Chargeback Reason Codes
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TL;DR
- Fraud codes: Visa 10.4, Mastercard 4837, Amex F29, Discover UA02. Fight with 3DS, CE 3.0
- Not received: Visa 13.1, Mastercard 4853/4855, Amex C08. Need delivery proof
- Cancelled recurring: Visa 13.2, Mastercard 4853, Amex C28. Need original consent + terms
- Response deadlines: Amex 20 days, Visa 30 days, Mastercard 45 days
- Match your evidence to the specific code. Generic responses lose
New to chargebacks?
Looking up a specific reason code? You're in the right place. Want to understand chargebacks from the ground up (what they are, how to respond, and what evidence wins)? Start The Guide, Pathway 2, 3 lessons, ~25 minutes.
Every chargeback comes with a reason code, a short code telling you why the customer's bank reversed the charge. Understanding these codes is essential for proper representment (fighting back with evidence) and dispute prevention.
By Network
Mastercard Reason Codes
Mastercard uses 4-digit codes:
| Code | Category | Common Issues |
|---|---|---|
| 4808 | Authorization | Auth not obtained properly |
| 4834 | Point of Interaction | Processing errors, duplicates |
| 4837 | Fraud | Cardholder denies authorization |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Goods/services issues |
| 4863 | Recognition | Cardholder doesn't recognize |
| 4870 | Chip Liability | EMV counterfeit fraud |
| 4871 | Chip Lost/Stolen | Chip card lost/stolen/NRI |
Visa Reason Codes
Visa uses a two-part numbering system (Category.Subcategory):
| Category | Description | Key Codes |
|---|---|---|
| 10.x | Fraud | 10.4 CNP fraud, 10.5 VFMP |
| 11.x | Authorization | 11.1-11.3 auth issues |
| 12.x | Processing Errors | 12.1-12.7 various errors |
| 13.x | Consumer Disputes | 13.1-13.9 goods/services |
American Express Reason Codes
Amex uses letter-number combinations:
| Series | Category | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| F | Fraud | F10, F14, F24, F29 |
| A | Authorization | A01, A02, A08 |
| P | Processing | P01-P23 |
| C | Consumer | C02-C32 |
Discover Reason Codes
Discover uses 2-letter codes:
| Code | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| UA | Fraud | Unauthorized transaction |
| AT/AW | Authorization | Auth issues |
| DP/IN | Processing | Errors |
| RM/RG/NF | Consumer | Goods/services |
Code Categories at a Glance
Fraud Codes
| Network | Primary Fraud Code |
|---|---|
| Mastercard | 4837 |
| Visa | 10.4 |
| Amex | F29 |
| Discover | UA02 |
Non-Receipt Codes
| Network | Not Received Code |
|---|---|
| Mastercard | 4853 (category) |
| Visa | 13.1 |
| Amex | C08 |
| Discover | RG |
Cancelled Recurring Codes
| Network | Recurring Code |
|---|---|
| Mastercard | 4853 (category) |
| Visa | 13.2 |
| Amex | C28 |
| Discover | AP |
Cross-Network Comparison
Response Time Frames
| Network | Representment Window |
|---|---|
| Mastercard | 45 days (varies by region) |
| Visa | 30 days |
| Amex | 20 days |
| Discover | 30 days |
Liability Shift (3DS)
| Network | Full Shift Code |
|---|---|
| Mastercard | SLI 1 or 2 |
| Visa | ECI 05 |
| Amex | ECI 05 |
| Discover | ECI 05 |
Popular in This Section
- Visa Reason Codes - 10.x fraud, 11.x auth, 12.x processing, 13.x consumer
- Mastercard Reason Codes - 4808, 4834, 4837, 4853 and more
- Cross-Network Comparison - Response times and liability shift
Related Resources
- Compelling Evidence Guide - Evidence requirements by code
- Time Frames Reference - Response deadlines
- Network Monitoring Programs - VAMP, ECM thresholds
- Representment - Fighting chargebacks
- Chargeback Lifecycle - Full dispute flow
- Chargeback Prevention - Stop disputes before filing
- Chargeback Alerts - RDR, Ethoca, CDRN
- 3D Secure - Authentication and liability shift
- Friendly Fraud - First-party abuse patterns
- Fraud Classification - Identify fraud types
- Decline Codes - Authorization failure reasons
- Reduce Chargebacks Fast - Crisis response