The Chargeback Process

The chargeback dispute process allows you to retroactively cancel a credit card or debit card transaction.

What Is the Chargeback Process Flow?

Filing a Complaint

If you’ve noticed unauthorized charges or feel your money has been stolen by a crypto scam or cyber fraud, it’s important to act fast. Filing a complaint is the first step in the chargeback process. With the initial complaint, include supporting evidence such as copies of communication and screenshots. It’s a good idea at this stage to consult with MyChargeBack experts who can give you tips on filing a complaint that will get results. 

Merchant’s Response and Rebuttal

Whether you are dealing with a credit card company’s issuing bank or a payment platform such as PayPal, merchants will have a certain amount of time to respond to customers’ complaints. Allowing the other party time to make their case is part of the chargeback process. This period can take from 20 to 45 calendar days. 

If the merchant doesn’t make a response (with credit card companies and issuing banks, this document is called a representment) or attempt to rebut your claims for a chargeback, you may be temporarily given a refund which may become permanent at the end of the deadline. 

However, if the merchant responds, you may be given an opportunity to submit a response. This is where MyChargeBack professionals can help you bolster your case.

Although payment platforms and issuing banks always regularly and update their policies, this is what may expect from the chargeback dispute process among major credit cards. 

  • If you used a Visa card, the merchant may choose to submit a second representment to rebut your response. In that event, a new period of 30 days, known as pre-arbitration, begins. If afterward the acquiring bank still does not agree to the chargeback, the issuing bank can elect to move to arbitration.
  • If you used a Mastercard, the merchant has 45 days to respond. Should the merchant submit a representment, the cardholder then has 45 days to rebut it. If the issuing bank allows the cardholder to respond to the representment, the acquiring bank can elect to move directly to the final stage of the chargeback process, which is arbitration.
  • American Express and Discover (and Diners Club International, which it owns) employ an internal chargeback process. Merchants have 20 days to respond.

Depending on the case, however, the payment platform or the issuing bank can simply close the case and make a decision. Even if the decision is not in your favor, that doesn’t have to mean the end of the chargeback dispute process.

Arbitration

If you feel that you deserve a credit card chargeback or a PayPal chargeback and did not receive a favorable decision, you can appeal it in a phase of the chargeback process known as arbitration. 

This involves neutral professionals employed by credit card networks who can look at your case again and make a final decision about whether or not you’ll receive a chargeback. 

For instance, if you feel that the other side misrepresented information and if you can prove it, you may want to extend the chargeback dispute process through arbitration. If you win, the losing side will pay the arbitration costs.

MyChargeBack will accompany you through the chargeback process. Our team of experts will bolster your case and help your chargeback claim reach a successful outcome.

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How to Prepare for the Chargeback Process

The best way you can prepare for the chargeback process is to consult with MyChargeBack experts. We’ll ask you to provide the following information that will increase the chances of a successful chargeback claim:

  1. The names of all merchants, including the URLs of the domains, with whom there is at least one disputed transaction.
  2. A comprehensive list of all deposits and withdrawals processed with each merchant.
  3. A comprehensive list of the relevant credit card details for each transaction.

Our financial professionals will then review this material, chart an appropriate strategy and prepare the document you will submit to your bank.

After preparing you for the first steps of the chargeback dispute process, our professionals will continue to work on your behalf. We’ll explain to your bank your reasons for the claim and we’ll prepare a point-by-point response to merchant rebuttals. We’ll continue pursuing your case leading up to a successful dispute resolution.

Do You Have a Complex Dispute?

Did you pay with a credit card or debit card? Bank wire? Cryptocurrency?

Let’s get your money back!