> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xpaycheckout.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Responding by reason

> How to fight or accept each dispute reason, and the evidence that makes a strong case.

Each section below covers one dispute reason — **what the claim means**, **whether to fight or accept**, and the **primary evidence** that makes a strong case.

Every counter-dispute is built from three layers of evidence:

1. **Mandatory documents** — required on every counter-dispute, whatever the reason: **customer communication** and the **payment invoice**.
2. **Reason-specific primary evidence** — the evidence tables in each section below.
3. **Secondary evidence** — the same [supporting set](/dashboard-operations/dispute-management/secondary-evidence) applies to every reason.

## Fraudulent, unrecognized & customer-initiated

Applies to `fraudulent`, `unrecognized`, and `customer_initiated`.

**The claim:** The customer says they didn't make or don't recognize the purchase.

**Fight or accept?** Work out which of three situations you're in:

* **Genuine fraud** — the card was used by an unrelated third party. Usually not winnable; accept and treat as a fraud signal.
* **Authorized use** — the legitimate cardholder, or someone acting for them (an employee, family, or household member), actually made the payment. Winnable if you can show the link.
* **Friendly fraud** — a real customer disowning their own purchase. Winnable; the tell is prior, undisputed purchases from the same customer.

**Compelling evidence (primary):** What you send depends on the angle you're challenging on:

* **Customer withdrew the dispute** — written confirmation, or acknowledgement that they recognize the charge and filed in error.
* **You already refunded** — the refund reference, date, and amount.
* **An authorized person made the payment** — evidence linking the buyer to the cardholder (e.g. a family/household member or authorized employee), or that the cardholder is in possession of and using what was bought.
* **The purchase was legitimate (friendly fraud)** — a prior relationship: two or more earlier transactions from the same customer that weren't disputed, plus proof they received and used what they bought.

<Note>
  For the friendly-fraud angle, Visa's compelling-evidence standard expects two prior transactions, each 120–365 days before the dispute date, with no active fraud report, sharing at least two of these — user ID, IP address, shipping address, device ID/fingerprint — with the disputed transaction (at least one being the IP address or device ID).
</Note>

**Primary evidence by challenge reason × product type:**

| Challenge reason                     | Physical                                                                                                       | Digital                                      | Service                                    | Booking                                    |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| Customer withdrew the dispute        | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw                                                            | Same                                         | Same                                       | Same                                       |
| Already refunded                     | Refund reference, date, and amount                                                                             | Same                                         | Same                                       | Same                                       |
| Authorized person made it            | Proof the buyer is linked to the cardholder; signature + ID at pickup; signed order form for phone/mail orders | Link to cardholder; access logs tied to them | Signature + ID; service link to cardholder | Signature + ID; booking tied to cardholder |
| Legitimate purchase (friendly fraud) | Two prior matched orders — description, quantity, price; shipping details                                      | + access/activity logs                       | + service date                             | + booking start & end dates                |

**No prior purchase history?** When the customer is new and you can't show a prior relationship, you're relying on showing the transaction had the hallmarks of a genuine purchase. In order of strength:

1. **AVS + CVV result — strong support, not a waiver.** A full AVS match (billing address matches the issuer's record) and a CVV match are compelling supporting evidence, but a match does **not** remove your liability — you may still have to argue the case and can still lose. For physical goods, shipping to the AVS-verified billing address is stronger still. A useful twist: if the CVC *was* presented but the issuer authorized the charge despite a failed check, or never verified it, that points liability back at the issuer. Store the CVV *result* (match / no-match), never the CVV value itself.
2. **IP, device & session data — supporting.** IP geolocation near the billing address, device geolocation at the time of the transaction, a recognized device ID / fingerprint, and session / login data build the picture that the genuine cardholder transacted. On their own they rarely win a true-fraud case, but they strengthen an AVS-backed response.

<Warning>
  If it's genuine third-party fraud, matching data shows the order looked legitimate but doesn't prove the cardholder authorized it, so these cases are difficult to win. Focus on preventing fraud at checkout rather than assembling evidence afterward.
</Warning>

## Credit not processed & subscription canceled

Applies to `credit_not_processed` and `subscription_canceled`.

