Try free →

Network

Visa

Code

10.4

Response window

30 calendar days

Win difficulty

Hard

Dispute type

Fraud

Visa 10.4 — Other Fraud: Card-absent Environment: What It Is and How to Respond

Visa 10.4 is filed when a cardholder — or their bank — claims that a card-not-present transaction (online, phone, or mail order) was made without their authorization. The cardholder is saying either: someone stole their card details and used them on your store, or they made the purchase but don't recognize the charge (often due to an unclear billing descriptor).

This is the most common fraud chargeback for e-commerce merchants, and also one of the hardest to win — because the burden of proof falls entirely on you. Unlike a consumer dispute where you just need delivery proof, 10.4 requires you to demonstrate that the actual cardholder authorized or participated in the transaction.

Common reasons you received this dispute

  1. 1A fraudster used stolen card details to make a purchase on your store
  2. 2The customer made the purchase but doesn't recognise your billing descriptor
  3. 3A family member used the cardholder's card without permission
  4. 4The cardholder made the purchase, forgot about it, and filed a dispute
  5. 5You processed the transaction without requesting proper authorization
  6. 6No CVV or AVS verification was performed at checkout

Can you win this dispute?

Fight this dispute if...

  • ✓You have Visa Secure (3DS) authentication with a positive result — liability shifts to the issuer
  • ✓You can show 2+ prior non-disputed transactions from the same device or IP address (Compelling Evidence 3.0)
  • ✓CVV2 matched AND AVS returned a positive result at time of transaction
  • ✓You have signed delivery confirmation from the carrier
  • ✓The billing descriptor clearly and recognisably matches your store name

You should accept this chargeback if...

  • ✗No 3DS authentication was performed on the transaction
  • ✗No CVV or AVS match is on record
  • ✗You cannot link the device, IP address, or email to any previous legitimate order
  • ✗The transaction amount is too small to justify the dispute fee and investigation time

Evidence checklist

  1. Required

    Visa Secure / 3DS authentication result: ECI code, CAVV/AAV value, and authentication timestamp from your payment processor. This single piece of evidence can shift liability entirely.

  2. Required

    Order confirmation with full transaction metadata: IP address, email address, shipping address, device type, and timestamp.

  3. Required

    AVS and CVV2 match results: The exact response codes returned by your payment processor at authorization time.

  4. Strongly recommended

    Shipping tracking with delivery confirmation: Full carrier tracking showing delivery date, time, and destination address.

  5. Strongly recommended

    Prior non-disputed transactions from same device or IP: Required for Compelling Evidence 3.0 — these transactions must be within 120–365 days before the dispute.

  6. Strongly recommended

    Your billing descriptor as it appears on bank statements: Screenshot or documentation showing how the charge appears to cardholders.

  7. If available

    Device fingerprint or IP geolocation data: Matching the shipping address city/region strengthens your case.

  8. If available

    Customer account login history: Previous logins from the same device demonstrate familiarity.

  9. If available

    Email correspondence with the customer: Any communication about the order before the dispute was filed.

Compelling Evidence 3.0 — your strongest tool for 10.4 disputes

Visa introduced CE 3.0 in April 2023, giving merchants a new path to winning 10.4 disputes. If you can show the cardholder completed 2 or more non-disputed transactions using the same device ID, device fingerprint, or IP address within 120–365 days before this dispute — and those transactions share at least 2 data elements with the disputed transaction — you can shift liability back to the issuing bank.

This requires solid transaction data logging. If you're not collecting device fingerprints and IP addresses today, start now — every transaction you log is future CE 3.0 evidence.

How to write your response

Open by stating clearly what authentication measures were in place at the time of the transaction. Don't bury the lead — if 3DS was used, put the authentication result in your opening sentence. If Compelling Evidence 3.0 applies, lead with the prior transaction history and explain how the data points match.

Name every piece of evidence you're attaching and explain precisely what each one proves in relation to the dispute. A response that lists documents without connecting them to the claim is weaker than one that walks the reviewer through your case step by step.

