Questions

1. What is a dispute?

2. Who makes the final decision on a dispute?

3. What are the possible stages of a dispute?

4. How is a merchant notified when a dispute is received?

5. Why might dispute notification not be received?

6. How long do merchants have to respond to a dispute?

7. What options are available when a dispute is received?

8. What happens when a dispute is accepted?

9. What documentation should be uploaded for a dispute?

10. What file types and size limits apply when uploading dispute documentation?

11. Why might additional documentation be requested?

12. What do the different dispute statuses mean?

13. When are funds debited from a merchant’s account?

14. How do dispute-related debits or credits appear in funding?

15. How long does it typically take to resolve a dispute?

16. Why can a dispute continue even if a refund was already issued?

17. Can a dispute reopen after being marked as won or lost?

18. Can a dispute apply to only part of a transaction amount?

19. Who can see comments and uploaded documents?

20. Why might a merchant be unable to upload dispute documents?

21. Who should be contacted with questions about a dispute?

22. What actions can improve the chances of a favorable dispute outcome?

23. Why did the merchant lose the dispute?

A dispute, also referred to as a chargeback, occurs when a cardholder contacts their bank to challenge a transaction made with a credit or debit card. The bank may temporarily reverse the funds while the transaction is reviewed. Disputes may be raised due to fraud, billing or processing errors, or customer-related issues such as goods not received or refunds not reflected.

CSG Forte does not make the final decision on disputes. CSG Forte acts as an intermediary between the merchant and the card networks or issuing banks. The final outcome is determined by the card issuer or card brand based on their rules and the evidence provided.

A dispute may progress through one or more stages during its lifecycle. Not all disputes follow every stage, and some may end earlier depending on the cardholder’s claim, the merchant’s response, and the card brand’s rules. 

• Inquiry/Retrieval Request: This is often the earliest stage of a dispute. The cardholder’s bank requests additional information about a transaction, such as a receipt or proof of purchase. At this stage, funds may not be immediately debited, and the request may be resolved without escalating to a chargeback if sufficient information is provided. 
• Chargeback: A chargeback is the formal dispute stage in which the cardholder’s bank reverses the transaction and removes the disputed funds from the merchant while the case is reviewed. The merchant is given the opportunity to either accept the chargeback or submit documentation to challenge it. 
• Second Chargeback/Pre‑Arbitration: In some cases, if the initial chargeback decision is challenged or additional issues arise, the dispute may escalate to a second chargeback or a pre‑arbitration stage. This represents a more advanced review and may involve additional requirements, timelines, and potential fees.
• Arbitration: Arbitration is a later, escalated stage in which the card brand reviews the case and issues a binding final decision. This stage is less common and typically involves higher fees and stricter evidence requirements. Once arbitration is complete, the dispute is considered final. 

Disputes may stop at any point in this lifecycle. For example, some are resolved at the inquiry stage, while others may end after the initial chargeback without escalating further.

Dispute notifications are sent based on each user’s individual notification settings in Dex. Notifications may include alerts for new disputes, requests for documentation, status changes, or escalated dispute events. 

Merchants can review whether dispute notifications are enabled by accessing their user notification settings in Dex and confirming that dispute‑related alerts are turned on for the appropriate user accounts. Notifications are configured at the user level, not at the merchant or organization level, and are sent to the email address associated with each user’s Dex profile. 

If a merchant needs to update notification preferences, add or remove notification recipients, or believes notifications are not being received as expected, Customer Service can assist by reviewing user access, notification subscriptions, and profile information. Notifications are informational and do not replace the requirement to log in to Dex to review disputes and take action before the due date.

Common reasons include notifications being configured per user, missing notification subscriptions, outdated email addresses, or insufficient user permissions. Customer Service can review user setup and notification configuration if needed.

Response timelines depend on merchant type. Standard merchants typically have 10 calendar days to respond, while government merchants typically have 20 calendar days. Due dates are displayed in Dex, and missing a due date may result in an automatic loss.

Merchants may either accept the dispute or fight the dispute by uploading supporting documentation and comments. If documentation is sufficient, it is submitted for review by the card network or issuer.

When a dispute is accepted, it moves to a terminal status, and the disputed funds are returned to or remain with the cardholder. No further review occurs.

Documentation depends on the dispute reason and may include transaction receipts, proof of delivery or service, refund confirmations, and customer correspondence. Documentation must be clear, legible, and directly.

When uploading documentation for a dispute, files must meet system and card‑brand requirements. In general, documentation uploaded in Dex supports: 

• A maximum file size of up to 10 MB per file 
• Common formats such as JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, and TXT.

In addition to these general limits, specific card brands or processors may apply stricter requirements at the time documentation is submitted for review. For example: 

• Vantiv (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) may limit files to 2 MB per file and up to 50 pages per document 
• American Express (AMEX) may limit disputes to a maximum number of files per case.

Because of these variations, documentation must comply with both Dex upload limits and any applicable card‑brand or processor requirements. If submitted files do not meet these requirements, additional documentation may be requested.

