Consumer Law

Chargeback

Also known as: card chargeback, payment reversal

In plain English

Asking your bank to reverse a card payment when something went wrong with a purchase.

What it means

A chargeback is a reversal of a credit or debit card transaction processed through your bank under card scheme rules, not the Australian Consumer Law itself. Consumers can request one when goods or services were not delivered, were faulty, or were charged incorrectly. A chargeback is a separate, practical avenue that can complement ACL consumer guarantee rights, and is often useful when a business refuses a refund or has closed down. Time limits apply, so requests should be made promptly to the card issuer.

How it's used

After the online retailer never shipped his order, he asked his bank for a chargeback to recover the payment.

Dealing with chargeback in real life?

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