Dispute reason code categories

Learn about reason code categories and evidence guidelines.

Each card network defines hundreds of codes representing very specific reasons for dispute claims, many of which overlap across all the networks that Stripe does business with. Stripe maps each network code into one of eight categories, based on the general claim and the evidence you need to submit to effectively challenge that type of claim.

Reason code categories

The following tables show the Stripe categories for each card network’s dispute reason codes. A network’s reason code is available on the dispute object. For a deeper look at dispute reason codes for Visa, Mastercard, and Amex, see Dispute reason codes.



Credit not processed	13.6 Credit not processed 13.7 Cancelled Merchandise/Services
Duplicate	12.6.1 Duplicate processing 12.6.2 Paid by other means
Fraudulent	33 Fraud analysis request 10.1 EMV Liability Shift Counterfeit Fraud 10.2 EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud 10.3 Other Fraud - Card Present Environment 10.4 Other Fraud - Card Absent Environment 10.5 Visa Fraud Monitoring Program
General	28 Request for copy bearing signature 30 Cardholder request due to dispute 34 Legal process request 11.1 Card Recovery Bulletin 11.2 Declined Authorization 11.3 No Authorization 12.1 Late Presentment 12.2 Incorrect Transaction Code 12.3 Incorrect Currency 12.4 Incorrect Account Number 12.5 Incorrect Amount 12.7 Invalid Data 13.8 Original Credit Transaction Not Accepted
Product not received	13.1 Merchandise/Services Not Received 13.9 Non-Receipt of Cash or Load Transaction Value
Product unacceptable	13.3 Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services 13.4 Counterfeit Merchandise 13.5 Misrepresentation
Subscription canceled	13.2 Cancelled Recurring
Noncompliant	C028 Refinancing of an Existing Debit C030 Delayed or Amended Charges C031 Sold Paper C034 Merchant Processed Credit without a Previous Debit C035 Merchant Must Process a Reversal If Sale Processed In Error C036 Electronic Commerce Transaction C038 T&E Advance Deposit Service C045 Dispute Reduction Service Returned C048 Split Transaction C050 Other, See Attached Documentation C071 Prohibitions C081 Limits of Fee Collection C0135 Improperly Assessed Surcharge
Unrecognized	None

Category defense guidelines

Use the selector to choose the category that matches the reason given for your dispute to see guidelines for responding.

The customer received the product but claims it was defective or damaged in some way, or was not described or represented in an accurate manner prior to purchase.

How to prevent it

Ensure that the description of products or services shown in advertisements, online, and transaction receipts, or used in telephone order-taking scripts are accurate, complete, and not misleading.
Never refer cardholders to the manufacturer in lieu of attempting to resolve the issue directly—the business selling the product or service is liable and must be the point of contact for resolution.

How to overturn it

Explain and demonstrate one or more of the following:

That the product or service was accurately represented prior to purchase
That the product wasn’t damaged or defective
You already issued a refund to your customer
The customer withdrew the dispute

Choose the product type of the disputed transaction to see relevant evidence suggestions.

Physical products are tangible goods that were either purchased in a store or shipped to the recipient, so evidence often proves the customer is in possession of the item.
Digital products or services are often virtual in nature and don’t have trackable shipping data, so focus on evidence of usage, login, or download.
Offline services include purchases that are made in advance, such as event tickets and reservations, where evidence of a cancellation policy can be material.

evidence you can submit for:

For this type of recommended evidence	Designate this Dashboard label or API parameter
A description of the service as you represented it to the customer, or images that display how you advertised the service to the customer prior to purchase.	`product_description` `uncategorized_file`
Whether or not the customer attempted to resolve the issue with you prior to filing a dispute. If they didn’t reach out to you before the dispute, state that clearly. If you did communicate with them prior to the dispute, or if later conversations shed light on the facts of the case, submit this with your evidence. This could look like: A screenshot of a text conversation A PDF of an email exchange A PDF of your written account of a phone conversation, including dates of contact	`customer_communication`
The language of your refund policy and how it was disclosed to the customer prior to purchase. This might be: The text copied from your policy page A screenshot of the policy on a receipt A PDF of the applicable part of your business’s terms and conditions Depending on network and context, the issuer might or might not take this into consideration, but it can’t hurt your case and is generally worth including.	`refund_policy` `refund_policy_disclosure`
Any argument invalidating the dispute reason, such as a PDF or screenshot showing: If the service was only partially used, whether the dispute amount exceeds the value of the unused portion Whether you already issued the refund the cardholder is entitled to Whether you already provided a replacement service Whether the cardholder withdrew the dispute	`uncategorized_file` `uncategorized_text`