Chargeback Reason Codes

Last updated 24 October 2026. Copy page as text

This page covers chargeback reason codes, the code on a dispute notice saying why money you already received is being taken back. Looking for a declined payment or a returned bank transfer?

Go by when it happened: a sale that failed on the spot is a decline, and money taken back after you already had it belongs here. If the payment ran on a routing and account number instead of a card, it's a bank transfer.

TL;DR

• They say they didn't authorize it: Visa 10.4, Mastercard 4837, Amex F29, Discover UA02 or 4868
• They say it never arrived: Visa 13.1, Mastercard 4853, Amex C08, Discover RG. Check the subreason
• They say it wasn't as described: Visa 13.3, Mastercard 4853. Check the subreason
• They say they cancelled recurring payments: Visa 13.2, Mastercard 4853, Amex C28, Discover AP
• Have a code? Jump to By Network
• Your deadline is the date on your notice

What's the customer claiming? Start with the claim and code on your notice, with the response date beside them. Then pick the evidence that answers that claim.

What is the customer claiming?

Choose the notice's claim even if you disagree with it, and keep the code recorded in your case.

What the customer says	Usual codes or next check	Evidence guide	Outline and checklist
They kept it	Read the allegation first	Match evidence to the claim	Fill in your response
It never arrived, or the box was empty	Visa 13.1; Mastercard 4853; Amex C08; Discover RG	Non-receipt records	Non-receipt outline
It wasn't as described	Visa 13.3; Mastercard 4853. Check the subreason	Listing and delivery records	Product or service outline
It was a course, download or call	Product type doesn't choose a code. Read the claim	Digital records or service records	Digital or service outline
I didn't authorize this	Visa 10.4; Mastercard 4837; Amex F29; Discover UA02 or 4868	Fraud evidence	Authorization claim outline
I cancelled recurring payments	Visa 13.2; Mastercard 4853; Amex C28; Discover AP	Recurring-payment records	Recurring cancellation outline

Stripe's claim and evidence guide VENDOR separates these claims. Mastercard 4853 covers several complaints in Stripe's mapping VENDOR. Ask for the subreason, the specific complaint beneath that code.

By Network

Mastercard | Visa | Amex | Discover

Mastercard Reason Codes

Mastercard runs on four-digit codes, grouped by category:

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 (retired, now 4837 or 4853)	Cardholder doesn't recognize
4870	Chip Liability	EMV counterfeit fraud
4871	Chip Lost/Stolen	Chip card lost/stolen/NRI

Visa Reason Codes

Visa's numbering is two-part, 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 mixes letters and numbers, with the letter carrying the category:

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 letter codes and four-digit codes. Go by the card brand on your notice:

Code	Category	Description
UA	Fraud	Unauthorized transaction
AT/AW	Authorization	Auth issues
DP/IN	Processing	Errors
RM/RG/NF	Consumer	Goods/services

Choose records for the claim

They kept the order

"They kept it" doesn't tell you the filed claim. Read what the customer actually told their bank: non-receipt, a product problem, or an unauthorized payment? Use that branch below, with the code on your notice.

Only see a broad category? Ask your processor:

Please confirm the network reason code and subreason. What exactly does the customer say happened?

Shopify's reason guide VENDOR gives different records for each claim.

They say it never arrived, or the box was empty

Start with the order and its fulfillment record, then gather tracking, delivery details and relevant customer messages. Shopify's non-receipt guidance VENDOR lists these evidence types.

Open the code that matches your notice:

• Visa 13.1
• Mastercard 4853
• Amex C08
• Discover RG

Then use the non-receipt checklist.

Records by what you sell:

What you sell	Shipped goods	Digital or online	In person or a service
Records that answer it	Carrier tracking showing delivery to the address on the order Signed proof of delivery, or the signed pickup form for a collected order The shipping label or receipt with the full address	Access or download logs after the payment, with IP addresses and timestamps The customer's IP address, name and email at purchase	The signed contract, work order or completion record, with the service date Customer messages from before the dispute
Where to find them	Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner. Shopify attaches a PDF of the order's fulfillment events itself Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: shipping_carrier, shipping_tracking_number, shipping_date, shipping_documentation. Stripe expands the tracking number into the carrier's delivery detail Square: Orders & payments > Disputes, in the dispute's information request form	Your own server or app logs: you supply this record Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: access_activity_log, customer_purchase_ip Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner, as the activity log Shopify asks for	Your booking or job records Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: service_date, service_documentation, customer_communication Square: the payment's receipt in Orders & payments > Transactions; attach the records in the dispute form

Sources: Stripe's evidence by product type VENDOR; Shopify's evidence by reason VENDOR; Shopify's chargeback response page VENDOR; Square's dispute walkthrough VENDOR; Square's transaction search VENDOR. Checked 24 October 2026. Menus move, so follow what your own dashboard shows.

