Credit card chargeback

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Consumer

A chargeback is the reversal of a disputed transaction back to your credit or debit card account. Chargebacks are available:

  • on credit cards;
  • if you use the ‘credit’ option on a debit or travel card;
  • if you select the ‘cheque’ or ‘savings’ option when paying by debit card; or
  • for multi-network credit cards where ‘cheque’ or ‘savings’ is available and has been selected at the point of sale.  

It is NOT available when you pay by cash, BPAY, direct debit, money transfer or cheque.

You may be able to seek a chargeback from your card provider when things go wrong. Common situations include:

  • when goods or services delivered are not as described;
  • when goods or services have not been supplied within the agreed timeframe;
  • for duplicated or fraudulent transactions;
  • when charges are made without your agreement;
  • insolvency.

You will not be able to claim a chargeback if you simply ordered the wrong thing or changed your mind.

It is a good idea to regularly check your card statements for any unexpected charges. If you think a business has wrongly charged you, try to resolve the issue with them first. Our consumer complaint checklist may help. Remember to keep emails or notes on your attempts to contact the business and resolve the issues.

To submit a chargeback claim, contact your card provider as soon as possible as they must operate within the time frames set by the card scheme (for example Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Card). As a minimum it is likely you will probably have to complete a chargeback dispute form.

Keep a copy of any records including forms, emails, documents or webpages you have filled in, read or received, as they will be useful to substantiate your claim.

A term or condition in a contract that seeks to limit or remove your card chargeback rights is also likely to be an unfair contract term.

Please be aware, if a scammer has persuaded you to buy gift cards as a form of payment, you may not be eligible for a chargeback. This is because the scammer, not the business that you bought the gift cards from, is the perpetrator of the scam.

 

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