Visa reason code
Visa reason code 13.1: Merchandise/Services Not Received
The cardholder says they paid but never received the service they were promised.
What Visa 13.1 means
Visa reason code 13.1 is raised when a cardholder claims the merchandise or service they were charged for was never received. For a service business it is the classic non-delivery dispute: the client says the sessions, deliverables or access they paid for never arrived.
When issuers use it
An issuer files 13.1 after a cardholder reports non-receipt and the expected delivery date has passed. It is one of the most common codes against consultants, coaches and agencies because services have no shipping tracking to point to.
Mistakes that lose this dispute
- Submitting only the invoice, with no proof the service was delivered
- Relying on verbal or undated delivery with no written record
- Missing the response deadline, which forfeits the dispute automatically
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I prove a service was delivered?
Show a dated record of each deliverable or session, plus any message where the client acknowledged it. Services have no tracking number, so your own delivery log and the client's written engagement are the proof that wins.
Can I win if the client just says they never got it?
Yes, when your evidence shows otherwise. A signed agreement, a dated delivery log and messages where the client engaged with the work outweigh an unsupported claim of non-delivery.