Additional documentation may be required if files are incomplete, unclear, or do not meet card-brand requirements. In these cases, the dispute typically returns to “Documents Needed” status with instructions.

Dispute statuses indicate where a dispute is within its lifecycle and whether action is required from the merchant. The most common statuses include the following: 

• Documents Needed: This status means that action is required from the merchant. Supporting documentation and/or comments must be uploaded before the due date in order for the dispute to continue. If no action is taken, the dispute may expire or be resolved in favor of the cardholder. 
• Reviewing: Documentation has been received and is under review. During this stage, the submitted evidence is evaluated to determine whether it meets the requirements to be forwarded to the card network or issuing bank. Additional information may still be requested. 
• Pending: The dispute has been submitted to the processor or card network, and a decision is pending. No merchant action is required at this time, but the case remains open while the issuer reviews the documentation. 
• Won: The dispute has been resolved in favor of the merchant. If funds were previously debited, any applicable credits are applied according to the merchant’s funding configuration. 
• Lost: The dispute has been resolved in favor of the cardholder. The disputed funds are retained by the cardholder, and the case is considered closed. 
• Accepted: The merchant accepted the dispute and did not contest the chargeback. This is a terminal status, and no further review occurs. 
• Expired: The dispute remained inactive beyond the allowed response window. No further merchant action is permitted, and the dispute may still result in a funding adjustment. 
• Exception: The dispute requires special handling due to an unsupported reason code or other processing issue. The case must be corrected before it can proceed and may return to Documents Needed once resolved. 
• Fulfilled: The dispute remained in an inquiry stage without further updates for a defined period and is considered fulfilled. No additional action is required. 

Note: Disputes in “Documents Needed” and “Reviewing” statuses require the most immediate attention, as timely and complete responses during these stages have the greatest impact on the outcome of the dispute.

The timing of funding adjustments depends on the merchant’s funding configuration. With immediate funding, funds are debited when the dispute is received. With deferred funding, funds are debited only if the dispute is lost or accepted.

Dispute-related funding adjustments may appear netted with daily deposits or as separate line items, depending on the merchant’s configuration.

Disputes may take several weeks to resolve. “Pending” status can last up to approximately 60 days, and the full lifecycle may extend to around 90 days depending on the case and any escalation.

Refunds do not automatically stop disputes. Issuers verify whether the refund matches the disputed transaction, fully resolves the amount, and meets timing and card-brand rules.

Yes. If a dispute escalates to a second chargeback or arbitration, a previously resolved dispute may return to an active status and require additional action.

Yes. Some disputes apply only to a portion of the original transaction amount, and funding adjustments apply only to the disputed portion.

Merchants can add public comments that are visible to all parties working on the dispute.

A merchant may be unable to upload documentation for a dispute for one of the following reasons: 

• User access or permission limitations: Dispute document uploads are restricted based on user roles and permissions. Users with view‑only or ISV‑Support access may not have the “Dispute Update” permission required to upload documentation. In these cases, the user can view dispute details but cannot attach files. 
• Dispute status restrictions: Documentation can only be uploaded when the dispute is in a status that allows merchant action, such as “Documents Needed”. If a dispute is in a later or terminal status (for example, Pending, Won, Lost, Accepted, or Expired), document uploads may no longer be permitted. 

If a merchant believes documentation should be allowed but cannot upload files, Customer Service can assist by reviewing the user’s access level and the current dispute status to determine the next appropriate steps.

Dispute details should first be reviewed in Dex, including the dispute status, due dates, comments, and uploaded documentation. For general questions, assistance with access, documentation, notifications, or dispute understanding, Customer Service should be contacted.

Responding before the due date, providing complete and legible documentation that directly addresses the dispute reason, and regularly monitoring dispute statuses in Dex can improve the likelihood of a favorable outcome.

A dispute may be resolved in favor of the cardholder for several reasons. Common causes include the following: 

• No response was provided: If no documentation or comments are submitted before the due date, the dispute may automatically be resolved in favor of the cardholder. 
• Documentation was submitted after the due date: Dispute responses must be submitted within the allowed response window. Documentation uploaded after the due date may not be reviewed or considered by the card issuer. 
• The dispute did not move forward for review: If required documentation is not submitted correctly or in time, the dispute may not progress to the review stage, preventing it from being evaluated by the card network or issuing bank. 
• Documentation did not address the dispute reason: Each dispute is assigned to a specific reason code that determines what type of evidence is required. If the submitted documentation does not directly address the stated reason for the dispute, it may be deemed insufficient. 
• Documentation was incomplete or insufficient: Evidence that is missing key details, is unclear, or does not meet card‑brand requirements (such as file size, format, or page limits) may not be accepted for review. 
• Additional information was requested but not provided: If further documentation is requested and not submitted before the due date, the dispute may be resolved in favor of the cardholder. 
• The dispute was accepted by the merchant: When a dispute is accepted, it is closed without being contested, and the funds are returned to or retained by the cardholder.