This guide explains how chargebacks work and how to review, defend or accept them in the Dispute Manager in the ValPay Portal. Evidence is uploaded directly in the portal, with no emails needed.
⏳ Act quickly: disputes that miss the response deadline are automatically lost.
What Is a Chargeback?
A chargeback is a reversal of a payment raised by the cardholder's bank, not by you. Unlike a refund, it follows card network rules (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) with strict deadlines. When a chargeback opens, the disputed amount is taken from your balance and held until the case is resolved.
Common reasons include suspected fraud, an item not received, an item not as described, a duplicate charge, or a refund the customer says they didn't get. Chargebacks can arrive weeks or even months after the original payment.
📧 Step 1: The Notification Email
ValPay emails all users registered for the affected store. The email includes the transaction date and amount, card summary and references, the dispute reason, the response deadline and days remaining, and a direct link to the Dispute Manager.
🔓 Step 2: Open the Dispute Manager
Click the link in the email and sign in, or log in at portal.valpay.com and choose Disputes from the left-hand menu.
🔎 Step 3: Find the Case
Filter by dispute type, status, date range, PSP reference or store name to match the details in your email, then click the dispute reference to open it.
📄 Step 4: Review and Choose
The case page shows the transaction, the bank's reason for the dispute, and the deadline. You have two options:
Defend Chargeback to submit evidence and challenge it.
Accept Chargeback to agree with the customer's claim and close the case.
🛡️ Step 5a: Defending a Chargeback
Click DEFEND CHARGEBACK, choose the defense reason that best fits your case (for example, Services Provided), upload your evidence, and click Submit Defense. A banner confirms your defense is under review.
Accepted files: PDF up to 2 MB, JPG/JPEG up to 7 MB, TIFF up to 7 MB.
What evidence to include
Fraud / unauthorized: proof the card was present (chip or PIN receipt), AVS and CVV match results, signed authorization, IP address or device data for online orders, and past legitimate orders from the same customer.
Item not received: tracking and delivery confirmation (with signature if available), and any messages from the customer confirming receipt.
Not as described: your listing or description at the time of purchase, photos or specs, your return policy as shown at checkout, and relevant customer messages.
Refund not processed: proof of the refund, including date, amount and reference.
Clear, relevant evidence matters more than volume.
✅ Step 5b: Accepting a Chargeback
Click ACCEPT CHARGEBACK if the customer's claim is valid, for example a genuine double charge or a service you couldn't provide. The amount that was already held when the chargeback opened goes to the cardholder, and the case closes. Accepting is final, so don't click it if you plan to defend.
⏱️ Deadlines
The deadline shown on the case page is always the one that counts. Typical timeframes:
Stage | Typical timeframe |
Your defense | Shown in the portal, usually 20–30 days from notification |
Bank review after your defense | 30–45 days |
Pre-arbitration response (if applicable) | About 30 days |
Arbitration | 30–90 days |
📊 Chargebacks and Your Deposits
If a deposit is lower than expected, a chargeback may have been taken out of it. Open the payout in the Payouts tab: chargebacks appear as negative amounts in the Chargebacks column. Match them to cases in the Dispute Manager using the PSP reference. If you win a case, the funds are credited back to a future payout.
🔄 Why the Same Case Can Appear More Than Once
A chargeback moves through stages (the chargeback, your defense, and sometimes pre-arbitration or arbitration), and each stage can add an entry in the portal. These are updates to the same case, not new chargebacks. The amount held is based on the original dispute, not the number of entries.
❓ FAQ
Should I refund a customer who has already filed a chargeback?
No. Respond through the dispute instead. Refunding as well could mean paying the customer twice.
What should I do with a retrieval request?
Send the information requested. It isn't a chargeback yet, but answering can prevent one. See Retrieval Requests vs. Fraud Notifications vs. Chargebacks.
What does "Dispute Initiated" mean?
The cardholder's bank has opened a case, and the disputed amount is held.
Can I defend a chargeback after accepting it?
No. Accepting is final.
My evidence is too large. What can I do?
Lower the resolution, combine images into one PDF, or keep only the most relevant pages.
Are ACH returns the same as chargebacks?
No. ACH returns can't be defended. The funds are returned and you need to collect payment another way. See ACH Returns: What They Mean and What to Do.
✔️ Preventing Chargebacks
Use a clear business name on receipts so customers recognize the charge.
Show your refund and cancellation policy before payment, and get it acknowledged.
Refund promptly when a customer asks and the request is fair.
Keep receipts, signed agreements, delivery proof and customer messages for at least 180 days.
For industry-specific tips on preventing and winning disputes, see ValPay's Chargeback Guides, with guides for car rental, ground transportation and lodging.
Need Help?
If you need help reviewing or responding to a chargeback, contact your support team. That's the team that set up your account or the one you normally contact for help.