# Chargeback Reason Codes: Visa, Mastercard, and Amex Reference

> Chargeback reason codes explained: a reference for Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover codes, what each means, the evidence that wins, and how to prevent them.
- **Author**: Deepak Jangir
- **Published**: 2026-10-25
- **Category**: Payments, Chargebacks
- **URL**: https://dodopayments.com/blogs/en/chargeback-reason-codes

---

A chargeback reason code is the short code a card network attaches to every dispute to explain why the cardholder's bank is reversing a payment. Visa uses numbered codes like 10.4 (fraud in a card-absent environment) and 13.1 (merchandise or services not received). Mastercard uses four-digit codes like 4837 (no cardholder authorization) and 4853 (cardholder dispute). Amex uses letter-and-number codes like F29 (card not present) and C08 (goods or services not received).

The reason code is the most important field on a dispute. It tells you what the customer is claiming, which evidence can answer that claim, and whether fighting the dispute is worth it at all. Submitting strong evidence that does not address the reason code is one of the most common ways merchants lose disputes they could have won.

This guide is a working reference. It explains how the codes are organized, lists the codes software and digital goods businesses see most often across Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover, and maps each common scenario to the evidence and prevention steps that actually move the outcome. If you need the end-to-end dispute workflow first, start with our [guide to dispute management](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/dispute-management-guide).

## How Chargeback Reason Codes Are Organized

Every network groups its codes into a handful of categories. Knowing the category is often enough to decide your response before you look up the specific code.

| Category | What the cardholder or bank is saying | Typical root cause |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fraud | "I did not make or authorize this purchase" | Stolen cards, account takeover, or friendly fraud |
| Authorization | "This charge was not properly authorized by the bank" | Declined or missing authorization, expired authorization |
| Processing error | "The charge was processed incorrectly" | Duplicate charge, wrong amount, wrong currency, late submission |
| Consumer dispute | "I paid but did not get what I was promised" | Non-delivery, not as described, cancelled subscription still billed, refund not issued |

