How to Fight a Chargeback: Reason Codes & Winning Evidence
A chargeback is a forced refund the bank pulls from your account when a cardholder disputes a charge — and you can fight it. Winning comes down to two things: understanding the reason code and submitting the exact evidence it calls for. Look up any code in our Chargeback Reason Code Lookup.
Why the reason code is everything
Every chargeback carries a reason code — like Visa 10.4 (fraud, card absent) or Mastercard 4853 (cardholder dispute). The code tells you why the customer disputed and therefore what evidence wins. Fighting a “not received” dispute with fraud-prevention data is a guaranteed loss.
Match the evidence to the code
- Fraud (Visa 10.x / MC 4837, 4863): AVS/CVV match, device and IP data, prior order history, proof the real cardholder received it.
- Not received (Visa 13.1 / MC 4855): tracking number and proof of delivery, ideally with signature.
- Not as described (Visa 13.3 / MC 4853): the product listing, photos, your return policy and any support messages.
- Credit not processed (Visa 13.6 / MC 4860): proof the refund was issued, or your policy showing none was due.
- Duplicate (Visa 12.6): show the two charges were separate orders.
Respond before the deadline
You have a limited window (often around 30 days) to submit a representment. Build a clear, concise packet: a cover summary, the reason-code-specific evidence, and the transaction details. Banks review quickly, so make the case obvious.
Prevent the next one
The cheapest chargeback is the one that never happens. Use a clear billing descriptor so customers recognize the charge, confirm orders by email, use AVS/CVV, and resolve complaints fast before they become disputes.
The bottom line
Winning chargebacks is a process, not luck: identify the reason code, gather the evidence that code requires, and submit it before the deadline. Start every dispute by looking the code up in our reason code tool.