# Discover UA02 - Fraud: Card Not Present
Source: https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/discover/ua02-cnp-fraud

Last updated 24 October 2026.

This is the Discover code for a customer denying an online or phone order: UA02. Looking for [Visa 10.4](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/visa/10-4-fraud-cnp/), [Mastercard 4837](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/mastercard/fraud/) or [Amex F29](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/amex/f29-cnp-fraud/)?

Read the code off your notice: a dot means Visa, four digits and no dot is Mastercard, one letter and two digits is Amex. Get that right first, because the response deadline runs from 20 days on Amex to 45 on Mastercard.

TL;DR

-   UA02 is Discover's **main fraud code for e-commerce and card-not-present orders**. The cardholder says they didn't authorize the charge.
-   ProtectBuy (Discover's 3D Secure) is the defense that actually works. Full authentication shifts liability to the issuer.
-   Without it you're arguing with AVS/CVV results, delivery proof, and device logs. That wins sometimes, not most of the time.
-   Discover doesn't publish its chargeback or retrieval response windows. Get both deadlines from your acquirer in writing, and work to the date on each notice. They are separate stages.
-   The retrieval is the cheaper fight. It's the one people skip.

## Got this code?

**Your deadline:** Discover doesn't publish its response window. Get your deadline from your acquirer in writing, and work to the date on your notice.

**The claim:** A cardholder told Discover they didn't place an order you fulfilled. Online, phone, or mail. That's UA02. It's the same complaint as [Visa 10.4](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/visa/10-4-fraud-cnp/) and [Mastercard 4837](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/mastercard/fraud/). On Discover it's the fraud code you'll see most.

**Records that answer it:**

1.  ProtectBuy records: ECI 05 puts you in good shape
2.  AVS and CVV results, with the match status
3.  Delivery proof: tracking, signature, address match
4.  Earlier undisputed orders with the same device, email or IP

**Next:** [Decide whether it's worth fighting](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/your-first-chargeback/#should-you-fight-it), then fill in [the response outline](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/representment/response-outlines/#didnt-authorize) for this claim and follow the [Representment Workflow](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/operations/representment-workflow/).

## Records by what you sell

The same claim needs different records depending on what you sold. Find your column.

| What you sell | Shipped goods | Digital or online | In person or a service |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Records that answer it | -   The 3D Secure result, if it ran<br>-   The shipping address matching an AVS-verified billing address<br>-   Earlier undisputed orders on the same card, and delivery records | -   The customer's IP address, device and email at purchase<br>-   Login or access logs after the payment<br>-   Earlier undisputed payments on the same card | -   The receipt and the card entry method: read from the chip, or typed in<br>-   Chip and PIN results, and the authorization response<br>-   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**<br>-   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`<br>-   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<br>-   Shopify: the IP address in the order's **Order risk** section, when available<br>-   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<br>-   Stripe: **Counter dispute** on the dispute details page: `customer_signature`, `service_documentation`<br>-   Your processor, for the entry mode and chip results it holds |

Sources: [Stripe's evidence by product type](https://docs.stripe.com/disputes/categories#dispute-category-types) VENDOR; [Stripe's dispute response form](https://docs.stripe.com/disputes/responding) VENDOR; [Shopify's evidence by reason](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/chargebacks/chargeback-reasons) VENDOR; [Shopify's order risk analysis](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/protecting-orders/fraud-analysis) VENDOR; [Square's dispute walkthrough](https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/3882-payment-disputes-walkthrough) VENDOR; [Square's transaction search](https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5145-transaction-search) VENDOR. Checked 24 October 2026. Menus move, so follow what your own dashboard shows.

## Overview

A cardholder says the charge wasn't theirs, and no card was present. Discover files UA02. That's online checkout, phone orders, mail orders, and anything else where the card never physically showed up. There's no chip read to fall back on. Everything you'll argue with is data you captured at checkout.