An empty-box report needs a closer look. Save genuine packing records and messages you already have. A delivery scan doesn't show what was inside, so ask the processor which subreason was filed. Don't invent a packing record after the dispute.

They say it wasn't as described

Compare the complaint with the listing shown at sale, keeping what you promised and what you supplied together. Add relevant photos, return records and customer messages. Stripe's evidence guide VENDOR lists records for product complaints.

Use Visa 13.3 if it's on the notice. For Mastercard 4853, check the subreason first. Then open the not-as-described checklist.

For completed work, pull the agreed scope and service records that answer the complaint in your notice. Use service-business evidence. A completed job isn't a parcel with tracking.

Records by what you sell:

What you sell	Shipped goods	Digital or online	In person or a service
Records that answer it	Your product description and photos as the customer saw them before buying Your refund policy and how you showed it before purchase Customer messages, and whether they returned the item	The description of the product or service as it was represented Access logs showing the customer used it Your refund policy and how you showed it	The service as you advertised it, and the agreed scope Your refund policy and how you showed it Customer messages about the complaint
Where to find them	Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner, with descriptions or pictures from your store, plus fulfillment and tracking Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: product_description, refund_policy, refund_policy_disclosure, customer_communication Square: Orders & payments > Disputes, in the dispute's information request form	Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: product_description, access_activity_log, refund_policy Your own server or app logs for the access record Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner	Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: product_description, refund_policy, customer_communication Square: the payment in Orders & payments > Transactions; attach the records in the dispute form Your agreement or booking records

Sources: Stripe's evidence by product type VENDOR; Shopify's evidence by reason VENDOR; Shopify's chargeback response page VENDOR; Square's dispute walkthrough VENDOR; Square's transaction search VENDOR. Checked 24 October 2026. Menus move, so follow what your own dashboard shows.

It was a course, download or call

The product type doesn't decide the claim, so read the notice before choosing a code above. Is it non-receipt, quality, cancellation, or an unauthorized payment?

Use the digital goods guide for access or download records. For a completed call, use service-business evidence. Follow the claim's code guide too.

Save existing records tied to the account and transaction, and leave gaps where no log was kept. Account activity alone doesn't establish who used it. Shopify's guide VENDOR includes activity logs for digital non-receipt and cancellation claims.

They say they didn't authorize it

Check the code before you gather the response:

• Visa 10.4
• Mastercard 4837
• Amex F29
• Discover UA02

Your processor may show a different code. Braintree's evidence guide VENDOR lists 4868 for newer Discover CNP cases and keeps UA02 for older cases. Use the code on your notice.

A delivery record may answer where an order went. On its own, it doesn't answer who authorized a card payment.

Check authentication and transaction records separately, even when your shipping records show the order reached its destination. Stripe's fraud guidance VENDOR includes device, IP and customer-history records. Use the fraud evidence checklist to arrange what you've got. No single record promises a win.

Records by what you sell:

What you sell	Shipped goods	Digital or online	In person or a service
Records that answer it	The 3D Secure result, if it ran The shipping address matching an AVS-verified billing address Earlier undisputed orders on the same card, and delivery records	The customer's IP address, device and email at purchase Login or access logs after the payment Earlier undisputed payments on the same card	The receipt and the card entry method: read from the chip, or typed in Chip and PIN results, and the authorization response For a collected order or service: the signature and ID details the cardholder gave
Where to find them	Shopify: the order's Order risk section shows AVS and CVV indicators and the IP address when available. Submit through Add evidence Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page. Stripe fills in the 3D Secure ECI for a liability-shift case. For an eligible Visa 10.4, leave pre-filled CE 3.0 fields unchanged and complete any empty required fields. Shipping goes in shipping_address and shipping_tracking_number Square: Orders & payments > Disputes, in the dispute's information request form	Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: customer_purchase_ip, customer_email_address, access_activity_log. For an eligible Visa 10.4, leave pre-filled CE 3.0 fields unchanged and complete any empty required fields Shopify: the IP address in the order's Order risk section, when available Your own server or app logs for device and access records	Square: the payment in Orders & payments > Transactions. Square says a fraud claim on a chip card that was swiped generally goes the customer's way Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: customer_signature, service_documentation Your processor, for the entry mode and chip results it holds

Sources: Stripe's evidence by product type VENDOR; Stripe's dispute response form VENDOR; Shopify's evidence by reason VENDOR; Shopify's order risk analysis VENDOR; Square's dispute walkthrough VENDOR; Square's transaction search VENDOR. Checked 24 October 2026. Menus move, so follow what your own dashboard shows.

