Reason code · Visa
Visa reason code 13.4: counterfeit merchandise
Visa 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.
Key takeaways
- Someone qualified said it’s fake. The customer’s opinion alone isn’t enough under Visa’s rules.
- The goods may never have arrived. If the customer was told the order was counterfeit, the dispute applies anyway.
- Supplier paperwork is your friend. Show where the goods came from.
What Visa 13.4 means
Visa’s rule: the merchandise was identified as counterfeit by the owner of the intellectual property or its authorized representative, a customs, law enforcement or other government agency, or a third-party expert.
The bank must show who made that call and that they’re qualified to make it. If the cardholder was told the goods they ordered were counterfeit, the dispute applies even if the goods never arrived.
What the customer told their bank
“This is a fake, and here’s who said so.” Typical sources are a brand’s authentication service, a customs seizure notice or an independent appraiser.
The time limit
The bank has 120 calendar days from the processing date, the date the customer received the goods, or the date the customer was told they were counterfeit. The last two can’t push it past 540 days after processing.
Your own deadline is much shorter. Visa gives your bank (the acquirer) 30 calendar days from the dispute to respond. Your processor keeps part of that time, so the due date on your notice is the one that counts.
What kind of proof matters
Evidence the goods were genuine: where you bought them, and anything that ties this item to an authorized source. Visa’s rules let you answer with evidence that supports your claim that the merchandise wasn’t counterfeit, so sourcing records matter more than descriptions.
One common mistake
Arguing that the item “looks real” or that no one else complained. The bank is weighing a named, qualified source. Answer it with sourcing records, not opinion. Resellers and marketplace sellers are most exposed: if you can’t trace an item back to an authorized supplier, you’re arguing blind.
Dispute Daddy builds the response from your notice and your own records, ready for you to review, approve and submit. A flat $99 a month. See pricing.
