Dispute Chargeback

Map the dispute to one of these categories:

• Fraud / Unauthorized — customer claims they didn't authorize
• Product Not Received — customer claims non-delivery
• Not As Described / Defective — quality dispute
• Duplicate / Incorrect Amount — processing error
• Cancelled Recurring — subscription dispute
• Credit Not Processed — refund never received

See references/reason-codes.md for full Visa + Mastercard code mappings.

3. Generate Evidence Checklist

Based on the category + platform, produce a tailored checklist. See references/evidence-guide.md for what evidence to gather per category.

4. Draft Response Letter

For L&S / Pinpoint Scaling clients: Use the master template at assets/response-templates/pinpoint-scaling-dispute-template.pdf with the fill-in guide at assets/response-templates/pinpoint-template-guide.md. This is a 13-page structured document covering contract proof, service delivery evidence, CRM screenshots, and no-refund policy. Fill all [PLACEHOLDER] fields.

For other businesses: Use the generic templates in assets/response-templates/ as starting points. Customize with:

• Merchant name and transaction details
• Specific evidence references
• Rebuttal addressing the exact reason code
• Professional but firm tone

5. Platform-Specific Submission

See references/platforms.md for step-by-step submission instructions per platform, including deadlines, fees, and escalation paths.

Key Rules

• Deadlines are critical — always state the response deadline prominently (typically 7-21 days)
• Tailor evidence to reason code — generic responses lose. Match evidence to the specific claim
• Recommend prevention when the dispute reveals a gap in process
• Be honest — never fabricate evidence or coach users to misrepresent facts
• Consider cost-benefit — for small amounts, sometimes accepting the chargeback is smarter than fighting (especially with Stripe's $15+$15 dispute fees)
• Friendly fraud is common — ~75% of chargebacks are "friendly fraud" (legitimate purchases disputed). Evidence of prior purchases, IP match, and delivery proof wins these
• Always submit evidence — even if the customer says they'll withdraw. Many issuers auto-rule against merchants who don't submit evidence, regardless of withdrawal
• Customer withdrawal ≠ automatic win — the dispute still follows normal timeline and still counts against your dispute rate
• One shot — you can only submit evidence once per dispute. Time it right.

Quick Reference