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Customers Card Disputes

What happens when a customer challenges a card payment, what steps to take and some top tips to avoid them.

What is a Dispute?

In many countries around the world, the banking system providers a mechanism for Customers to challenge a payment without evidence.

Typically, if a Customer contacts their bank or card provider and states a transaction is not recognised or for an incorrect amount, the bank can recover that payment from the supplier.

This process is typically backed up by Government legislation that forces the banks to act quickly. This legislation is designed to protect consumers in the event their card is used fraudulently.

As a customer of FranScape, the bank will instantly recover the total from us, in return, we recover that total from your Stripe account.

 

This total will include:

  • Refund amount
  • Dispute Fee

 

If the dispute is Won or Removed by the bank, the Refund Amount will be returned to your Stripe Account.

 

WARNING: Refunding the customer will not stop the dispute or the charges.

The dispute fee will not be returned, regardless of the result.

How will I know a Dispute has been raised?

We will email you.

Disputes are initially a neutral act, and we have 30 days to provide the bank with evidence the dispute is an error. We email you to ask you to provide this. 

We will only supply exactly what you provide us: nothing more.

If you do not respond to our email, no evidence is submitted and the Dispute will be lost.

What evidence should I provide?

This depends on the dispute. Typically, we see customers claim they do not know what the charge on their card is. 

Types of Evidence: 

  • Booking Confirmation / Payment Confirmation
    • System related communication to the customer
  • Communication with the customer - before and/or after the Dispute

Warning: having an email from a customer saying "I made a mistake" is often not enough.

Once this is submitted, we have no influence over the outcome.

If you win the dispute, the money is returned to you and no further action is required.

If you lose, the customer gets the money.

My customer has admitted they raised a dispute in error, what should I do?

The only way to guarantee a dispute is over is for the customer to withdraw it directly with whomever it was raised with, i.e. their bank. We see instances of where a customer (Eg Joe Bloggs) emails a FranScape client (Eg Swimtime) to say it has been withdrawn, they submit this as evidence and then lose.

Sadly, we cannot influence this process, it is handled entirely by the banks.

Tips

  1. Communication is key, contact the customer as soon as possible and try and understand what the issue is.
    1. This communication can be used as evidence when challenging a dispute.
  2. Do not refund the customer, as Stripe have already recovered the payment. Wait until the customer withdraws the dispute, FranScape can advise when this has taken place.
  3. Ensure your Terms and Conditions and Email Templates are clear and easy to understand - use the experience to refine these key documents to clear up any uncertainty in how your brand works
  4. Remember, if you have the client's consent you can recharge their card for a new payment

Be aware, sometimes the banks will block the card with FranScape whilst a Dispute is active