

After the adoption of EMV (cards with a chip in them), merchants who have not upgraded to EMV technology usually become liable for chargebacks received (unless others in the payment chain have also not upgraded) even in cases where prior to EMV adoption the merchant would not have been liable.Ĭhargebacks can result from not receiving credit for returned merchandise, not receiving items they have paid for, or if the items were not what they expected. In cases of card not present transactions the merchant is usually responsible for the chargeback and associated fees. Fraudulent card transactions often originate with criminals who gain access to secure payment card data and set up schemes to exploit the data. In some cases, a merchant is responsible for charges fraudulently imposed on a customer. In this case, a credit card is used without the consent or proper authorization of the card holder. One of the most common reasons for a chargeback is a fraudulent transaction. Fraud: Consumer claims they did not authorize the purchase or was a victim of identity theft.Quality: Consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase.Clerical: Duplicate billing, incorrect amount billed, or refund never issued.Technical: Expired authorization, non-sufficient funds, or bank processing error.Reason codes vary by bank network, but fall in four general categories: This feedback may help the merchant and acquirer diagnose errors and improve customer satisfaction. With each chargeback the issuer selects and submits a numeric reason code. The fee for this is on the order of $250, and the arbitration loser is obligated to pay the costs of the arbitration.

The merchant's only recourse after the second chargeback is to initiate arbitration of the dispute by the card association. The second chargeback results in a second crediting of the cardholder's account for the disputed funds, after having been credited back to the merchant with its response to the initial chargeback. Normally this would require the cardholder to rebut elements of the merchant's response. This may occur where the card issuer generates a second (or "arbitration") chargeback against the merchant, after receiving the merchant's response to the initial chargeback. The rules provide for arbitration of issues by the card association. They comprise a system for adjudicating transaction disputes between cardholders and merchants, primarily where the issues can be resolved based on documentary evidence incident to the transaction. Card association chargeback rules are available online for public inspection and review. Chargebacks can also occur as a result of friendly fraud, where the transaction was authorized by the consumer but the consumer later attempts to fraudulently reverse the charges. Chargebacks provide a means for reversal of unauthorized transfers due to identity theft.

The threat of forced reversal of funds provides merchants with an incentive to provide quality products, helpful customer service, and timely refunds as appropriate. Similar rights extend globally, pursuant to the rules established by the corresponding card association or bank network.Ī consumer may initiate a chargeback by contacting their issuing bank and filing a substantiated complaint regarding one or more debit items on their statement. United States debit card holders are guaranteed reversal rights by Regulation E of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Holders of credit cards issued in the United States are afforded reversal rights by Regulation Z of the Truth in Lending Act. The chargeback mechanism exists primarily for consumer protection. The distributor submits a chargeback to the supplier so they can recover the money lost in the transaction. In the distribution industry, a chargeback occurs when the supplier sells a product at a higher price to the distributor than the price they have set with the end user. The chargeback is ordered by the bank that issued the consumer's payment card. The chargeback reverses a money transfer from the consumer's bank account, line of credit, or credit card. ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī chargeback is a return of money to a payer of a transaction, especially a credit card transaction. ( April 2014) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
