Source: https://rivet.global/blog/chargebacks-for-international-sellers
Published: 2026-07-24 · Updated: 2026-07-24 · By Rashidatou K.

# Chargebacks for online sellers: how they work across borders and how to win them

How card chargebacks work when customers are abroad: reason codes, deadlines, evidence that wins disputes, and how to prevent cross-border chargebacks.

## Key takeaways

- A chargeback is a forced reversal of a card payment, started by the cardholder's bank under card network rules.
- The money is taken back first; you then have a limited window to submit evidence, often a couple of weeks through your processor.
- Cross-border sales see more disputes for unrecognized descriptors, delivery delays and currency confusion.
- Winning evidence is specific: delivery proof, customer communication, usage logs and the terms the customer accepted.
- Card networks monitor merchants with high dispute ratios, so prevention matters more than winning.

Card payments are the easiest way for a customer in another country to buy from you. They also carry a risk bank transfers do not: the customer's bank can pull the money back. When it does, the sale amount and a dispute fee leave your account, and you have a short window to argue.

## How a chargeback runs

1. The cardholder contacts their bank and disputes the charge.
2. The issuing bank files the dispute under Visa or Mastercard rules, with a reason code.
3. Your processor takes the amount back from your balance and notifies you.
4. You accept, or submit evidence within the processor's deadline.
5. The issuing bank decides. Some cases go to a second round or to the card network.

The cardholder usually has up to 120 days to dispute. You often have only a couple of weeks to respond, so check your processor dashboard often.

## Why cross-border sales see more disputes

- **Descriptors they do not recognize.** A charge from "RVT*SERVICES LDN" on a statement in Brazil looks like fraud.
- **Currency confusion.** The customer saw one price and their bank charged another after conversion and a foreign transaction fee.
- **Slow delivery.** International shipping takes longer, and "item not received" disputes start before parcels arrive.
- **Higher real fraud.** Stolen cards are more often used across borders.

## The main reason codes

| Group | Examples | What wins |
|---|---|---|
| Fraud | Card not present, unrecognized | 3-D Secure authentication, matching IP and address, prior undisputed orders |
| Not received | Goods or services not received | Tracking showing delivery, login or usage logs for digital goods |
| Not as described | Defective, wrong item | Product description, photos, customer messages, return policy |
| Processing | Duplicate, wrong amount | Records showing one charge and the correct amount |
| Cancelled | Subscription cancelled | Terms accepted at checkout, cancellation records |

## Evidence that wins

Be specific to the reason code. A pile of generic documents loses. Include the order, the terms the customer accepted, proof of delivery or use, and every message with the customer. A short cover letter that maps each document to the reason code helps the reviewer.

## Prevention

- Use a clear billing descriptor with your brand name, and a support URL or phone.
- Show prices in the customer's currency at checkout where you can.
- Send a receipt immediately and shipping updates often.
- Use 3-D Secure for higher-risk orders. In the EU and UK, strong customer authentication is required for most online card payments anyway.
- Refund fast when a customer complains. A refund costs less than a chargeback and does not count against your ratio.

Card networks put merchants with high dispute ratios into monitoring programs with fines, so a few prevented disputes are worth more than a few won ones.

## Where the money lands

Chargebacks are a processor matter. Once your processor pays out, you want the funds in an account in the same currency, so a refund or dispute does not cost two conversions. The [Stripe and Shopify guide](/blog/business-account-with-stripe-or-shopify-payments) covers payouts. Rivet gives a company USD account details for processor payouts, with EUR and GBP on Growth. See [Bank accounts](/accounts).

## Questions

### What is a chargeback?

A reversal of a card payment that the cardholder's bank starts on their behalf, under Visa or Mastercard rules. It differs from a refund, which the merchant chooses to give. Chargebacks carry a fee and count against the merchant's dispute ratio.

### How long does a customer have to file a chargeback?

For most reasons, up to 120 days from the transaction or the expected delivery date under Visa and Mastercard rules, with some cases running longer. Your processor's own deadline for responding is much shorter.

### What is friendly fraud?

A dispute filed by the real cardholder for a purchase they did make, either by mistake (they did not recognize the charge) or on purpose. Clear billing descriptors and receipts reduce the honest mistakes.

### Do chargebacks apply to bank transfers?

No. Chargebacks are a card network process. Bank transfers have their own recall and return rules, which are narrower. That is one reason B2B sellers often prefer invoices paid by transfer.