CHARGEBACK GUIDES

Visa chargeback reason codes 10.4, 13.1 and 13.3 explained

By ChargeFix team · Updated 3 October 2026

Somewhere in a bank's dispute system, your chargeback has a number. It looks like 10.4, or 13.1, or 13.3, and it tells everyone involved which rulebook applies. Shopify translates that number into a plain label, such as fraudulent or product not received, but the number underneath is what the card network actually uses.

Visa chargeback reason codes are the numbered categories Visa uses to classify why a cardholder disputed a payment. Three of them cover most of what an online shop sees: 10.4 (other fraud, card absent), 13.1 (merchandise or services not received) and 13.3 (not as described or defective merchandise or services). Knowing what each code means, and what evidence it responds to, lets you answer the real question the bank is asking instead of a vague version of it.

Last updated: 3 October 2026. Written by the ChargeFix team.

The 30-second answer (TL;DR)

  • Visa 10.4 is "other fraud, card absent environment": the cardholder says they did not authorise an online, phone or app payment. On Shopify, it shows as a fraudulent dispute.
  • Visa 13.1 is "merchandise or services not received": the goods did not arrive by the expected date, or were unavailable for pick-up. On Shopify, it shows as product not received.
  • Visa 13.3 is "not as described or defective merchandise or services". On Shopify, it shows as product unacceptable, along with 13.4 (counterfeit) and 13.5 (misrepresentation).
  • The first digits tell you the family: 10 is fraud, 11 is authorisation, 12 is processing errors and 13 is consumer disputes, as Stripe's list of Visa codes shows.
  • You answer the Shopify label, but the code refines it. For example, a 10.4 response leans on identity signals, and a 13.1 response leans on delivery proof.
  • Visa 10.5 is different. Stripe says it is extremely rare, has no recourse, and Visa does not accept evidence for it.
  • We could not verify whether the Shopify admin shows the Visa code for each dispute, so use the label if the code is not visible. This is general information, not legal advice.

Which Visa codes will you meet most? (our grouping)

Visa code Plain meaning Shopify label Typical fight
10.4 Cardholder did not authorise an online payment Fraudulent Hard, unless identity signals are strong
13.1 Goods or services not received Product not received Good, with delivery proof
13.3 Not as described, damaged or defective Product unacceptable Depends on listing and timing
13.2 Cancelled recurring payment Subscription canceled Depends on the cancellation record
13.6 Credit not processed Credit not processed Strong if you refunded
12.6.1 Duplicate processing Duplicate Strong if two real orders

Table of contents

What are Visa chargeback reason codes?

A Visa chargeback reason code is the number a bank attaches to a dispute to say what kind of claim it is. When a cardholder tells their bank something went wrong, the bank picks the code that fits, and the code determines the rules: what evidence the merchant may send, how long each side has and what the bank must check.

Stripe's reason code documentation, which describes the card network rules behind payments like Shopify Payments, explains that each payment method defines hundreds of codes, that the reasons overlap across networks, and that Stripe sorts them into eight categories based on the type of claim and the evidence needed to challenge it. Shopify does something similar with its own set of labels.

For a merchant, the practical effect is simple. You respond to the label Shopify shows, and the code underneath tells you what the bank is looking for. Our post on what Shopify submits for you covers how responses are assembled, and this post explains the numbers that sit behind the labels.

Does Shopify show the code?

We could not verify whether the Shopify admin displays the network reason code for each dispute, and it may vary by dispute. If the code is visible, use it. If it is not, do not worry: the Shopify label is enough to choose your evidence, and a Shopify Support request can sometimes clarify an unclear case.

Why bother learning Visa chargeback reason codes?

Three reasons. First, the code often explains an odd dispute. A "general" label can hide a code about the amount charged. Second, the code tells you what the bank considers proof. Third, other sources, such as Stripe's documentation and card network guides, are organised by code, so you can use them.

How are Visa chargeback reason codes organised?

Visa chargeback reason codes use a number, a dot and another number. The first number is the family, and Stripe's list of Visa codes shows how they group:

Family What it covers Examples from Stripe's list
10 Fraud 10.1 to 10.5, including 10.4 other fraud, card absent
11 Authorisation 11.1 card recovery bulletin, 11.2 declined authorisation, 11.3 no authorisation
12 Processing errors 12.1 late presentment, 12.2 incorrect transaction code, 12.5 incorrect amount, 12.6.1 and 12.6.2 duplicates
13 Consumer disputes 13.1 not received, 13.2 cancelled recurring, 13.3 not as described, 13.6 credit not processed, 13.7 cancelled merchandise or services

Most online shops spend their time in families 10 and 13, with the occasional 12. Family 11 is mostly technical, about whether a payment was properly authorised, and Stripe places those codes in its general category.

We use the family names as shorthand. Visa's own rulebook is longer, and we did not review it directly, so use it as orientation and not as the rules themselves.

What is Visa reason code 10.4?

Stripe describes 10.4, "other fraud, card absent environment", as a cardholder claiming they did not authorise a transaction that took place in a card-not-present environment, such as online, over the phone or through a mobile app. It says these disputes typically occur because of stolen card information, account takeovers or unauthorised recurring charges.

This is the code behind most "fraudulent" disputes in a Shopify shop, because nearly every Shopify payment is card not present.

What does the bank want to see for 10.4?

Stripe's evidence suggestions for 10.4 are a good map:

  • AVS and CVV matching: if the billing address and security code matched, show the results.
  • Device and IP address data: show the order came from a known device or a location consistent with the customer's earlier activity.
  • Order and transaction history: past successful purchases by the same cardholder.
  • Customer communications: if the customer contacted you about the purchase before disputing, the messages.
  • Terms and conditions agreement: for subscriptions or digital goods, proof the customer agreed to the terms.

Compare that with Shopify's evidence list for a fraudulent dispute: fulfilment date and time, billing information, IP address and country, and shipping and tracking. The two lists overlap heavily on IP and billing details. Stripe's list adds the history and the customer communications, which are usually the strongest pieces.

How can a 10.4 end in your favour?

Stripe lists these routes to overturn a fraud dispute:

  • the legitimate cardholder, or an authorised representative such as an employee or family member, made the payment
  • the payment was authenticated with 3D Secure and should fall under liability shift
  • you already refunded
  • the customer withdrew the dispute or acknowledged the charge and filed in error
  • for Visa specifically, Compelling Evidence

Take each in turn.

An authorised person made the payment. This is the commonest honest outcome. A partner, parent or colleague used the card, and the cardholder did not know. Delivery proof to an address linked to the cardholder, plus any messages from the actual buyer, supports it.

3D Secure. Stripe says 3D Secure adds a layer of authentication that protects businesses from liability for fraudulent card payments, and that an electronic commerce indicator returned with the result may be used to determine eligibility for liability shift. We did not verify how Shopify Payments applies 3D Secure to your checkout, or when it is requested, so check your own settings and the dispute details rather than assuming.

A refund or a withdrawal. If you have already refunded, the record is your evidence. A withdrawal is up to the customer and their bank, and we did not find a Shopify page that describes how it works on Shopify Payments, so do not wait on it.

Compelling Evidence. Stripe's guidance for Visa fraud disputes points to a set of arguments that invalidate the dispute reason. Its evidence labels include:

  • a signed order form for products bought by mail or phone
  • evidence the transaction was completed by a member of the cardholder's family or household
  • evidence of one or more non-disputed payments on the same card
  • evidence that the same card had been disputed as fraud before the issuer authorised this transaction
  • evidence that the card's CVC was presented at purchase but the issuer authorised anyway, even when the check failed or was not performed
  • for recurring payments, a legally binding contract, evidence that the cardholder is using the product, and any earlier undisputed payments

Stripe also asks that a shipping address match an address verified with AVS, or be that of a business connected to the cardholder, and that you document the shipment to that address.

Visa's formal Compelling Evidence rules are more specific than that summary, with particular data matching requirements, and we did not verify them. Check the current guidance from Shopify or Stripe before you claim it applies to a given dispute.

When should you accept a 10.4?

Often. If the customer is new, the shipping and billing addresses differ, the IP is in another country and the parcel went to a reshipper or a vacant address, the claim is probably true. A response that tries to hide those facts costs you credibility, and the loss is the amount plus the £10 fee either way.

Our post series covers the fraud reason separately, and our post on the unrecognized chargeback explains the neighbouring case, where an honest customer simply does not recognise the name on the statement. That case is common behind a 10.4.

What is Visa reason code 13.1?

Stripe describes 13.1, "merchandise or services not received", as a cardholder claiming that goods or services they ordered were not received by the expected date, or that the merchandise was unavailable for pick-up.

Notice the phrase "by the expected date". The code is not only about parcels that never arrive. It also covers a parcel that arrives late, if the customer was given a date and it was missed.

What does the bank want to see for 13.1?

Stripe's evidence suggestions for 13.1 are:

  • Proof of shipment and delivery: tracking details, carrier confirmation or signed delivery receipts.
  • Proof of digital access: for digital goods, login records, download logs or usage timestamps.
  • Proof of service completion: appointment records, work logs or check-in confirmations.
  • Customer communications: messages confirming receipt, asking for troubleshooting or asking about delivery.
  • Terms and policies: refund, fulfilment and delivery policies, including agreement at checkout.

In its guidance for the not received category, Stripe also says a dispute can be overturned by showing the product was in fact delivered or is not expected to have been delivered yet, for example because the agreed delivery date is still in the future. That second route matters: if you quoted a long lead time for a made-to-order item and the customer disputes early, your stated delivery date is your defence.

What does the evidence look like in practice?

For a physical order, the strongest piece is delivery proof that matches the customer's address, such as a photo or signature. We explain what Royal Mail and Evri provide in our post on the product not received chargeback and UK carriers, so we will not repeat the detail here. The short version: proof of postage does not answer a 13.1 claim, but proof of delivery to the address does.

For digital goods, access logs carry the weight. For services, appointment records do.

When should you refund a 13.1?

If the parcel is genuinely lost, returned to you or has no scan after dispatch, refund. Goods stay at the trader's risk until they reach the consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so a lost parcel is your loss to resolve. Fighting it risks the amount, the £10 fee and your time.

What is Visa reason code 13.3?

Stripe describes 13.3, "not as described or defective merchandise or services", as a cardholder claiming that the goods or services they received were materially different from what was advertised, damaged or defective, or otherwise did not meet their reasonable expectations based on the merchant's description.

On Shopify, it appears as product unacceptable, the same label that covers 13.4 (counterfeit merchandise) and 13.5 (misrepresentation) in Stripe's mapping.

What does the bank want to see for 13.3?

Stripe's evidence suggestions for 13.3 include:

  • Marketing materials and listings: screenshots or archived versions of how you presented the item at the time of purchase.
  • Order and fulfilment records: timestamps for purchase, delivery and any acceptance confirmations.
  • Usage logs: for digital products, logins, downloads or usage after purchase.
  • Customer communications: if the customer raised dissatisfaction, your responses offering troubleshooting or solutions.
  • Return policies and terms: the terms and the customer's agreement to them.
  • Technical support logs: evidence of troubleshooting attempts or the customer's lack of engagement.

The listing and the contact record are the two exhibits that most often decide it. We cover every step, with templates, in our post on the product unacceptable chargeback, including the Consumer Rights Act rules on description, the 30 day short-term right to reject and the six month presumption.

What about 13.4 and 13.5?

For counterfeit claims (13.4), Stripe points to supplier and certification records, such as invoices, certificates of authenticity and distributor agreements. For misrepresentation (13.5), the evidence is again the listing as presented, delivery records and the customer's communications. If you cannot produce paperwork for a counterfeit claim, it is not one to fight.

Which other Visa chargeback reason codes should you recognise?

You may meet these less often, but they explain a lot of odd disputes.

Visa code Plain meaning Where to read more
13.2 Cancelled recurring Our subscription canceled post
13.6 Credit not processed Our credit not processed post
13.7 Cancelled merchandise or services Also in the subscription and credit posts
12.6.1 Duplicate processing Our duplicate post
12.6.2 Paid by other means Same duplicate post
12.5 Incorrect amount Our general chargeback post
10.5 Visa fraud monitoring program Below

What is the odd one out, 10.5?

Stripe says Visa disputes with reason code 10.5 are extremely rare and have no recourse to remedy the dispute, because Visa considers these transactions fraudulent by Visa and does not accept evidence for them. If you see one, you cannot win it with evidence, so check with Shopify Support and put your effort into stopping the underlying fraud.

Does the code change what you send?

Mostly it sharpens it. The Shopify label picks your evidence family, and the code tells you what to emphasise.

Code Emphasise Leave out
10.4 Identity signals: AVS, CVV, IP, device, order history Long arguments about product quality
13.1 Delivery proof to the order address Anything about product condition
13.3 Listing as sold, packing record, contact history Delivery detail beyond a single confirmation

The common mistake is sending a pile of everything. A reviewer who sees product photos in a fraud case, or tracking pages in a not as described case, has to hunt for the point. A short, targeted pack and a one page cover note beat a long one.

A reusable cover note frame

Each code can share the same skeleton. Fill the numbered points with the evidence that fits.

Chargeback response: order #[number]

The dispute was filed as [reason, code if known]. We disagree, for these reasons.

  1. What the bank is being told. [One sentence stating the claim.]
  2. What the order shows. [Date, items, amount, billing match.] See Exhibit A.
  3. What was delivered. [Date, proof.] See Exhibit B.
  4. What the customer did. [Earlier orders, messages or policy.] See Exhibit C.

We ask that the dispute be decided in our favour.

Delete anything you cannot show. Every claim you leave in has to be true.

Should you fight each code?

Use the method from our cost of a chargeback post. On Shopify Payments UK, the break-even win chance is your extra time, valued at an hourly figure, divided by the order value plus £10.

Break-even = extra time cost ÷ (order value + £10)

We assume £20 an hour, 0.5 hours for a prepared response, 2.5 hours for an unprepared one and 0.25 hours to accept. That gives an extra time cost of £5 when prepared and £45 when not. These are illustrations, not measured rates.

Order value Break-even if prepared Break-even if unprepared
£40 10.0% 90.0%
£90 5.0% 45.0%
£200 2.4% 21.4%
£500 1.0% 8.8%

The codes differ in how likely a prepared response is to clear those thresholds, but we have no audited UK win rates by code and found none, so the examples below use assumed figures. Our post on whether you can win a Shopify chargeback explains why headline win rates are unreliable and why your own log matters more.

Three worked examples, one per code

These are illustrations with invented orders. The win chances are assumptions, and the bank always decides.

Example 1: a 10.4 on a repeat customer, £120 (fight)

A customer who has made three earlier undisputed orders to the same address orders a £120 item. AVS and CVV matched, the IP is in the same area as before, and the parcel was delivered with a signature. The bank opens a fraud dispute.

Your pack is the order history, the AVS and CVV results, the IP match, the delivery proof and a short note. Break-even if prepared is 5 ÷ 130 = 3.8%. With strong identity signals, a 55% chance is a fair illustration. Expected recovery is 0.55 × £130 = £71.50 for about £5 of extra time. Fight.

Example 2: a 13.1 with Royal Mail photo proof, £60 (fight)

A customer disputes a £60 order as not received. Royal Mail recorded delivery with a photo of the parcel at the address on the order. The customer never contacted you.

The pack is three files: the photo and tracking, the order showing the matching address, and your policy. Break-even if prepared is 5 ÷ 70 = 7.1%. A 70% chance is a fair illustration. Expected recovery is 0.7 × £70 = £49 for about £5 of time. Fight.

Example 3: a 13.3 on a late defect claim, £150 (cautious fight)

A customer disputes a £150 pair of headphones as defective, after about five months, with no contact. Your listing was accurate, the delivery is confirmed and you have a packing photo and serial number.

The Consumer Rights Act presumption for faults within six months means you may need to show the fault was not there on delivery, and you have no test record. A 30% chance is a fair illustration. Break-even if prepared is 5 ÷ 160 = 3.1%, and expected recovery is 0.3 × £160 = £48 for £5 of time, so a prepared response still pays on paper. In reality, a repair or replacement offer may be the better commercial answer and the better evidence, so contact the customer first if you can.

How do you prevent each code?

Prevention is different for each family, but the habits are cheap.

For 10.4 (fraud, card absent)

  • Review orders with mismatched billing and shipping addresses, new accounts and unusual IP countries before dispatching high value goods.
  • Keep AVS, CVV and IP data with each order, because you need it later.
  • Keep a clear order history per customer.
  • Use a recognisable billing descriptor. Shopify says Shopify Payments merchants can set the billing statement text to their store name or domain.

For 13.1 (not received)

  • Ship quickly and state delivery dates honestly.
  • Use tracked services with photo or signature on higher value parcels.
  • Tell customers when a parcel is delayed.
  • Keep delivery proof with each order.

For 13.3 (not as described)

  • Describe the product accurately and keep a dated copy of each listing.
  • Photograph high value items before sealing the parcel.
  • Reply to complaints within one working day and offer a fix.
  • Make your return policy visible at checkout.

For all of them

  • Send a receipt and a dispatch email.
  • Refund promptly when the customer is right. Shopify's prevention guidance says to refund immediately on request or on an accidental double charge.
  • Keep records for at least 120 days after the order. MoneyHelper describes a 120 day window for debit card chargeback claims in the UK, and credit card claims under Section 75 for items from £100 to £30,000 can run longer.

How do Visa chargeback reason codes relate to your chargeback rate?

Every dispute counts toward your chargeback rate, whether you win or lose, and a high rate can lead to reserves and other restrictions. Shopify publishes no threshold, according to its own help pages, and says high rates can lead to reserves and enrolment in a network monitoring programme.

On the Visa side, Stripe's summaries mention a monitoring programme called VAMP with a lower tier at 0.5% and a count of 5, and an excessive tier at 1.5% in several regions. The United Kingdom was not named in what we saw, so we do not state a UK threshold. Our chargeback rate post covers how to calculate your rate and what the published thresholds are.

The practical lesson for codes is that fraud claims such as 10.4 are the ones networks watch most closely, so prevention there is worth more than a won dispute.

What's different for UK merchants?

  • The fee is £10 on Shopify Payments and returns only on a win. Stripe's UK fees are different, as our Stripe dispute fees post explains.
  • Consumer law shapes 13.1 and 13.3. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 puts goods at the trader's risk until delivery and sets rules on description and faults, so fighting a claim you would lose in law is a poor bet.
  • Banks work to UK timelines. MoneyHelper says banks should tell the customer the outcome within eight weeks.
  • Check how strong customer authentication applies to your checkout. We did not verify how it interacts with Shopify Payments liability shift, so confirm with Shopify before relying on it.
  • Network rules change. Check the current Shopify and Stripe documentation before you rely on any code detail here.

For the whole picture, our UK Shopify chargebacks guide is the hub for this series.

Common mistakes

  • Ignoring the label. The Shopify label picks your evidence family. Start there.
  • Sending a 13.3 pack to a 10.4 dispute. Product photos do not answer an identity question.
  • Claiming Compelling Evidence without checking the rules. The formal requirements are specific, and we did not verify them.
  • Treating 10.5 as winnable. Stripe says no evidence is accepted.
  • Assuming 3D Secure covers you. Check how it applies to the payment before you say so.
  • Fighting a lost parcel. A genuine 13.1 on a lost parcel is a refund.
  • Missing the deadline. If you do not respond, Shopify files a thin response from system data on the due date and nothing can be added. See our post on what happens if you don't respond.
  • Fighting every one. Use the break-even table. Our post on whether a chargeback is worth fighting gives a fuller decision tool.

What should you do next?

  1. Check your latest disputes and see whether the Shopify admin shows a network code for each.
  2. Match each dispute to a family: fraud, not received or not as described.
  3. Build a starter pack per family: identity signals, delivery proof and listing record.
  4. Check your 3D Secure and AVS settings with Shopify, and note what you find.
  5. Save the cover note frame above and reuse it.
  6. Log each dispute with its code if you have it, plus outcome, so your own win rates replace our assumptions.

If you want help turning those records into a response each time, ChargeFix is being built for that, with flat, fixed pricing. It is not live yet.

FAQ

What does Visa reason code 10.4 mean?

It means "other fraud, card absent environment": the cardholder says they did not authorise an online, phone or app payment. Stripe says these disputes typically involve stolen card information, account takeovers or unauthorised recurring charges. On Shopify, it appears as a fraudulent dispute, and the best response leans on identity signals such as AVS, CVV, IP and order history.

What does Visa reason code 13.1 mean?

It means "merchandise or services not received": the goods did not arrive by the expected date, or were unavailable for pick-up. On Shopify, it appears as product not received. The best response is delivery proof matching the order address, such as a carrier photo or signature, plus the order and any customer messages.

What does Visa reason code 13.3 mean?

It means "not as described or defective merchandise or services": the customer says the item was materially different from the advertisement, damaged, defective or short of reasonable expectations. On Shopify, it appears as product unacceptable. The best response is the listing as it stood at the time of sale, your fulfilment records and the customer's contact history.

Can I see the Visa reason code in Shopify?

We could not verify whether the Shopify admin shows the network reason code for each dispute. If it does, use it to sharpen your evidence. If not, the Shopify label is enough to choose your response, and Shopify Support may be able to clarify an unclear case.

What is the difference between 10.4 and 13.1?

10.4 is about whether the cardholder authorised the payment, so identity evidence answers it. 13.1 is about whether the goods arrived, so delivery proof answers it. A customer who says "I never ordered this" files a 10.4, while a customer who says "I ordered it and it never came" files a 13.1.

Does 3D Secure protect me from a 10.4?

Stripe says a payment authenticated with 3D Secure may fall under liability shift, which protects the business from liability for fraudulent card payments. We did not verify how Shopify Payments applies 3D Secure to your checkout, so check your own settings and the dispute details instead of assuming.

What is Visa 10.5 and can I fight it?

Stripe says Visa 10.5, the Visa fraud monitoring program code, is extremely rare and has no recourse, because Visa considers these transactions fraudulent and does not accept evidence for them. If you see one, contact Shopify Support and focus on preventing the underlying fraud.

Is it worth fighting a Visa dispute on a small order?

Only if you can build the pack quickly. On our illustrative assumptions of £20 an hour, a prepared response needs about a 10% chance to break even on a £40 order, and an unprepared one needs about 90%. Keep order, delivery and listing records together, and use your own win log once you have a dozen or so cases.

Join the ChargeFix waitlist

ChargeFix is being built for UK Shopify merchants who want each Visa dispute answered with the evidence that matches its reason code, with flat, fixed pricing instead of a share of what they recover. It is not live yet, so nothing here is a promise about your results.

Join the waitlist at chargefix.pro.

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