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Diners/Discover chargebacks

Learn about the Diners/Discover chargeback process and the guidelines to dispute a chargeback.

The Diners/Discover chargeback flow:

  1. Optional: Request for Information
  2. Information Supplied
  3. Notification of Chargeback
  4. 1st Chargeback
  5. Information Supplied
  6. Chargeback Reversed
  7. Pre-Arbitration
  8. 2nd Chargeback
  9. Arbitration Case Filing

Diners/Discover flow

Optional: Request for Information (RFI)

A Request For Information (RFI) is initiated when the cardholder does not recognize or does not agree to a charge, and requests more information from their bank. It can also be initiated in the context of a fraud investigation where the real cardholder does not acknowledge the transaction.

For an RFI, always upload information that can help the cardholder to recognize the charge or that can support your position that the transaction is valid.

At this point, funds are not yet deducted from your account.

You can upload information within 18 days of the Request for Information's data for Diners/Discover.

If you do not respond to an RFI, and then receive a chargeback for that transaction, you cannot defend the chargeback.

Recommendations on Request for Information documents are:

For physical goods

  • Order confirmation/copy invoice.
  • Proof that goods are delivered (DHL/UPS signed proof of delivery).

For digital goods

  • Order confirmation/copy invoice.
  • Proof that services are downloaded/used (date and time of download, IP address, and email address that was used for the download).

Information Supplied

Adyen received your defense documents and forwarded them to the scheme. It is no longer possible to change these documents.

Notification of Chargeback

The issuer initiated a Notification of Chargeback (NoC). The NoC can follow from a Request for Information (RFI), or the RFI step is skipped and the NoC occurs immediately after the payment status is set to Settled or Refunded. The dispute process has started, and money will be withdrawn from your account.

The chargeback debit usually occurs a few days after you receive the NoC.

1st Chargeback

The issuing bank initiates the first chargeback on behalf of the cardholder by sending a chargeback notification to Adyen stating the dispute reason.

We assign the dispute to you for review in your Customer Area > Risk > Disputes, or send you a webhook. At the same time, your account is debited for the chargeback amount, and the NotificationOfChargeback and Chargeback journals are booked.

After your review, you can decide to either:

Contact Adyen with the relevant defense documents within 40 days.

There is no opportunity later in the process to provide information (unless this information was not available before). Therefore, it is important to address the reason code and upload information that can support your position. Only uploading an overview of the order details is not enough.

Information Supplied

Adyen received your defense documents and forwarded them to the scheme. It is no longer possible to change these documents.

Chargeback Reversed

The disputed amount was transferred to your account. The issuer is still reviewing the defense. If they accept, this is the final status. The Chargeback reversed journal is booked.

Pre-Arbitration

The cardholder can challenge your evidence and their bank will send a Pre-arbitration (second chargeback) to Adyen within 30-32 days of upload date (Information Supplied date).

In most cases, the cardholder insists that the chargeback is valid (after reviewing your evidence) and requests their bank to continue the dispute.

The Adyen Chargeback Team reviews the Pre-arbitration chargebacks and responds by either accepting or declining them.

If Adyen accepts the case, you will be debited for the disputed amount and a SecondChargeback journal will be booked.

If the Pre-arbitration is declined, the bank can pursue it to the final stage of the dispute cycle by escalating it with Diners/Discover. This is called Arbitration case filing.

2nd Chargeback

If the issuer declines your defense, or Adyen accepts their pre-arbitration case, a second chargeback occurs. You can not upload defense documents. This is the final status.

Arbitration case filing

At Arbitration case filing stage, the Diners/Discover chargeback committee will review the chargeback and provide a ruling. They will review the cardholder's claim and your documents and compare them with the Diners/Discover regulations. The party that did not meet the dispute conditions and requirements will lose the chargeback and will be held liable for a filing fee of USD 500 (the fee is charged on top of the dispute amount).

Adyen is not responsible if the card scheme rules in favor of the cardholder.

Reason codes and guidelines

For a list of Diners/Discover dispute reason codes, see Dispute reason codes.