Fraud codes are usually the most common for online businesses, and they include a large share of friendly fraud, where the real cardholder made the purchase but disputes it anyway. Our guide to [friendly fraud prevention](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/friendly-fraud-prevention) covers that pattern specifically.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A["Dispute received"] --> B{"Reason code
category?"}
    B -->|"Fraud"| C["Prove the cardholder
made the purchase"]
    B -->|"Authorization"| D["Prove a valid
authorization existed"]
    B -->|"Processing error"| E["Prove the charge was
correct, or refund"]
    B -->|"Consumer dispute"| F["Prove delivery, terms,
and cancellation policy"]
```

## Visa Chargeback Reason Codes

Visa organizes its dispute conditions into four groups. Most issuers have 120 days from the transaction date to raise a dispute, with shorter windows of 75 days for most authorization codes and for 12.7.

### Visa Fraud Codes (10.x)

| Code | Name | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10.1 | EMV Liability Shift Counterfeit Fraud | Counterfeit chip card used at a terminal that was not chip-enabled |
| 10.2 | EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud | Lost or stolen chip card used at a terminal without chip or PIN support |
| 10.3 | Other Fraud - Card-Present Environment | Cardholder denies an in-person transaction |
| 10.4 | Other Fraud - Card-Absent Environment | Cardholder denies an online, phone, or mail order transaction |
| 10.5 | Visa Fraud Monitoring Program | Transaction from a merchant identified in a Visa fraud monitoring program |

For online businesses, **10.4** is the code that matters. It is the most common Visa code for SaaS and digital goods, and it covers both true fraud and friendly fraud.

### Visa Authorization Codes (11.x)

| Code | Name | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 11.1 | Card Recovery Bulletin | Card was listed on the card recovery bulletin and authorization was not obtained |
| 11.2 | Declined Authorization | Merchant processed a transaction after the authorization was declined |
| 11.3 | No Authorization / Late Presentment | No valid authorization was obtained, or the transaction was submitted too late |

Older references sometimes list late presentment separately as code 12.1.

### Visa Processing Error Codes (12.x)

| Code | Name | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 12.2 | Incorrect Transaction Code | A credit was processed as a debit, or the wrong transaction type was used |
| 12.3 | Incorrect Currency | The transaction was processed in a different currency than agreed |
| 12.4 | Incorrect Account Number | The charge posted to the wrong card number |
| 12.5 | Incorrect Amount | The amount charged differs from the agreed amount |
| 12.6.1 | Duplicate Processing | The same purchase was charged more than once |
| 12.6.2 | Paid by Other Means | The cardholder paid with another method for the same purchase |
| 12.7 | Invalid Data | Authorization was obtained with invalid or incorrect data |

### Visa Consumer Dispute Codes (13.x)

| Code | Name | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 13.1 | Merchandise/Services Not Received | Cardholder says the product or service was never delivered |
| 13.2 | Cancelled Recurring Transaction | Cardholder cancelled a subscription but was charged again |
| 13.3 | Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services | Product did not match its description or did not work |
| 13.4 | Counterfeit Merchandise | Goods were counterfeit |
| 13.5 | Misrepresentation | The terms of sale were misleading |
| 13.6 | Credit Not Processed | A promised refund was never issued |
| 13.7 | Cancelled Merchandise/Services | Cardholder cancelled the order or service and was still charged |
| 13.8 | Original Credit Transaction Not Accepted | The recipient did not accept a credit transaction |
| 13.9 | Non-Receipt of Cash or Load Transaction Value | Cash or value from an ATM or load device was not received |

For subscription businesses, **13.2** and **13.7** are the codes to watch. They almost always point to a cancellation flow that is hard to find, renewal charges customers do not expect, or a cancellation that did not stop billing.

## Mastercard Chargeback Reason Codes

Mastercard simplified its dispute codes into a smaller set of broad categories. Several older codes, such as 4841 (cancelled recurring), 4855 (goods or services not provided), and 4860 (credit not processed), were folded into 4853, although legacy numbers still appear in some acquirer reports.

| Code | Name | What it covers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4808 | Authorization-Related Chargeback | Missing, declined, or expired authorization |
| 4834 | Point-of-Interaction Error | Duplicate charges, incorrect amount or currency, late presentment, paid by other means |
| 4837 | No Cardholder Authorization | Cardholder says they did not authorize a card-not-present transaction |
| 4849 | Questionable Merchant Activity | Merchant flagged under a Mastercard compliance program |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Not received, not as described, defective, cancelled recurring, credit not processed, counterfeit |
| 4863 | Cardholder Does Not Recognize - Potential Fraud | Cardholder does not recognize the charge on their statement |
| 4870 | Chip Liability Shift | Counterfeit fraud at a terminal that was not chip-enabled |
| 4871 | Chip/PIN Liability Shift | Lost or stolen card fraud at a terminal without chip and PIN support |

**4837** and **4863** are the Mastercard codes most closely tied to online fraud and friendly fraud. **4863** in particular is often a recognition problem rather than real fraud, which makes a clear [statement descriptor](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/statement-descriptor) one of the cheapest fixes available.

## American Express Chargeback Reason Codes

Amex groups its codes by prefix: C for card member disputes, F for fraud, P for processing errors, R for inquiry-related chargebacks, and M for miscellaneous.

| Code | Name | Category |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C02 | Credit Not Processed | Card member dispute |
| C04 | Goods/Services Returned or Refused | Card member dispute |
| C05 | Goods/Services Cancelled | Card member dispute |
