Reason codes

Visa, MasterCard and UK Debit Maestro each have their own set of reason codes for chargeback cases. These denote the reason why the transaction is disputed and each reason code has its own regulations set by the relevant card scheme.

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Overview

Code	Name and description Visa
V30	Services not provided or merchandise not received – the cardholder is stating that they did not receive the services or goods that they paid for.
V41	Cancelled recurring transaction.
V53	Not as described or defective merchandise – the cardholder is stating that the service/goods that they received were either defective or not what was originally described to them by the merchant.
V57	Fraudulent multiple transactions – the cardholder acknowledges participation in one transaction with the merchant. However, they deny authorisation of any further charges.
V60	Illegible fulfilment (of retrieval case) – the Card Issuing Company received the merchant’s transaction information from the retrieval case but the documents are illegible/incorrect.
V62	Counterfeit transaction – the cardholder denies authorising or participating in the disputed transaction. A counterfeit card may have been used.
V70	Card recovery bulletin or exception file.
V71	Declined authorisation – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the merchant processed the transaction despite having obtained a Decline authorisation response.
V72	No authorisation – the Card Issuing Company is stating that an authorisation code was required for the transaction but that it was not obtained.
V73	Expired card – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was processed with an expired card.
V74	Late presentment – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was not processed within the required time frame for settlement.
V75	Transaction not recognised – the cardholder is claiming that they do not recognise the transaction on their statement.

Code	Name and description Visa
V76	Incorrect currency or transaction code – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was not processed in the correct currency.
V77	Non-matching or invalid account number – the Card Issuing Company is stating that an incorrect card number was charged for the transaction.
V78	Service code violation – the Card Issuing Company is stating that an authorisation code was not obtained.
V80	Incorrect transaction amount or account number – the cardholder is stating that the amount of the transaction is higher than the amount that they agreed to be charged for or were quoted for.
V81	Fraud – ‘card present’ environment – the cardholder denies participating in or authorising the transaction that was undertaken in a 'card present' environment.
V82	Duplicate processing – the cardholder is stating that the same transaction was processed more than once to their account.
V83	Fraud – 'card absent' environment – the cardholder denies participating in or authorising the transaction that was undertaken in a 'card absent' environment.
V85	Credit not processed – the cardholder is stating that the refund due to them has not been processed.
V86	Paid by other means – the cardholder is stating that the transaction was paid for by other means and has provided evidence to support the alternative payment.
V90	Non-receipt of cash or load transaction value at ATM or load device.
V93	Risk identification service.
V96	Transaction exceeds limit amount.

Code	Name and description MasterCard
M01	Requested transaction receipt not received – the cardholder is claiming that they do not recognise the transaction on their statement and the retrieval request raised prior to the chargeback was not fulfilled.
M02	Requested transaction receipt illegible – the Card Issuing Company received the transaction information from the retrieval case but the documents are illegible or missing.
M07	Card recovery bulletin.
M08	Transaction not authorised – the Card Issuing Company is stating that an authorisation code was required for the transaction but that it was not obtained.
M12	Non-matching account number – the Card Issuing Company is stating that an incorrect card number was charged for the transaction.
M31	Error in addition – the cardholder is stating that the amount of the transaction is higher than the amount that they agreed to be charged for or were quoted for.
M34	Transaction duplication – the cardholder is stating that the same transaction was processed more than once to their account.
M35	Expired card – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was processed with an expired card.
M37	Fraudulent transaction – the cardholder denies participating in or authorising the card present/card not present transaction.
M40	Fraudulent processing of transactions – the cardholder acknowledges participation in one transaction with the merchant. However, they deny authorisation of any further charges with the same merchant.
M41	Cancelled recurring transaction.
M42	Late presentment – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was not processed within the required time frame for settlement.
M46	Correct transaction currency not provided – the Card Issuing Company is stating that the transaction was not processed in the correct currency.
M47	Exceeds floor limit, not authorised and fraudulent transaction – the cardholder denies participating in or authorising the transaction and the Card Issuing Company is stating that an authorisation code was required for the transaction and was not obtained.
M49	Questionable merchant activity.