## When This Code Applies

-   Cardholder denies making an online purchase
-   Stolen card credentials used for a CNP transaction
-   Account takeover resulting in unauthorized orders
-   Family member makes purchase without cardholder knowledge
-   Friendly fraud (cardholder authorized the purchase but denies it)

## Conditions for Valid Dispute

### Issuer Must Verify

1.  Cardholder didn't authorize the transaction
2.  Transaction happened in a card-not-present environment
3.  Dispute filed within the allowable time frame
4.  Cardholder didn't benefit from the transaction

### Transaction Must Be

-   E-commerce (online checkout)
-   Mail order or telephone order (MOTO)
-   Recurring billing without proper ProtectBuy authentication
-   Any other environment where the card never physically appears

## Time Frames

Discover doesn't publish its windows for a retrieval request, a chargeback response or a further notice. Get them from your acquirer in writing, and work to the date on your notice.

### Discover Retrieval Process

Discover usually sends a retrieval request before the chargeback. That's your first and cheapest line of defense. Answer it well and the chargeback may never happen.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    A[Retrieval Request] --> B[Get the deadline from your acquirer in writing]
    B --> C{Receipt + evidence provided?}
    C -->|Yes + Strong| D[May Resolve]
    C -->|Yes + Weak| E[Chargeback Filed]
    C -->|No Response| F[Automatic Chargeback]

