Learn about reason code categories and evidence guidelines.
Each payment method (such as a card, digital wallet, Buy now, Pay Later), defines hundreds of codes that represent specific reasons for dispute claims. These reasons often overlap across all of the different payment networks, thus Stripe organizes each payment method’s codes into one of eight categories. Each category is based on the general type of claim and the evidence required to effectively challenge it. You can manage disputes using the Dashboard or the API.
Reason code categories
The following tables show the Stripe categories for each payment method’s dispute reason codes. The reason code is available on the dispute object. For more information about 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 doesn’t recognize the payment appearing on their card statement. This is effectively indistinguishable from the Fraudulent reason.
How to prevent it
Make sure your statement descriptor is easily recognizable to your customers and reflects the URL or business name they would associate with their purchase
Send receipts upon payment so your customers can recall what they paid for
How to overturn it
Explain and demonstrate one or more of the following:
That the legitimate cardholder—or an authorized representative (such as an employee or family member)—did in fact make the payment
You already issued a refund to the cardholder
The customer withdrew the dispute or otherwise acknowledged they recognize the charge and filed the fraud dispute in error
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.
For this type of recommended evidence
Designate this Dashboard label or API parameter
Evidence (for example, photographs or emails) to prove a link between the person receiving products and the cardholder, or proving that the cardholder disputing the transaction is in possession of the products.
Evidence that the person who signed for the products was authorized to sign for—or is known by—cardholder. If they collected the products from a physical location, make sure you provide:
Cardholder signature on the pickup form
A copy of identification presented by the cardholder
Details of identification presented by the cardholder
The address you shipped a physical product to. The shipping address must match a billing address verified with AVS or be the address of a business that’s connected to the legitimate cardholder in some way.
shipping_address
Documentation showing the product was shipped to the cardholder at the same address the cardholder provided to you. This should ideally include a copy of the shipment receipt or label, and show the full shipping address of the cardholder.
shipping_documentation
The date that a physical product began its route to the shipping address in a clear, human-readable format. This date is prior to the date of the dispute.
shipping_date
The delivery service that shipped a physical product, such as Fedex, UPS, USPS, and so on. If multiple carriers were used for this purchase, separate them with commas.
shipping_carrier
The tracking number for a physical product, obtained from the delivery service. If multiple tracking numbers were generated for this purchase, separate them with commas. When Stripe compiles your evidence into a single document, these tracking numbers are expanded to include detailed delivery information from the carrier.
shipping_tracking_number
Any argument invalidating the dispute reason, such as a PDF or screenshot showing:
A signed order form for products purchased by mail or phone order
Evidence that the transaction was completed by a member of the cardholder’s family or household
Evidence of one or more non-disputed payments on the same card
Evidence that payments on the same card had been disputed as fraud prior to the issuer authorizing this transaction
Evidence that the card’s CVC value was presented at purchase, but the issuer either authorized the charge despite the check failing (cvc_check value of fail), or didn’t verify it in the first place (cvc_check value of unchecked)
For recurring payments, evidence of a legally binding contract held between your business and the cardholder, that the cardholder is using the products, and of any previous payments not disputed
Whether you already issued the refund the cardholder is entitled to
