One of the inherent risks of accepting card payments is receiving a payment dispute. As we’ve made some changes to our Dispute Dashboard recently, it’s a good time to revisit how payment disputes work and how Square can help make your case.
If you have any questions, reply below and we’ll do our best to help!
What is a payment dispute?
A payment dispute or chargeback occurs when a cardholder files a claim with their card-issuing bank to request a reversal of the charge. Disputes are a fixture of the card networks (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express) and exist to protect buyers from unauthorised transactions. Read the full Support Centre article to find out more about disputes.
This post will give an overview of:
- Common reasons for payment disputes
- Who is involved in the dispute process?
- How long does the dispute process take?
What are the common types of card payment fraud?
Square monitors your transaction activity as you take payments. When suspicious activity is suspected, we will reach out for more information to try and help you verify a payment. However, you are the expert in your business and are always your first and best line of defence against fraudulent activity. It is therefore important to understand the common types of card fraud you may face and your resources for reporting them.
To find out more about the common types of card payment fraud, visit our Support Centre.
What happens when a dispute is opened?
Dealing with disputes can be a frustrating experience but we’re here to help. While Square doesn’t decide who wins or loses a dispute (that’s up to the bank that issued your customer’s payment card) we can help represent your case to the bank.
For a brief breakdown of how we assist you during the disputes process, check out our Payment Disputes Walkthrough.
How is a dispute resolved?
We want to help your business through the dispute process swiftly and successfully. Here are a few answers to help you better understand and navigate the dispute process.
If you have any other questions about your payment dispute, contact us.
Other Resources
Tra | she/her
Community Engagement Program Manager, Square
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