors describe the accepted defenses differently, so the rules your processor applies are the ones that matter.Read the code
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