Dispute a Fraudulent Charge

Matthew Ty

Modified on: Mon, 29 Jan, 2024 at 3:11 AM

Overview

In the unfortunate event of encountering a fraudulent charge with Motivosity, we've outlined a comprehensive two-step process to guide users through the dispute resolution. Follow these steps carefully for a smoother and more effective dispute process.

Disputing a Charge

Please Note:
Before we get started, if the fraudulent transaction has been posted for more than 90 days on your Motivosity user account, the fraudulent charge is ineligible for dispute. Failure to report such charges to Motivosity Support during this time frame will be declined. You may submit a ticket to our Motivosity support team by heading here if you have further questions: Submit a Ticket.

Step 1: Contact the Merchant to Dispute and Gather Evidence

In order to file a fraudulent charge dispute, we will need to do that directly through our third party named Stripe who handles the dispute process, and there is some information that they require to be filled out prior to filing the dispute. The biggest thing is that, first, they require that an attempt is made to contact the merchant(s) directly to see if they are able and willing to assist with a direct refund for these charges on their own, without Stripe's dispute intervention. This can be done through various channels such as phone calls, emails, that support or physically at the location.

As you contact them, please keep detailed note on what their responses are, even if the result of the contact ends up being something along the lines of "Merchant has record of transaction, but is unable to issue a refund due to ...". Stripe will ask that we include any correspondence that was held with the merchant, and the more information that we can give, the better the dispute process will go. Also, please let me know if the merchant(s) is able to initiate the refund from their own side as that will also help speed up our dispute process since we will not need to include them on any official dispute form.

Reminders for Step 1:

Gather Evidence:

Collect all relevant evidence of the transaction, such as receipts, order confirmations, and screenshots. Having a clear record of your purchase will strengthen your case when communicating with the merchant.

Review Merchant Policies:

Familiarize yourself with the merchant's refund and return policies. Merchants often have specific guidelines on how and when refunds can be issued. Make sure your request aligns with their stated policies.

Contact Customer Support Promptly:

Reach out to the merchant's customer support as soon as you identify the issue. Prompt communication demonstrates your concern and may lead to a quicker resolution. Provide a detailed explanation of the problem and attach any relevant documentation.

Be Polite and Clear in Communication:

Maintain a polite and clear tone when communicating with the merchant. Clearly explain the issue, your expectations for a resolution, and how you believe a refund would be fair. Avoid being confrontational, as a cooperative approach often yields better results.

Document Everything

Document every interaction you have with the merchant, including the date and time.

Merchant not willing to issue a refund or cannot find transaction?

If the merchant reports that they cannot find the transaction or deal with the charge we'll need record of this communication. It's crucial to retain all communication records, including receipts, screenshots, and call recordings, as Stripe may request these during the dispute process. From here (if you haven't already), submit a ticket with Motivosity support by clicking here to see if you're eligible for Step 2.

Step 2: Escalate to Stripe if Merchant Contact Fails

If attempts to resolve the issue directly with the merchant prove unsuccessful, it's time to escalate the matter to Stripe, Motivosity's third-party payment processor. However, before initiating a dispute with Stripe, ensure you have evidence of your communication attempts with the merchant and that you have an open ticket with the Motivosity support team.

Note:

Users are allowed one dispute submission per transaction. When a dispute is submitted, the resolution process may span a duration of up to 90 days.

Disputing with Stripe:

If the charge is deemed fraudulent by the Motivosity support team they'll be sending an E-Application from PandaDoc. This E-Application form will need to be filled out by the user.

Fill out the E-Application:

This form requires accurate information about the transaction, such as the card used (virtual or physical), the transaction amount, date, and a detailed explanation of why the merchant refuses to issue a refund. We recommend attaching all receipts of conversation with the merchant in one single PDF file.

Fraudulent Use Form:

If the information submitted is insufficient the dispute case will be declined and declared lost.

Next Steps

The Motivosity support agent assigned to your ticket will be your best resource in regards to updates with the dispute process and if your case been won or lost. Please feel free to reach out any time and they'd be happy to let you know if there has been any progress with your dispute case.

Reminder:

The success of the dispute depends on the information provided by the user. Motivosity does not handle the dispute process and it's determined by Stripe. Include all relevant details, and be thorough as possible. Attach any support documents into one PDF to strengthen your case.

If you have further questions regarding the dispute process please feel free to submit a ticket by clicking here.