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Visa 13.9 - Non-Receipt of Cash

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TL;DR
  • The cardholder says they never got the cash from an ATM withdrawal, a cash advance, or cash-back at your register.
  • Two audiences here: ATM operators and retailers who hand out cash-back. The evidence differs.
  • Video plus a machine journal or a balanced drawer wins this. Nothing else reliably does.
  • Cardholder filing window: 120 days from the transaction.
  • Most of these are real machine failures, so check your own logs before you assume you're being worked.

Got this code?​

Your deadline: The date on your notice wins. Visa's standard response window is 30 days, and your processor can set an earlier one.

The claim: The cardholder says the cash never arrived but the account got debited anyway. Covers ATM withdrawals, cash advances, and cash-back at the register.

Records that answer it:

  1. The machine journal or register tape: does it show a completed dispense?
  2. The end-of-day balance: does a shortage match the disputed amount?
  3. Video, pulled before it ages out. Most systems overwrite inside 30 to 90 days

Next: Decide whether it's worth fighting, then build the response with the Representment Workflow.

When This Code Applies​

  • ATM never dispensed the cash
  • ATM dispensed a partial amount
  • Cash-back not received at POS
  • Machine error during withdrawal
  • Cash jammed or returned to the ATM

Conditions for Valid Dispute​

Cardholder Must​

  1. Have attempted cash withdrawal
  2. Not received cash (or partial)
  3. Account was debited

Transaction Types​

TypeScenario
ATMCash not dispensed
ATMPartial dispense
Cash-backPOS did not provide cash
Cash advanceCash not received

Time Frames​

ScenarioDispute Window
Standard120 days from transaction

Representment Options​

1. Cash Was Dispensed​

Evidence required:

  • ATM journal showing dispense
  • Cash cassette reconciliation
  • Video footage of transaction
  • No errors logged for transaction

2. ATM Balanced​

Evidence required:

  • End-of-day ATM balance
  • No shortage matching dispute
  • Cash cassette audit
  • Physical cash count

3. Cash-Back Given​

Evidence required:

  • POS register tape
  • Staff witness statement
  • Video footage
  • Drawer balanced at end of shift

For ATM Operators​

Investigation Steps​

  1. Pull ATM journal for transaction
  2. Check error logs for that time
  3. Review cassette balancing
  4. Check video footage
  5. Compare to other claims

Evidence to Preserve​

  • Electronic journal
  • Sensor logs
  • Video recording
  • Cash cassette counts
  • Maintenance logs

Common ATM Issues​

IssueResult
Jam during dispenseCash returns to cassette
Customer didn't take cashATM retracts after timeout
Partial dispenseSome notes jammed
Power failureTransaction incomplete

For Retailers (Cash-Back)​

Investigation Steps​

  1. Review POS transaction log
  2. Check register tape
  3. Interview cashier
  4. Check drawer balance
  5. Review video if available

Prevention​

  1. Verify cash count - Count in front of customer
  2. Confirmation - Customer acknowledges receipt
  3. Drawer balance - Track cash-back given
  4. Limits - Cap cash-back amounts

Which defenses hold up​

Defense TypeHow It Tends to Go
ATM journal + videoStrongest: records and footage show the cash was dispensed
ATM balancedSupports your case, but doesn't show who received the cash
POS receipt + witnessWeaker: supports the cash-back record
No evidenceRarely wins

Track your own win rate by reason code rather than relying on a general figure.

Common Mistakes​

ATM Operators​

  1. No video retention - Footage deleted
  2. Poor journal records - Incomplete data
  3. Late investigation - Evidence lost
  4. No dispense confirmation - System gaps

Retailers​

  1. No camera on register - Can't prove cash given
  2. Drawer not tracked - No cash-back log
  3. No witness - One-on-one dispute
  4. No acknowledgment - Customer didn't confirm

Fraud Considerations​

Most of these are real machine failures. The rest split three ways:

  • Cardholder error - took the cash, forgot about it
  • Cardholder fraud - got the cash, disputes it anyway
  • Third-party fraud - someone else made the withdrawal

Video is the only evidence that separates the three. Everything else is inference.

  • 10.4 - Card Not Present Fraud
  • 11.2 - Declined Authorization
  • 12.5 - Incorrect Amount

Next Steps​

Prevent future 13.9 chargebacks:

  1. Count cash-back into the customer's hand, out loud
  2. Keep a camera pointed at the register and the ATM face
  3. Reconcile cassettes and drawers daily, not weekly
  4. Cap cash-back amounts

See Also​

Something wrong on this page? Email matt at paymentsandrisk.com and say what needs fixing.