How to use a reason code
- Find the code on the dispute notice from your processor (Shopify Payments, Stripe and most others show the network's code or a plain-language category).
- Read what the cardholder is claiming. Fraud codes say "I didn't make this purchase"; consumer-dispute codes say "I bought it, but something went wrong"; processing and authorization codes point at how the payment was handled.
- Answer that claim and nothing else. Banks review evidence against the specific code. Delivery proof wins "not received"; it does little for "canceled recurring".
- Check whether it is worth fighting. Some codes (for example most authorization errors) are rarely winnable, and accepting saves time.
- Fix the cause. Each code page lists the prevention steps that stop it happening again.
Visa reason codes (25)
Visa sorts chargebacks into four categories: Fraud (10.x), Authorization (11.x), Processing Errors (12.x) and Consumer Disputes (13.x). Issuers generally have 120 days to file, or 75 days for authorization codes, and acquirers get 30 days to respond. Processors usually give merchants less time, so work from the due date on the case. How Visa disputes work.
| Code | Name | Category | Worth fighting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.1 | EMV Liability Shift Counterfeit Fraud | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| 10.2 | EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| 10.3 | Other Fraud: Card-Present Environment | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| 10.4 | Other Fraud: Card-Absent Environment | Fraud | sometimes winnable |
| 10.5 | Visa Fraud Monitoring Program | Fraud | usually accept |
| 11.1 | Card Recovery Bulletin | Authorization | usually accept |
| 11.2 | Declined Authorization | Authorization | usually accept |
| 11.3 | No Authorization/Late Presentment | Authorization | sometimes winnable |
| 12.1 | Late Presentment | Processing Errors | usually accept |
| 12.2 | Incorrect Transaction Code | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| 12.3 | Incorrect Currency | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| 12.4 | Incorrect Account Number | Processing Errors | rarely winnable |
| 12.5 | Incorrect Amount | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| 12.6.1 | Duplicate Processing | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| 12.6.2 | Paid by Other Means | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| 12.7 | Invalid Data | Processing Errors | usually accept |
| 13.1 | Merchandise/Services Not Received | Consumer Disputes | often winnable |
| 13.2 | Cancelled Recurring Transaction | Consumer Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| 13.3 | Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services | Consumer Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| 13.4 | Counterfeit Merchandise | Consumer Disputes | rarely winnable |
| 13.5 | Misrepresentation | Consumer Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| 13.6 | Credit Not Processed | Consumer Disputes | often winnable |
| 13.7 | Cancelled Merchandise/Services | Consumer Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| 13.8 | Original Credit Transaction Not Accepted | Consumer Disputes | usually accept |
| 13.9 | Non-Receipt of Cash at an ATM | Consumer Disputes | usually accept |
Mastercard reason codes (17)
Mastercard groups chargebacks into four families: Authorization-related (4808), Cardholder Dispute (4853), Fraud (4837, 4849, 4870, 4871) and Point-of-Interaction Error (4834). Many older codes, such as 4855, 4860 and 4841, were folded into these. Issuers generally have 90 to 120 days to charge back, and acquirers 45 days to second present. How Mastercard disputes work.
| Code | Name | Category | Worth fighting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4808 | Authorization-Related Chargeback | Authorization-related | usually accept |
| 4812 | Account Number Not on File (legacy) | Authorization-related (legacy code) | usually accept |
| 4831 | Transaction Amount Differs (legacy) | Point-of-Interaction Error (legacy code) | sometimes winnable |
| 4834 | Point-of-Interaction Error | Point-of-Interaction Error | sometimes winnable |
| 4837 | No Cardholder Authorization | Fraud | sometimes winnable |
| 4840 | Fraudulent Processing of Transactions (legacy) | Fraud (legacy code) | rarely winnable |
| 4841 | Cancelled Recurring or Digital Goods Transactions (legacy) | Cardholder Dispute (legacy code) | sometimes winnable |
| 4842 | Late Presentment (legacy) | Authorization-related (legacy code) | usually accept |
| 4849 | Questionable Merchant Activity | Fraud | usually accept |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Cardholder Dispute | sometimes winnable |
| 4855 | Goods or Services Not Provided (legacy) | Cardholder Dispute (legacy code) | often winnable |
| 4859 | Addendum, No-Show, or ATM Dispute (legacy) | Cardholder Dispute / Point-of-Interaction Error (legacy code) | sometimes winnable |
| 4860 | Credit Not Processed (legacy) | Cardholder Dispute (legacy code) | sometimes winnable |
| 4863 | Cardholder Does Not Recognize: Potential Fraud (legacy) | Fraud (legacy code) | sometimes winnable |
| 4870 | Chip Liability Shift | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| 4871 | Chip Liability Shift: Lost/Stolen/Never Received Issue (NRI) Fraud | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| 4999 | Domestic Chargeback Dispute (Europe Region Only) | Domestic (Europe Region only) | sometimes winnable |
American Express reason codes (32)
American Express reason codes are a letter plus two characters: A for authorization, C for Card Member disputes, F and FR for fraud and fraud programs, P for processing errors, R and M for inquiry outcomes. Card Members can usually dispute within 120 days, and Amex gives merchants 20 days to respond to an inquiry or chargeback. How American Express disputes work.
| Code | Name | Category | Worth fighting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A01 | Charge Amount Exceeds Authorization Amount | Authorization | sometimes winnable |
| A02 | No Valid Authorization | Authorization | sometimes winnable |
| A08 | Authorization Approval Expired | Authorization | rarely winnable |
| C02 | Credit Not Processed | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C04 | Goods/Services Returned or Refused | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C05 | Goods/Services Canceled | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C08 | Goods/Services Not Received or Only Partially Received | Card Member Disputes | often winnable |
| C14 | Paid by Other Means | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C18 | "No Show" or CARDeposit Canceled | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C28 | Canceled Recurring Billing | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C31 | Goods/Services Not as Described | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| C32 | Goods/Services Damaged or Defective | Card Member Disputes | sometimes winnable |
| F10 | Missing Imprint | Fraud | sometimes winnable |
| F14 | Multiple ROCs | Fraud | sometimes winnable |
| F24 | No Card Member Authorization | Fraud | usually accept |
| F29 | Card Not Present | Fraud | sometimes winnable |
| F30 | EMV Counterfeit | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| F31 | EMV Lost/Stolen/Non-Received | Fraud | rarely winnable |
| FR2 | Fraud Full Recourse Program | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
| FR4 | Immediate Chargeback Program | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
| FR6 | Partial Immediate Chargeback Program | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
| M01 | Chargeback Authorization | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
| P01 | Unassigned Card Number | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| P03 | Credit Processed as Charge | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| P04 | Charge Processed as Credit | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| P05 | Incorrect Charge Amount | Processing Errors | sometimes winnable |
| P07 | Late Submission | Processing Errors | rarely winnable |
| P08 | Duplicate Charge | Processing Errors | often winnable |
| P22 | Non-Matching Card Number | Processing Errors | rarely winnable |
| P23 | Currency Discrepancy | Processing Errors | usually accept |
| R03 | Insufficient Reply | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
| R13 | No Reply | Inquiry/Miscellaneous | usually accept |
Discover reason codes (25)
Discover reason codes are mostly two-letter codes such as RG (non-receipt), RM (quality), AP (recurring payments) and RN2 (credit not processed), plus UA codes for fraud. Cardholders typically have 120 days to dispute. Discover often starts with a ticket retrieval request, and unanswered requests can become chargebacks with no representment rights. How Discover disputes work.
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