What is a chargeback?

How a chargeback reverses a card payment

What is a chargeback? It’s a process where the payment you made by card is reversed by your card issuer, usually because something went wrong with a purchase and you want your money back. The issuer is the bank or lender that provides your debit or credit card.

All chargebacks follow the rules of card networks like Visa and Mastercard, plus whatever terms your issuer sets. You might request one when you didn't get what you paid for, items were faulty or not as described, or if someone made the transaction without your OK. Your issuer checks your claim, invites the seller to respond, and makes a decision.

Chargeback or merchant refund: what is the difference?

If a seller refunds you, that's their choice; sometimes you have to send the item back or accept store credit instead of cash. But a chargeback is different. That goes through your issuer and the card network whether or not the seller agrees.

Usually it’s best to contact the seller first and keep proof you tried. Many issuers want to see this before taking your case. If you’re ignored or refused, you can take it to your card issuer. Chargebacks are for card payments. Bank transfers and some other payment methods can't be reversed the same way, which is explained in chargebacks for money transfers and crypto purchases.

When you can use a chargeback and the time limits

You can request a chargeback if you paid for goods or services that never arrived, got something damaged or completely different from what was listed, or if you see a card charge you never agreed to. For payments you didn’t approve at all, a separate refund process may apply, see how to get a refund for an unauthorised payment.

There’s always a time limit for raising a chargeback. Both the card network and the card issuer set deadlines, usually starting from the transaction date or when delivery should have happened. Act quickly and gather everything that proves your claim.

Example: an order that never arrives

Say you pay 300 euros by credit card for something online, but the order just doesn’t come. You reach out to the seller and they never answer. So you contact your card issuer within the deadline, explaining the situation.

You may need to provide the order confirmation, shipment details, and any messages you sent or received. The card issuer looks at these, asks the seller for their side, and if your evidence checks out, the money gets credited to your account. There’s no guaranteed result, since it depends on what you can prove and how the seller responds.

Frequently asked questions