| C08 | Goods/Services Not Received or Only Partially Received | Card member dispute |
| C14 | Paid by Other Means | Card member dispute |
| C28 | Cancelled Recurring Billing | Card member dispute |
| C31 | Goods/Services Not as Described | Card member dispute |
| C32 | Goods/Services Damaged or Defective | Card member dispute |
| F10 | Missing Imprint | Fraud |
| F24 | No Card Member Authorization | Fraud |
| F29 | Card Not Present | Fraud |
| FR2 | Fraud Full Recourse Program | Fraud |
| FR4 | Immediate Chargeback Program | Fraud |
| FR6 | Partial Immediate Chargeback Program | Fraud |
| P01 | Unassigned Card Number | Processing error |
| P05 | Incorrect Charge Amount | Processing error |
| P07 | Late Submission | Processing error |
| P08 | Duplicate Charge | Processing error |
| P23 | Currency Discrepancy | Processing error |
| R03 | Insufficient Reply | Inquiry |
| R13 | No Reply | Inquiry |
| M01 | Chargeback Authorization | Miscellaneous |

Amex often starts with an inquiry before a chargeback. **R03** and **R13** are chargebacks that happen because the merchant did not answer that inquiry in time, or answered without the requested information, so they are entirely preventable with a fast response process.

## Discover Chargeback Reason Codes

Discover uses short letter codes. The ones online merchants see most often:

| Code | Name |
| --- | --- |
| UA01 | Fraud - Card Present Transaction |
| UA02 | Fraud - Card Not Present Transaction |
| UA05 | Fraud - Chip Counterfeit Transaction |
| UA06 | Fraud - Chip and PIN Transaction |
| AA | Does Not Recognize |
| AP | Cancelled Recurring Transaction |
| AW | Altered Amount |
| DP | Duplicate Processing |
| PM | Paid by Other Means |
| RG | Non-Receipt of Goods, Services, or Cash |
| RM | Cardholder Disputes Quality of Goods or Services |
| RN2 | Credit Not Received |

## The Codes SaaS and Digital Businesses See Most, and How to Win Them

Across networks, the same five scenarios account for most disputes on software and digital products. Here is how they map across networks and what evidence answers each one.

| Scenario | Visa | Mastercard | Amex | Discover | Evidence that answers it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| "I didn't make this purchase" | 10.4 | 4837 | F29, F24 | UA02 | Login and usage history after purchase, IP and device matching earlier undisputed orders, 3D Secure result |
| "I don't recognize this charge" | 10.4 | 4863 | F29 | AA | Receipt with brand name, matching statement descriptor, account activity |
| "I cancelled but was charged" | 13.2 | 4853 | C28 | AP | Cancellation policy shown at signup, renewal reminder emails, no cancellation request on record |
| "I never received it" | 13.1 | 4853 | C08 | RG | Download, license activation, or login logs with timestamps and IP addresses |
| "I was promised a refund" | 13.6 | 4853 | C02 | RN2 | Refund record with date, or terms showing the refund did not apply |

For fraud-coded disputes on digital goods, the strongest evidence is usually proof the same customer used the product after paying. Visa's Compelling Evidence 3.0 rules formalize this: when at least two prior undisputed transactions share key data such as IP address, device, or account login with the disputed one, the fraud claim can be blocked or reversed.

Prevention follows the same map:

- **Fraud and "don't recognize" codes:** use [3D Secure authentication](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/3d-secure-3ds-payment-authentication) on risky transactions, block [card testing](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/card-testing-fraud), and make the descriptor match the brand customers know.
- **Cancelled recurring codes:** send renewal reminders, make cancellation easy in a customer portal, and confirm cancellations by email.
- **Not received codes:** deliver access instantly and log every login, download, and license activation.
- **Credit not processed codes:** issue refunds promptly and send a refund receipt. Our post on [chargeback vs refund](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/chargeback-vs-refund) explains why a fast refund is almost always cheaper.

Our [chargeback prevention guide for SaaS](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/chargeback-prevention-saas) covers each of these tactics in more depth.

## Why Reason Codes Matter for Network Monitoring

Every dispute you receive counts toward network monitoring programs, whatever its reason code. Visa's Acquirer Monitoring Program counts fraud reports and disputes together against settled transactions, and since April 2026 flags merchants in most regions at a ratio of 1.5% with at least 1,500 fraud reports and disputes a month. Our [Visa VAMP guide](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/visa-vamp-explained) explains the calculation and thresholds.

Reason codes are how you find the cause behind a rising ratio. A spike in 10.4 points to a fraud or recognition problem, a spike in 13.2 points to a cancellation problem, and a spike in 13.1 points to a delivery or onboarding problem. Grouping disputes by code each month turns a vague "chargebacks are up" into a specific fix. For the costs behind each dispute, see our guide to [chargeback protection](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/chargeback-protection).

## How Reason Codes Work on Dodo Payments

As the [merchant of record](https://dodopayments.com/blogs/what-is-a-merchant-of-record), Dodo Payments handles the dispute process with the card networks, and you decide whether to accept or counter each dispute and supply the evidence. Each dispute in the **Disputes** tab shows its reason, status, and dispute ID, and you have **10 days** to respond after it is created. A dispute costs $30, and the disputed amount plus the fee are deducted from your balance when it opens.

Three tools stop many disputes before a reason code ever matters:

- **Visa Rapid Dispute Resolution** is on by default with a $100 threshold, refunding eligible Visa disputes automatically for $18 each.
- **Ethoca alerts** are opt-in and refund Mastercard and other non-Visa payments when the issuer sends an alert, for $27 each.
- **Deflections** block fraud claims before they are filed using the cardholder's prior undisputed purchases, for $15 when a dispute is deflected.

To track reason codes in your own systems, listen for dispute webhooks and store the reason with each dispute so you can report on trends:

```typescript
import DodoPayments from "dodopayments";

const client = new DodoPayments({
  bearerToken: process.env.DODO_PAYMENTS_API_KEY,
  webhookKey: process.env.DODO_PAYMENTS_WEBHOOK_KEY,
});

export async function handleDisputeWebhook(rawBody: string, headers: Record<string, string>) {
  const event = client.webhooks.unwrap(rawBody, { headers });

  if (event.type === "dispute.opened") {
    const dispute = event.data;
    // Store the reason so you can group disputes by cause each month
    await db.disputes.insert({
      disputeId: dispute.dispute_id,
      paymentId: dispute.payment_id,
      amount: dispute.amount,
      reason: dispute.reason,
      stage: dispute.dispute_stage,
      openedAt: new Date(),
    });
    // You have 10 days to respond: alert the team with the payment's usage evidence
    await notifyDisputeTeam(dispute.dispute_id, dispute.reason);
  }
}
```

The [disputes documentation](https://docs.dodopayments.com/features/transactions/disputes) covers how to respond and which evidence to upload, and the [dispute webhooks reference](https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/webhooks/intents/dispute) lists every event and field.

## FAQ

### What is the most common chargeback reason code?

For online businesses, the most common codes are the card-not-present fraud codes: Visa 10.4, Mastercard 4837, Amex F29, and Discover UA02. A large share of these are friendly fraud, where the real cardholder made the purchase and later disputes it.

### How long do customers have to file a chargeback?

For most Visa reason codes, issuers have 120 days from the transaction date, or from the expected delivery date for non-receipt claims. Authorization-related Visa codes typically have 75 days. Mastercard and Amex use similar windows of around 120 days for most disputes.

### Can a merchant change the reason code on a chargeback?

No. The issuing bank assigns the reason code based on the cardholder's claim. The merchant can only respond to it, which is why evidence must address the specific code rather than the merchant's own view of what went wrong.

### What does reason code 13.2 mean?

Visa reason code 13.2 means Cancelled Recurring Transaction: the cardholder says they cancelled a subscription but were charged again. The best response shows the cancellation policy accepted at signup, renewal reminder emails, and that no cancellation request was received before the charge.

### Which reason codes are worth fighting?

Disputes are worth fighting when you have evidence that directly answers the code and the amount justifies the effort, such as fraud codes on digital goods with clear usage logs after purchase. Processing errors you actually made, and clear cases of true fraud on unauthenticated payments, are usually better accepted or refunded.

## Conclusion

Chargeback reason codes are the vocabulary of disputes. Visa's 10.x to 13.x codes, Mastercard's 48xx codes, Amex's letter-prefixed codes, and Discover's short codes all describe the same handful of claims: fraud, authorization, processing errors, and consumer disputes. Read the code first, answer it with matching evidence, and use the monthly mix of codes to find the fix that stops the next dispute.

For software and digital product businesses, the biggest gains come from preventing disputes rather than winning them. [Dodo Payments](https://dodopayments.com) handles disputes as the merchant of record and includes Visa RDR by default, with Ethoca alerts and deflections available. See every fee on the [pricing page](https://dodopayments.com/pricing) or start with the [integration guide](https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/integration-guide).
---
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