Do not write emotional language such as "this is unfair" or imply that the customer is lying. Dispute reviewers are evaluating documentation, not intent. Do not include irrelevant documents — every attachment should directly address an element of the 10.4 claim.

"We are writing to dispute chargeback [reference number] filed under Visa reason code 10.4. The transaction in question was authenticated via Visa Secure (3DS) at [time] on [date], with ECI code [X] and CAVV value [Y]. Authentication was successful and liability for fraud was transferred to the issuing bank at that time. We have attached the full authentication record, order confirmation, and delivery confirmation below."

Adapt this template based on your situation — if you don't have 3DS, use the CE 3.0 variant and lead with prior transaction history instead.

Key deadlines

Response window: 30 calendar days from the date you received the chargeback notification.

Missing the deadline means an automatic loss — the dispute is decided against you regardless of evidence strength.

Pre-arbitration: if the issuer rejects your response, you have a further 30 days to escalate to Visa arbitration (additional fees apply — typically $500 per case).

Act on day 1: most processors surface disputes slowly — by the time you see the notification, you may have already lost several days.

How to prevent this chargeback

  1. 1

    Implement Visa Secure (3DS2): Authenticated transactions are essentially immune to 10.4 disputes. When 3DS authentication succeeds, the liability shifts from you to the issuing bank — even if the transaction turns out to be fraudulent. This is the single most effective step you can take.

  2. 2

    Fix your billing descriptor: It must show your recognisable store name, not a parent company or payment provider name. "FINCORO*CHARGEMATE" confuses customers and triggers disputes from people who legitimately made the purchase but don't recognise the charge.

  3. 3

    Log device fingerprint, IP address, and email at every checkout: These are the CE 3.0 data points you'll need if you ever have to fight a dispute. Every transaction you log without this data is a missed opportunity to build future evidence.

  4. 4

    Enable and enforce AVS and CVV2 verification: Decline transactions where both fail simultaneously. These checks are your first line of defence against stolen card details being used without physical access to the card.

  5. 5

    Send order confirmation emails immediately with clear purchase details: Include a description of what was purchased, the exact amount, and how the charge will appear on the cardholder's bank statement. Many 10.4 disputes come from customers who simply don't recognise the descriptor.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Visa 10.4 chargeback and why did I receive it?

Visa 10.4 (Other Fraud — Card-absent Environment) is filed when a cardholder claims a card-not-present transaction was unauthorised. You received it because either a fraudster used stolen card details on your store, or the cardholder does not recognise the charge. It's the most common fraud chargeback in e-commerce.

Can I win a Visa 10.4 chargeback without 3DS authentication?

Yes, but it's significantly harder. Your best path without 3DS is Compelling Evidence 3.0 — if you can show the cardholder completed 2+ prior undisputed transactions from the same device or IP address within the past 120–365 days, you can shift liability back to the issuer. Without 3DS or CE 3.0 matching data, winning is unlikely unless you have exceptional evidence of fraud detection at the time of purchase.

What is Compelling Evidence 3.0 and how does it help with Visa 10.4 disputes?

CE 3.0 is a Visa rule introduced in April 2023 that lets merchants fight 10.4 disputes by proving the cardholder had a history of non-disputed transactions on the same device or IP. If you can provide 2+ prior transactions within 120–365 days before the dispute that share at least 2 data elements (IP address, device ID, device fingerprint, email, or shipping address) with the disputed transaction, you can request that Visa shift chargeback liability to the issuer.

How long do I have to respond to a Visa 10.4 chargeback?

You have 30 calendar days from the date the chargeback notification was issued. This is a hard deadline — missing it results in an automatic loss regardless of the strength of your evidence. In practice, you may have fewer days by the time your processor surfaces the dispute, so treat every 10.4 chargeback as urgent from day one.

Related reason codes

Visa 13.1

Goods / Services Not Received

Visa 13.2

Cancelled Recurring Transaction

MC 4837

No Cardholder Authorization

Read the full CE 3.0 guide →

Dealing with a Visa 10.4 chargeback?

Generate a winning dispute response in minutes, or let ChargeMate handle it for you.

Generate my dispute response →Let ChargeMate handle this for me →

3 free generations included · No credit card required