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Mastercard 4807 (Retired) - Warning Bulletin File

TL;DR
  • 4807 is retired. It was consolidated into 4808 and survives only as a deprecated alias
  • While it ran, it covered transactions on a card sitting on the Warning Bulletin, Mastercard's hot card list
  • Chargeback window was 90 calendar days from settlement, 120 for ATM and Maestro in Europe
  • The number still surfaces in real systems, so this page stays for anyone holding an old notification
This code is retired - don't use it for new disputes

4807 is no longer a chargeback reason code. Mastercard consolidated the authorization-related codes into 4808 in its 2016 reason-code consolidation. In the current Mastercard Chargeback Guide, 4807 appears only as a deprecated sender-memo alias for 4808 - a label some systems still transmit, not a code anyone can file under.

Working a dispute today? Use 4808 - Authorization-Related Chargeback. The Warning Bulletin scenario described on this page is now handled as one of the authorization conditions under 4808.

Seeing 4807 on a current notification? Because it can still ride along as a deprecated alias, this one is genuinely ambiguous: it may be a real 4808 case wearing an old label, or it may be a processor or vendor working from stale material. Either way, don't respond to it as a standalone 4807. Ask your processor for the message reason code on the case, confirm it's 4808, and build your response around the authorization record - the auth request, the response code your terminal received, and the timestamps.

Everything below describes how 4807 worked as a standalone code. It's preserved because old notifications, archived case files, and legacy vendor content still cite it, and the deprecated alias means the number still surfaces in real systems.

Overview

Used when a transaction was processed on a card that appeared on the Warning Bulletin (hot card list) at the time of the transaction.

When This Code Applies

  • Card was on Warning Bulletin at transaction time
  • Card was reported lost, stolen, or fraudulent
  • Terminal should have received decline/pick-up response
  • Transaction processed despite Warning Bulletin listing

Conditions for Valid Chargeback

Issuer Must Verify

  1. Card was on Warning Bulletin at transaction time
  2. Transaction was card-present
  3. Merchant terminal should have checked Warning Bulletin

Transaction Must Be

  • Card-present (CP) transaction
  • Processed at a terminal that can check Warning Bulletin
  • Processed after card was added to Warning Bulletin

Time Frames

RegionChargeback Window
Standard90 calendar days from settlement
ATM/Maestro Europe120 calendar days

Warning Bulletin Process

How Warning Bulletin Works

  1. Issuer reports card as compromised
  2. Card added to Mastercard Warning Bulletin
  3. Bulletin distributed to terminals/acquirers
  4. Terminal should check and decline/retain card

Response Codes

CodeAction
04Capture card
41Lost card
43Stolen card

Representment Options

Limited options when Warning Bulletin applies:

1. Card Not on Warning Bulletin at Transaction Time

Evidence required:

  • Transaction timestamp
  • Warning Bulletin addition timestamp
  • Card added after transaction

2. Authorization Was Approved

Evidence required:

  • Valid authorization code
  • Auth request/response log
  • No Warning Bulletin match at auth time

3. Transaction Was Card-Not-Present

Evidence required:

  • CNP transaction indicator
  • E-commerce or MOTO proof
  • Different rules apply to CNP

Prevention Strategies

Terminal Configuration

  1. Real-time authorization - Always check online
  2. Warning Bulletin updates - Keep terminal data current
  3. Response code handling - Honor decline responses
  4. Decline = No sale - Never override Warning Bulletin

Staff Training

  1. Decline code recognition - Know what 04, 41, 43 mean
  2. No override policy - Never force through declined cards
  3. Card retention - When safe, per local policy
  4. Documentation - Log all Warning Bulletin events

System Requirements

  1. Online terminals - No offline auth
  2. Current Warning Bulletin - Regular updates
  3. Logging - Record all auth responses
  4. Alert on declines - Flag Warning Bulletin matches

Win Rate Expectations

ScenarioExpected Win Rate
Card added after transaction80-90%
Auth approved (no Warning Bulletin match)70-85%
Card on Warning Bulletin at timeUnder 10%

Common Mistakes

  1. Offline processing - Can't check the Warning Bulletin
  2. Ignoring decline codes - Processing despite decline
  3. Outdated Warning Bulletin - Terminal data not current
  4. Staff override - Forcing through blocked cards

Regional Notes

Europe (ATM/Maestro)

  • Extended 120-day chargeback window
  • Additional Warning Bulletin rules

Other Regions

  • Standard 90-day window
  • Check regional variations
  • 4808 - Authorization-Related (the live code that absorbed 4807)
  • 4812 - Account Number Not on File (also retired into 4808)
  • 4837 - No Cardholder Authorization

See Also