How to Dispute a Chargeback in Relay

Overview: what a credit card chargeback is

A credit card chargeback happens when a cardholder disputes a card payment with their credit card provider (their bank). The bank may reverse the payment while they review the dispute. Chargebacks can happen for many reasons—from fraud to delivery issues to refund timing.

If Relay receives a chargeback notification (for example, from our payment processing partners), we’ll notify you and give you a way to submit defense documents (also called evidence) for review.

Why chargebacks happen

• Fraud/unauthorized payment: The cardholder says they didn’t make the purchase (common for “card-not-present” transactions).
• Goods or services not received: The cardholder says the item or service never arrived or wasn’t delivered as expected.
• Recurring payment canceled: The cardholder says they canceled a subscription but were billed again.
• Not as described/defective: The cardholder says what they received didn’t match what was advertised.
• Credit not processed: The cardholder says they were owed a refund or credit that wasn’t issued (or wasn’t issued on time).
• Duplicate/paid by other means: The cardholder says they were charged twice or paid with a different method.
• Incorrect amount/currency: The cardholder says the amount or currency charged wasn’t what they agreed to.
• No authorization / invalid authorization: The bank claims the transaction wasn’t properly authorized or was captured incorrectly.

How the Relay chargeback flow works

1. You get a chargeback notification email with key details (amount, date, cardholder name, and reason).
2. You click the link in the email to open the disputes page and view the dispute details.
3. You upload defense documents in the dispute details modal.
4. Relay Risk reviews what you submitted and may request additional documents.
5. Relay Risk submits the dispute package to the cardholder’s bank on your behalf when ready (if applicable).

Chargebacks are time-sensitive. The deadline in your notification is the latest date to submit your documents. Submitting early gives your dispute the best chance.

General Defense Requirements

You must upload one or more defense documents, depending on the dispute type.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee the dispute will be resolved in your favor — the cardholder’s bank makes the final decision.

Please submit all relevant documents at the same time. In many cases, you only have one opportunity to present your evidence.

To improve your chances of a successful review:

• Provide clear, complete, and easy-to-read documents
• Upload full-page screenshots (not cropped snippets)
• Ensure all documents clearly show dates, amounts, and transaction details
• Use readable PDFs whenever possible

Important: Screenshot Requirements

If you are submitting screenshots as evidence, they must be complete and clearly legible.

Specifically:

• Screenshots must show visible timestamps
• Screenshots must show the customer’s contact information (full name, email address, phone number, or other identifiable details)
• The contact information must be clearly tied to the transaction in question

⚠️ Screenshots must include customer contact information so the card network can directly match the chargeback details to the evidence provided. If contact details are missing or cropped out, the evidence may be rejected.

Incomplete or edited screenshots (cropped headers, missing dates, hidden contact details) significantly reduce the likelihood of a successful dispute outcome.

Special upload limits

Some card networks and local schemes have specific evidence limits. If your chargeback falls under one of these, your uploads must meet the limits below:

• Diners / Discover: max 3 MB
• Mastercard: max 19 pages
• Klarna: PDF only
• Mexico domestic: max 800 KB
• STAR: JPG/TIFF max 5 MB
• RFI: max 4 pages
• BillDesk: 1 document only, max 500 KB

Tip: If you run into limits, prioritize the most persuasive evidence (for example: proof of delivery, refund receipt, or policy acceptance).

Common defense documents

These apply to approximately 80% of disputes and are almost always required:

• Invoice/transaction details
• Confirmation email sent to the cardholder
• Screenshot of checkout page showing acceptance of Terms & Conditions (not just a link)
• Refund proof (if applicable – include date + amount)
• Customer communication history (emails, texts, chat transcripts, support tickets)
• Record of prior non-disputed payments (if available)

For eCommerce transactions (include when available):

• AVS result (Address Verification Service result)
• CVV/CVC result (security code verification result)
• IP address
• Device ID/verification logs

Required documents by chargeback reason code

In addition to the common documents above, include the reason-specific documents that match your chargeback reason. Your notification may show a card network reason code (for example, Visa 13.1). Use the matching section below:

How to write a strong merchant statement

A merchant statement is a short summary that explains what happened and points the reviewer to the evidence you uploaded. Keep it factual and easy to follow.

• Transaction summary: date, amount, cardholder name, order/booking ID
• What was provided: goods/services delivered, fulfillment method, delivery timeline
• Timeline of events: purchase → confirmation → delivery/usage → customer communication → resolution attempts
• Policies: cancellation/refund/return policy and proof the customer accepted it at checkout
• What you’re requesting: dispute the chargeback and why the evidence supports your case

Tips to improve your chances

• Match the reason code: include the reason-specific documents listed above (in addition to the common documents).
• Show acceptance of policies: a checkout screenshot showing agreement to Terms & Conditions is stronger than a policy link alone.
• Prioritize proof of delivery or proof of refund: these are often the most persuasive documents.
• Keep evidence readable: include dates, amounts, and order IDs; avoid cropped screenshots that remove context.
• Include prior successful transactions: when available, they help demonstrate an established customer relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions