Templates › Chargeback response letter template
Chargeback response letter template
A response letter you can adapt for any card dispute, and a checklist of the evidence that answers each type of dispute. Card networks use their own reason codes, so this template describes the common groups in general terms.
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Read it here, copy it into your store, or print it. The Word files and country versions are in the optional pack below.
A template, not legal advice. Last updated 28 September 2026. Check the rules where you sell and ask a lawyer if you are unsure.
Read the free response letter
Chargeback Response Letter
A template, not legal advice. Last updated 28 September 2026. Check the rules where you sell and ask a lawyer if you are unsure.
[Your business legal name] · [address] · [email] · [phone]
Date: [date]
To: [payment processor or acquiring bank], disputes team
Re: dispute [case ID] · transaction [transaction ID] of [amount and currency] on [transaction date] · cardholder [name] · card ending [last 4 digits]
Reason given: [reason code and description from the dispute notice]
Summary
We are responding to the dispute above and ask that it be reversed in our favour. [In one or two sentences: the customer ordered X on DATE; it was delivered to the address they gave on DATE; they did not ask us for a refund before disputing the payment.]
What happened
- Order: [order number], placed on [date and time] [from IP address / account email], for [items].
- Payment checks: [address check result], [security-code check result], [3-D Secure: authenticated / not used].
- Fulfilment: shipped on [date] with [carrier], tracking [number]; delivered on [date] to [city, postcode] [with signature / delivery photo].
- Customer contact: [summarise emails or chats, with dates] / The customer did not contact us before disputing the payment.
- Policy: the customer accepted our [refund / cancellation] policy at checkout on [date]. It is shown at [URL] and in the attached screenshot.
Why the dispute should be reversed
- [Answer the reason given, point by point, and point to the exhibit that proves each point.]
- [For example: the item was delivered to the address given at checkout (Exhibit C).]
- [For example: no return or refund was requested within our returns window (Exhibit E).]
Evidence attached
- Exhibit A: order confirmation and invoice.
- Exhibit B: payment check results (address, security code, 3-D Secure).
- Exhibit C: shipping and delivery tracking.
- Exhibit D: messages with the customer.
- Exhibit E: the refund or cancellation policy shown at checkout.
Please contact [name] at [email] if you need anything else.
Signed: [name], [title], [business legal name]
Evidence checklist by dispute type
Card networks sort their reason codes into broad families: fraud, authorisation, processing errors and customer disputes. Read the reason and the respond-by date on your dispute notice, then send the evidence that answers that reason.
| Dispute type | What the customer says | Evidence that helps |
|---|---|---|
| Fraud (card not present) | “I did not make this purchase.” | Address and security-code check results; 3-D Secure authentication; IP address, device or account that matches earlier undisputed orders; delivery to the cardholder’s billing address; login history; any message from the customer about the order. |
| Item not received | “It never arrived.” | Tracking that shows delivery to the address given at checkout; the carrier’s delivery photo or signature; messages in which the customer mentions having the item. |
| Not as described or defective | “It was not what I ordered” or “It was damaged.” | The product page as it looked when the customer bought; photos taken before dispatch; your returns policy; whether a return was ever requested; your offers to repair, replace or refund. |
| Credit not processed | “I returned it and was not refunded.” | The returns policy the customer accepted; proof the return was not received, arrived outside the returns window or in a condition the policy excludes; or the refund already issued, with date and reference. |
| Cancelled subscription | “I cancelled.” | The terms shown at sign-up; your cancellation policy; proof the customer had not cancelled before the charge; renewal reminder emails; use of the service after the claimed cancellation date. |
| Duplicate or incorrect amount | “I was charged twice” or “The amount is wrong.” | Proof that each charge is for a separate order, or that the amount matches the receipt; or the refund already issued. |
Many disputes are really friendly fraud: a real customer disputing a genuine order. The guide explains how to prevent it.
Paid pack · optional
Chargeback response letter + evidence checklist
$29 one-time
Six response letters, one for each common dispute type, an evidence checklist, and an Excel dispute tracker.
- Six chargeback response letters by dispute type (.docx)
- Chargeback evidence checklist (.docx)
- Dispute tracker with respond-by countdown (.xlsx)
Template packs are sold by Globixera through Stripe as a one-time card payment in US dollars, for use in your own business. Buyers in the UK, the EU, Australia, Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and India buy as a business and must enter a VAT, GST or other business tax ID at checkout (reverse charge). Templates, not legal advice. Your rights under consumer law are not affected.
Questions
How long do I have to respond to a chargeback?
Your payment processor sets the deadline and shows it on the dispute notice. It is often one to three weeks. A late response is usually lost automatically, so start straight away.
Should I just refund instead?
Once a dispute is open, refunding does not usually close it, and you could lose the money twice. Answer the dispute with evidence, or accept it through your processor.
What evidence wins most often?
Evidence that answers the exact reason: proof of delivery for “not received”, payment checks and earlier undisputed orders for “fraud”, and the product page and returns policy for “not as described”.
Does this include card network logos or official forms?
No. It is an independent template. It describes dispute types in general terms and works with any payment processor.