A Consumer’s Guide to Chargebacks
Who This Guide Is For
If you’ve found yourself here, chances are you’re a cardholder who wants to know how to reverse a purchase. ChargebackHelp works exclusively with businesses to manage chargebacks that were filed against them, so we cannot file a case on your behalf. But because so many consumers land on our site looking for answers, we’ve created this guide to explain how you can file a chargeback through your bank or payment provider.
What is a Chargeback?
A chargeback is when your bank or credit card company reverses a purchase. Unlike a refund, which comes directly from the merchant, a chargeback is initiated by your issuing bank after you dispute a charge. The bank withdraws the funds from the merchant’s account and returns them to you if your claim is found valid.
When to File a Chargeback
Before considering whether or not to file a chargeback, it’s important to be absolutely sure the transaction is truly invalid. Many chargebacks stem from simple confusion, like not recognizing a business name on a billing statement or not being aware of a recurring subscription. Taking a few minutes to double-check your records, contact the merchant, or review past purchases can often resolve the issue without escalating to a formal chargeback.
By confirming legitimacy first, you help reduce unnecessary disputes, which supports fairer outcomes for everyone and prevents avoidable cases of “friendly fraud”. This term often refers to chargebacks filed due to honest mistakes or misunderstandings, but businesses and credit card companies actively review all chargeback claims for patterns of intentional fraud. If you are found to have filed a chargeback on a legitimate purchase and did not attempt to work with the merchant on a resolution, you risk blacklisting, bank account termination, and legal action.
You can file a chargeback when:
- A purchase was unauthorized or fraudulent.
- You never received the product or service.
- You canceled a subscription but were still charged.
- Goods arrived damaged, or not as described, and the merchant was unable to resolve
In most cases, it’s recommended to contact the merchant first. If they refuse to issue a refund or fail to respond, then a chargeback may be your best option.
How to File a Chargeback in General
The steps are similar across most banks and payment providers:
- Contact your bank or card issuer.
- Provide transaction details such as date, amount, and merchant name.
- Submit evidence, like receipts, emails, or screenshots of conversations.
- Wait for your bank to investigate. The process may take weeks.
Most payment services allow 60–120 days from the transaction date to initiate a chargeback.
Visa Chargebacks
If your card is issued under the Visa network, you’ll file the dispute with your bank (the card issuer). Visa’s Claims Resolution program sets strict timelines, so it’s important to act quickly.
Mastercard Chargebacks
Mastercard also requires disputes to be filed through your issuing bank. Their Dispute Resolution Initiative streamlines the process, but the steps remain the same: contact your bank, provide documentation, and wait for their review.
American Express Chargebacks
Unlike Visa and Mastercard, American Express often handles disputes directly. Cardholders can usually file a chargeback through the Amex website or app. Timelines may be shorter, so file as soon as you identify the issue.
Discover Chargebacks
Discover has a cardholder-friendly process. You can log in to your Discover account online, locate the charge, and file a dispute directly. The bank investigates and keeps you updated by email.
PayPal Disputes and Chargebacks
With PayPal, you can first open a dispute in the PayPal Resolution Center. If it isn’t resolved, you can escalate to a claim. If the transaction was funded by your card, you also retain the right to file a chargeback with your card issuer.
Stripe Chargebacks
Stripe is a processor, not a consumer-facing service. If you made a purchase from a business that uses Stripe, you must contact your bank or card issuer directly to initiate the chargeback.
Square Chargebacks
For transactions processed by Square, the chargeback still begins with your issuing bank. Square then notifies the merchant of the dispute.
Venmo Disputes
Venmo offers limited buyer protection. If you funded a Venmo payment with a credit card, you may be able to file a chargeback through your card issuer. Payments funded directly from a bank account or Venmo balance generally cannot be reversed.
Zelle Transactions
Zelle is intended for peer-to-peer transfers and typically does not support chargebacks. Once money is sent, it is usually final. The only option for unauthorized transfers is to immediately report the fraud to your bank.
Shopify / Shop Pay Chargebacks
Shop Pay is Shopify’s payment service. If you used a card through Shop Pay, you must dispute the charge with your card issuer. Shopify passes the claim to the merchant to respond.
Amazon / Amazon Pay Disputes
For Amazon orders, start with Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee, which covers items not received or not as described. If the payment was through Amazon Pay on an external site, you can also dispute directly with Amazon. If unresolved, you can still pursue a chargeback through your bank.
Klarna Chargebacks
If you purchased with Klarna’s installment service, disputes start within the Klarna app. Klarna will investigate and pause payments during review. You may also have the right to dispute through your card issuer.
Afterpay Chargebacks
Afterpay requires you to open a dispute within their platform. If your payments were linked to a card, you can also request a chargeback through your bank.
Affirm Chargebacks
Because Affirm functions as an installment loan, disputes go through Affirm directly. You must contact their customer service to challenge a charge.
Sezzle Chargebacks
Sezzle users must initiate disputes through the Sezzle app or customer support. Depending on the payment method, you may also have recourse through your card issuer.
What Happens After You File
Once your chargeback is submitted:
- Your bank investigates and may issue a provisional refund.
- The merchant is notified and has the right to submit evidence.
- The bank or network decides if the funds stay with you or return to the merchant.
Limitations and Risks
Chargebacks are not guaranteed. Your bank may deny the request if there isn’t enough evidence or if too much time has passed. Overusing chargebacks may also raise red flags and in some cases could be considered fraud.
Where Consumers Can Get More Help
Your issuing bank or payment provider is always the best resource for questions. ChargebackHelp cannot help individual consumers with disputes. Our work is exclusively with businesses.
FAQs
How long do I have to file a chargeback? Most banks require you to file within 60–120 days of the transaction date. Check with your card issuer for the exact timeframe.
Can I file a chargeback on a debit card? Yes, but it depends on whether the debit card runs on a card network like Visa or Mastercard. Transactions that pull directly from your bank account may have fewer protections.
What evidence do I need for a chargeback? Keep receipts, order confirmations, shipping records, and any communications with the merchant. The more proof you provide, the stronger your case.
Is a chargeback guaranteed? No. The bank reviews the case and decides whether to side with you or the merchant.
What if my chargeback is denied? If denied, you cannot usually appeal. At that point, your only recourse is to resolve the issue directly with the merchant or pursue legal remedies.
Can I cancel a chargeback after filing it? Yes, most banks will let you withdraw your dispute if you resolve things with the merchant before the case is closed.