They say they cancelled recurring payments

Open the code that matches your notice:

• Visa 13.2
• Mastercard 4853
• Amex C28
• Discover AP

Then use the recurring-payment records.

Records by what you sell:

What you sell	Shipped goods	Digital or online	In person or a service
Records that answer it	Your cancellation policy as the customer saw it, and when Renewal notices you sent Your cancellation log: no request, or one after this charge	Your cancellation policy and how you showed it before purchase Activity logs showing use after the date they say they cancelled Renewal notices you sent	Your cancellation policy and how you showed it Service dates and records after the claimed cancellation Renewal notices and the customer's replies
Where to find them	Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner, with the policy, your cancellation emails and when the customer saw the policy Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: cancellation_policy, cancellation_policy_disclosure, cancellation_rebuttal, customer_communication Square: Orders & payments > Disputes, in the dispute's information request form	Shopify: Orders, open the order, then Add evidence on the chargeback banner, with an activity log of access after the claimed cancellation Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: cancellation_policy, cancellation_rebuttal, customer_communication Your own server or app logs for the activity record	Stripe: Counter dispute on the dispute details page: cancellation_policy, service_date, service_documentation Square: the payments in Orders & payments > Transactions; attach the records in the dispute form Your booking or membership records

Sources: Stripe's evidence by product type VENDOR; Shopify's evidence by reason VENDOR; Shopify's chargeback response page VENDOR; Square's dispute walkthrough VENDOR; Square's transaction search VENDOR. Checked 24 October 2026. Menus move, so follow what your own dashboard shows.

Is it worth contesting after the fee?

Start with which state you're in. Check that before taking another refund or dispute action.

Ask what extra fee applies if you contest. What's still recoverable, and how long will responding take? Use your own contract and case details, because a code can't supply those numbers for you. Mastercard's merchant FAQ NETWORK discusses weighing the time and cost.

If the case is already closed or lost, go to after a lost dispute with the decision beside you. Save the decision and case records before asking what's left.

Scale Callout

Who's handling it	First useful step
Just you	Keep the claim, code, deadline and records together
Small team	Give each case one owner
Several providers	Keep the provider and case status with each record

Where This Breaks

There's only a category. Ask for the code and subreason before choosing which claim your records need to answer.

It wasn't a card payment. Use bank return codes for an ACH return. For a failed card payment, use decline codes.

You've already refunded or responded. Check the case state before another action.

The case is lost. Use the post-loss guide, with the decision beside you.

Test to Run

Try the chooser against one notice you've actually received. Can you name the claim, code and deadline? Open the matching guide and choose one existing record, asking for any missing subreason before building the packet.

New to chargebacks?

Looking up a code? You're in the right place. For the basics, start with What Is a Chargeback?.

Cross-Network Comparison

Response Time Frames

These are the networks' own windows. The date on your notice is the one to meet.

Network	Representment Window
Mastercard	45 days (varies by region)
Visa	30 days (see your notice)
Amex	20 days
Discover	Not published

Discover doesn't publish its dispute windows. Get them from your acquirer in writing, and work to the date on your notice.

Liability Shift (3DS)

Network	Full Shift Code
Mastercard	SLI 1 or 2
Visa	ECI 05
Amex	ECI 05
Discover	ECI 05

Do next

• Representment - Fighting chargebacks
• Use AI on a dispute - Read the notice and draft a reply you check
• Chargeback Lifecycle - Full dispute flow

Look up

• Time Frames Reference - Response deadlines
• Network Monitoring Programs - VAMP, ECM thresholds
• Fraud Classification - Identify fraud types

Deeper

• Cross-Network Comparison - Response times and liability shift
• Chargeback Prevention - Stop disputes before filing
• Chargeback Alerts - RDR, Ethoca, CDRN
• 3D Secure - Authentication and liability shift
• Friendly Fraud - First-party abuse patterns
• Reduce Chargebacks Fast - Crisis response

Sources

Source	Scope
Stripe code categories VENDOR	Visa, Mastercard and Amex mappings; multiple Mastercard 4853 subreasons
Stripe reason-code evidence guide VENDOR	Claim-specific evidence examples, including product and authorization claims
Shopify chargeback reasons VENDOR	Non-receipt, product, cancellation and digital evidence examples
Mastercard merchant FAQ NETWORK	Acquirer deadline; evidence matched to the claim; time and cost of contesting
Braintree evidence requirements VENDOR	Discover CNP code update effective 17 April 2026; older codes retained for older or in-flight cases