    style A fill:#5e4b8b,color:#fff
    style D fill:#1f6f4a,color:#fff
    style F fill:#b42318,color:#fff
```

Answer Retrievals The Same Day

A good retrieval response can stop the chargeback before it exists. Get the retrieval deadline from your acquirer in writing. You'd build the same file later anyway.

## ProtectBuy (3D Secure) Liability Shift

### Full Liability Shift (Issuer Liable)

The issuer eats the loss when all three of these are true:

-   ProtectBuy challenge completed by cardholder
-   ECI 05 = fully authenticated
-   Valid cryptogram present

### Who Carries the Loss, by ECI

| Scenario | ECI | Who pays |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fully authenticated | 05 | Issuer |
| Authentication attempted, issuer unavailable | 06 | Reduced merchant liability |
| Authentication failed or not attempted | 07 | Merchant, in full |
| ProtectBuy not implemented | N/A | Merchant, in full |

## Representment Options

### 1\. ProtectBuy Authentication

**When to use:** ProtectBuy ran and it passed.

**Evidence required:**

-   ECI value showing full authentication (05)
-   Cryptogram/CAVV
-   Authentication timestamp
-   ProtectBuy transaction ID

### 2\. AVS and CVV Match

**When to use:** AVS and CVV both matched.

**Evidence required:**

-   AVS response showing match (full or partial)
-   CVV2/CID match confirmation
-   Delivery confirmation to the AVS-verified address

### 3\. Delivery Confirmation

**When to use:** It got delivered. You've got tracking.

**Evidence required:**

-   Carrier tracking showing delivered status
-   Signature confirmation
-   Delivery address matching billing or AVS-verified address
-   Photo proof of delivery (if available)

### 4\. Digital Goods Access

**When to use:** They used it. You've got logs.

**Evidence required:**

-   IP address at time of download or access
-   Access/usage logs showing activity after purchase
-   Account login history
-   Download confirmation records

### 5\. Prior Transaction History

**When to use:** They've bought before and never disputed.

**Evidence required:**

-   Previous undisputed transactions from the same account
-   Matching email, device, or IP across transactions
-   Established customer relationship documentation

### 6\. Cardholder Communication

**When to use:** You've got the cardholder on record about the order.

**Evidence required:**

-   Order confirmation sent to and opened by cardholder
-   Customer service correspondence about the order
-   Chat transcripts or call recordings
-   Shipping address confirmation from cardholder

## Required Documentation

| Evidence Type | Strength |
| --- | --- |
| ProtectBuy authenticated (ECI 05) | Very Strong |
| AVS match + CVV match + signed delivery | Strong |
| Tracking delivered + AVS match | Medium-Strong |
| Prior undisputed transactions + device match | Medium |
| No authentication or delivery proof | Very Weak |

## Which defenses hold up

| Defense Type | How it tends to go |
| --- | --- |
| ProtectBuy authenticated (ECI 05) | Strongest |
| AVS + CVV + delivery proof | Strong |
| Prior transaction history + device match | Weaker |
| Standard evidence only | Weaker still |
| No evidence | Rarely wins |

Track your own [win rate by reason code](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/metrics/).

Read that table as a decision, not trivia. Without ProtectBuy your case is weaker.

## Common Mistakes

1.  **Skipping ProtectBuy** - You're eating avoidable fraud
2.  **No delivery confirmation** - You can't prove they got it
3.  **Ignoring retrieval requests** - They don't go away, they escalate
4.  **Dumping files on the issuer** - A messy packet reads weak
5.  **Not logging device data** - No proof they were there

## Related Codes

-   UA01 - Fraud: Card Present
-   UA05 - Fraud: Chip Card Counterfeit
-   UA06 - Fraud: Chip Card Lost/Stolen
-   UA11 - Cardholder Claims Fraud

## Prevention Strategies

### Authentication

1.  **Turn on ProtectBuy (3D Secure 2.0)** - Moves the loss to the issuer
2.  **Run the frictionless flow** - Most customers never see it
3.  **Challenge the risky ones** - Only when a signal fires

### Verification

1.  **Require CVV2 every time** - Collect the code, no exceptions
2.  **Check AVS** - Every order, not just the big ones
3.  **Verify email addresses** - A bounced confirmation is a signal
4.  **Call for the big ones** - High-value or high-risk orders

### Evidence Collection

1.  **Log everything** - IP, device fingerprint, timestamps, session data
2.  **Keep the conversation** - Emails, chat logs, call recordings
3.  **Require delivery confirmation** - Tracking, plus signature on big orders
4.  **Track account history** - Today's boring order is tomorrow's evidence

### Fraud Screening

1.  **Real-time scoring** - Catch it at checkout, not later
2.  **Velocity checks** - Flag ordering patterns that aren't normal
3.  **Device fingerprinting** - Match devices across sessions
4.  **Address validation** - Cross-check shipping against billing

## Next Steps

**Prevent future UA02 chargebacks:**

1.  [Implement 3D Secure / ProtectBuy](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/playbooks/first-time-3ds-setup/) for liability shift
2.  [Set up dispute alerts](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/playbooks/setup-dispute-alerts/) to refund before chargeback
3.  [Configure fraud detection](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/detection/velocity-rules/) to catch unauthorized use early

* * *

## See Also

-   [3D Secure Implementation](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/3ds/) - ProtectBuy setup and configuration
-   [What proof each network accepts](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/representment/compelling-evidence/) - Evidence requirements
-   [Friendly Fraud](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/types/friendly-fraud/) - First-party abuse patterns
-   [Third-Party Fraud](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/types/third-party/) - True unauthorized fraud
-   [Account Takeover](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/types/account-takeover/) - ATO defense
-   [Device Fingerprinting](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/detection/device-fingerprinting/) - Proving cardholder involvement
-   [AVS & CVV](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/avs-cvv/) - Address and security code verification
-   [Velocity Rules](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/detection/velocity-rules/) - Fraud pattern detection
-   [Risk Scoring](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/risk-scoring/) - Pre-transaction screening
-   [Chargeback Alerts](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/prevention/alerts/) - Deflect before filing
-   [Discover Reason Codes](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/discover/) - All Discover codes
-   [Visa 10.4 - CNP Fraud](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/visa/10-4-fraud-cnp/) - Visa equivalent
-   [Mastercard 4837 - Fraud](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/mastercard/fraud/) - Mastercard equivalent
-   [Amex F29 - CNP Fraud](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/reason-codes/amex/f29-cnp-fraud/) - Amex equivalent