Code	Name and description MasterCard
M50	Credit posted as a purchase – the cardholder states that their account was due to be credited; however, the transaction was posted as a debit.
M53	Not as described – the cardholder is stating that the service/goods that they received were either defective or not what was originally described to them by the merchant.
M55	Non-receipt of merchandise – the cardholder is stating that they did not receive the services or goods that they paid for.
M57	Credit card activated telephone transaction.
M59	Services not rendered. Various specific reasons within this reason code – these are the most frequently used:
	RS1 - Services not provided – the cardholder is stating that the merchant was unwilling or unable to provide the services.
	RS2 - Payment by other means – the cardholder paid for the service by other means and has provided evidence to support the alternative payment.
	RS3 - ATM dispute.
	RS4 - Airline bankruptcy – services not provided – the cardholder is stating that the airline was unable to provide the services.
	RS5 - Guaranteed Reservation Service – the cardholder cancelled the reservation, or the merchant did not meet the terms of the booking as agreed to at the time of booking (see MasterCard regulations for full list).
	RS6 - Payment transaction – local law, restrictions or other legislative constraints prevent the Issuer from accepting the transaction.
	RS7 - Addendum dispute – the cardholder is stating that they did not authorise an addendum charge to their original transaction.
M60	Credit not posted – the cardholder is stating that the refund due to them has not been processed.
M62	Counterfeit transaction – the cardholder denies authorising or participating in the disputed transaction; a counterfeit card may have been used.
M63	Cardholder does not recognise transaction on their statement.
M70	Chip liability shift – the cardholder denies authorising or participating in the disputed transaction; a counterfeit card may have been used at a non-Chip-capable terminal.
M71	Chip/PIN liability shift.

Code	Name and description UK Debit Maestro
01	Split Sale – when a transaction is split down into smaller amounts so full amount can be processed. Original transaction will be over floor limit.
02	Cardholder did not perform a cardholder present PIN keyed entry transaction.
03	Transaction submitted after authorisation not approved.
04	Transaction not authorised.
05	Card expired.
06	Late transaction entry.
07	Transaction duplication.
08	Credit not processed.
09	Cardholder disputes transaction amount.
10	Non-fulfilment of documentation requested by the issuer from the acquirer.
11	Requested supporting documentation illegible/missing required data/contains incorrect data.
12	Hot card – card number that was listed on one of the hot card files and was not referred to when it should have been.
13	Fraudulent transaction at non-PIN-capable cardholder-activated Terminal Outlet.
14	Invalid Card – a transaction which has not been authorised by the Issuer.
15	Non-existent account – not authorised by the Issuer.
16	Transaction at cardholder-activated terminal outlet is above ceiling limit.
18	Invalid transaction.

Code	Name and description UK Debit Maestro
19	Invalid signature.
20	Missing signature.
21	Violated card – fraud chargeback, transaction performed with a lost or stolen card.
22	Cardholder not present – transaction not initiated by bona fide cardholder.
24	Secondary identification not recorded/ not cardholder's.
25	Old transaction – transaction date of the point of sale is more than 180 days old prior to the processing date.
26	Pre-valid S2 card standard card.
27	Fraudulent magnetic stripe – transaction has been authorised.
28	Fraudulent mobile phone pre-payment – CNP.
29	Invalid IIN.
32	Fraud transaction at non-chip/PIN-capable semi-attended cardholder-activated terminal (SACAT).
33	Transaction performed at non-chip-capable terminal with counterfeit magnetic stripe.
34	Chip transaction not declined, referred or sent online when required by card or issuer.
35	Fraudulent unidentified fallback transaction performed with chip at chip-capable terminal.
36	Transaction performed at non-PIN-capable terminal with lost or stolen PIN-capable card.
99	Inter-member agreement chargeback has been agreed by authorised staff.

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