Mastercard4853Customer dispute

Cardholder Dispute

The cardholder has a problem with the purchase itself: not received, defective, not as described, cancelled but still charged, or a refund that never came. Mastercard groups most consumer disputes under this one code.

Why it happens

  • Goods or a service were not delivered, or not as described.
  • A subscription or order was cancelled and still charged.
  • A promised refund was not issued.
  • Terms were unclear, such as a trial turning into a paid plan.

What to send to fight it

  1. Proof of delivery or of usage after the purchase.
  2. The product description and terms as shown to the cardholder.
  3. Records showing no cancellation was received before the charge, or that it came after the policy deadline.
  4. Messages with the cardholder, and proof of any refund already processed.

How to prevent it

  • Make cancelling and asking for a refund easy, so customers come to you first.
  • Describe products and billing terms clearly before payment.
  • Reply to support requests quickly.

Summaries written by NoChurn from the networks’ public rules and processor documentation. Networks update their rules and deadlines depend on your processor: check its documentation before you respond.

Other Mastercard codes

← All reason codes
Sources (1)
  1. Mastercard Chargeback Guide, Merchant Edition (19 May 2026) · checked 2026-11-09
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