Reason code · American Express
Amex F31: EMV lost, stolen or non-received
F31 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.
What F31 means
F31 is the second of Amex’s chip liability codes. The Card Member denies the charge, and their chip card with PIN capability was lost, stolen or never received. It was then used at a terminal where the sale wasn’t processed as a chip transaction with PIN verification, either because the terminal doesn’t support chip and PIN or because the card was keyed.
What F31 doesn’t cover
Amex’s guide lists three exclusions:
- Contactless transactions.
- Digital wallet payments.
- Charges that qualify under Amex’s No Signature/No PIN program.
If your sale fits one of these, say so. The code shouldn’t apply.
Time limit
Amex’s guide gives Card Members (Amex’s word for cardholders) up to 120 days from the transaction date to dispute most charges, and processor guides list this fraud code at the same 120 days.
Your side of the clock is short. Amex’s own guide tells merchants to respond within 20 days. If you accept Amex through a processor such as Stripe or Square, the processor sets its own date, often a shorter one. The due date on your notice is the one that counts.
What proof matters
Amex lists three answers: proof the charge was card-not-present, proof your terminal processed a chip transaction with the PIN validated, or proof a refund already offsets it. A chip read alone is weaker than a chip read with PIN, because the PIN is what the code is about.
The PIN is the point
F30 is about fake cards. F31 is about real cards in the wrong hands. A thief holding a genuine card can pass a chip read, but not a PIN check they can’t answer. That’s why Amex ties liability to whether the PIN was verified. Your terminal’s receipt or transaction record showing “PIN verified” is the document that matters.
The common mistake
Bypassing the PIN prompt or keying the card to get a line moving. Amex’s prevention list is the same as for counterfeit fraud: chip-enabled terminals where possible, ID checks on large in-person sales, and an approval and imprint for keyed sales.
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Upload the notice and your records. Dispute Daddy builds a response around the reason Amex actually gave, and you approve it before you submit. See how the method works.
