Which are the eligibility criteria to dispute a card transaction?
What is a chargeback?
A chargeback is a process that allows credit card holders to dispute a transaction and request a refund from their bank. It is a consumer protection mechanism to recover funds from fraudulent or contested transactions.
If a transaction is identified as fraudulent, it automatically qualifies for a chargeback. This includes unauthorized transactions made without the cardholder's knowledge or consent.
When can I dispute a transaction, and what are the maximum time limits? The time to dispute a transaction can vary depending on the type of dispute:
- In the context of a commercial dispute, you can dispute the transaction within 90 days from the authorization of the transaction.
- In the context of fraud, you can dispute the transaction within 13 months from the authorization of the transaction.
The Commercial Dispute
Do I need to contact the merchant before initiating a dispute?
In the context of a commercial dispute, when a transaction has been authorized by the cardholder, you need to contact the merchant and provide documentation related to the disputed transaction before initiating the dispute. Ensure you have attempted to resolve the issue directly with the merchant. The merchant has a 7-day period to resolve the dispute. If the response is unsatisfactory or you haven't received any response, you can file a claim for the transaction from your app.
Why is a subscription non-refundable?
Subscriptions are generally not eligible for chargeback refunds because they involve agreed-upon recurring payments. When a customer subscribes to a service, they authorize the merchant to charge their account at regular intervals. Chargebacks are meant to dispute unauthorized or fraudulent transactions, not to cancel a service or subscription initially authorized by the customer. To stop a subscription, the customer must cancel it directly with the merchant according to the terms and conditions of the subscription.
Fraud Dispute
What payment methods are accepted and eligible for a refund?
- Card payments
- Xpay, Google Pay, Apple Pay
- Payment via bank transfer
What happens to “pending” transactions?
- Must wait for settlement (up to 8 days). We will provide feedback within the first business day following the report. However, the refund will be issued once the transaction is completed.
- Automatic reimbursement upon settlement if the claim is accepted
- Outcome communicated within one business day
I have activated SCA, am I eligible?
You can be refunded even if you have activated SCA (Strong Customer Authentication). Specifically, Qonto conducts the analysis based on:
- Technical parameters (transaction origin, device, geolocation)
- Authentication methods used (integrity, communication channel)
- Contextual elements (information during authentication, alerts, user reports)
- List provided as an example. Qonto reserves the right to refuse a refund in case of evidence of gross negligence.
I have not activated SCA, am I eligible?
You can be refunded even if you have not activated SCA (Strong Customer Authentication). In particular, Qonto conducts the analysis based on:
- Fraudulent behaviour (beneficiaries linked to you, counterfeit documents, previous frauds, suspicious changes to personal data, or merchants already present in your transaction history).
In both cases, Qonto can recover the funds within 60 days of the refund if evidence of fraud or gross negligence emerges.
Qonto reserves the right not to refund in cases of evidence of fraud by the customer towards our Institution or third parties.