What Visa 10.2 means
The cardholder denies the transaction, the card was reported lost, stolen or not received as issued (NRI), the card prefers PIN, and the sale happened at a terminal that could not perform EMV PIN verification, or online authorization lacked full chip data.
Common causes
- Accepting a PIN-preferring chip card at a terminal without a PIN pad
- Bypassing PIN entry or accepting a signature for a PIN-preferring card
- Fallback to magnetic stripe on a lost or stolen card
- Terminal software not certified for EMV PIN
Evidence that answers it
- Documentation that the terminal was EMV PIN-compliant at the time of sale
- Authorization and terminal logs showing chip read and PIN verification
- Proof of a credit or reversal processed before the dispute
- A cardholder letter or email withdrawing the dispute
How to prevent it
- Deploy PIN-capable EMV terminals, especially in regions where PIN-preferring cards are common
- Never override a PIN prompt
- Monitor fallback rates per terminal
- Keep terminal firmware current with your acquirer's certified versions
Time limits and caveats
Allocation workflow. Issuer time limit: 120 calendar days from the transaction processing date. Compelling evidence is not listed for 10.2 in Visa's merchant guidelines. Rarely relevant to pure online merchants.
How Verdikx helps with 10.2
Verdikx routes 10.2 to its fraud playbook and marks Compelling Evidence 3.0 as not applicable. The two remedies that work for this code, a refund already processed or terminal proof from your processor, are what to attach; the AI draft states them plainly for you to review before anything is submitted.
Frequently asked questions
What does Visa reason code 10.2 mean?
Visa 10.2 covers card-present fraud on a lost, stolen or never-received PIN-preferring chip card when the terminal was not EMV PIN-compliant or full chip data was missing. The liability shift makes the merchant responsible, so it is rarely winnable unless the sale ran on a PIN-capable EMV terminal.
Is Visa 10.2 worth fighting?
Our reference rates 10.2 (EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud) rarely winnable, so check the facts before spending time on a response. The evidence that answers it starts with documentation that the terminal was EMV PIN-compliant at the time of sale. The cardholder's bank decides the outcome.
How long does a cardholder have to file a Visa 10.2 chargeback?
Usually 120 days from the transaction date, under the network's issuer time limits. Your processor gives you far less time to respond, so work from the due date on the case.
Answer your next 10.2 with the right evidence.
Install on Shopify, or create a workspace for WooCommerce, another platform or your processors, and get your first verdicts in minutes. 7-day free trial, no percentage of what you win.
Sources
- Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules (18 April 2026), Chapter 11 Dispute Resolution (checked October 5, 2026)
- Visa: Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants (June 2024) (checked October 5, 2026)
Last reviewed by Verdikx Research.