**The claim:** The customer expected a refund/credit, or says you charged them after they cancelled.

**Fight or accept?** Only fight if the refund isn't owed or you already issued it. If it's owed, refund instead.

**Compelling evidence (primary):**

* If already refunded: refund reference, date, and amount.
* If cancelled: records showing the actual cancellation date versus the charge date.
* If not eligible: your refund / cancellation policy and a note on why this case is excluded.

| Challenge reason              | Physical                                                         | Digital | Service | Booking |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ------- |
| Customer withdrew the dispute | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw              | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Already refunded              | Refund reference, date, and amount                               | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Cancelled before charge       | Records showing the actual cancellation date vs. the charge date | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Not eligible for refund       | Refund / cancellation policy + why this case is excluded         | Same    | Same    | Same    |

## Duplicate

Applies to `duplicate`.

**The claim:** The customer was billed more than once for the same purchase.

**Fight or accept?** Only fight if the charges are genuinely separate orders; otherwise refund the duplicate.

**Compelling evidence (primary):**

* Proof that each charge backs a distinct, valid order — description, quantity, price, and delivery/service detail for each.

| Challenge reason              | Physical                                                                               | Digital                | Service        | Booking                     |
| ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------- | --------------------------- |
| Customer withdrew the dispute | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw                                    | Same                   | Same           | Same                        |
| Already refunded              | Refund reference, date, and amount                                                     | Same                   | Same           | Same                        |
| Separate valid purchases      | Proof each charge is a distinct order — description, quantity, price; shipping details | + access/activity logs | + service date | + booking start & end dates |

## Product not received

Applies to `product_not_received`.

**The claim:** The customer says what they paid for never arrived.

**Fight or accept?** Fight if you can show delivery or availability.

**Compelling evidence (primary):**

* Physical: delivery confirmation (signed if possible), tracking, shipping address, ship date, stated delivery timeframe.
* Digital: access/activity logs showing the customer's IP and access dates.
* Service / booking: a service receipt with description, date, and signature, plus cancellation terms.

| Challenge reason              | Physical                                                                                             | Digital                                                                                     | Service                                                            | Booking         |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------- |
| Customer withdrew the dispute | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw                                                  | Same                                                                                        | Same                                                               | Same            |
| Already refunded              | Refund reference, date, and amount                                                                   | Same                                                                                        | Same                                                               | Same            |
| Delivered / will be delivered | Delivery confirmation (signed if possible); shipping docs with address and date; delivery-time terms | Access/activity logs with IP and access dates; cancellation terms for future-dated services | Service receipt (description, date, signature); cancellation terms | Same as service |

## Product unacceptable

Applies to `product_unacceptable`.

**The claim:** The customer received the item but says it's damaged, defective, or not as described.

**Fight or accept?** Only fight if the claim is unfair; if genuinely defective, accept.

**Compelling evidence (primary):**

* Terms describing the product condition and refund policy.
* An explanation of why the dispute is invalid against the terms the customer agreed to.
* Where relevant, proof the item matched its description (photos, specs, listing).

| Challenge reason                       | Physical                                                                                                            | Digital | Service | Booking |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ------- |
| Customer withdrew the dispute          | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw                                                                 | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Already refunded                       | Refund reference, date, and amount                                                                                  | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Not damaged / defective / as described | T\&Cs covering product condition and refund policy + explanation of why the dispute is invalid against agreed terms | Same    | Same    | Same    |

## General

Applies to `general`.

**The claim:** Unspecified.

**Fight or accept?** Contact the customer first to learn the real complaint, then gather evidence addressing it.

**Compelling evidence (primary):** Any document that directly addresses the clarified concern.

| Challenge reason              | Physical                                                | Digital | Service | Booking |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ------- |
| Customer withdrew the dispute | Written confirmation they withdrew or will withdraw     | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Already refunded              | Refund reference, date, and amount                      | Same    | Same    | Same    |
| Other                         | Any document that directly addresses the concern raised | Same    | Same    | Same    |