Mastercard Chargeback Reason Code 4802: Requested/Required Information Illegible or Missing

What is Mastercard Chargeback Reason Code 4802?

Issuers can request sales data or receipts to validate your transactions. The Mastercard chargeback reason code deals with missing or illegible information on these receipts or sales data.

Chargebacks in this category fall under the “Lack of clear/responsive communication” category. It originates from the issuer and the cardholder may or may not play any role in this chargeback. 

Cardholder disputes can cause issuers to request specific details from you. They do this over an inquiry where they message you for clarification. The chargeback will not hold if they find your information satisfactory enough to counter the cardholder’s claims.

Chargebacks of this nature can occur in card-present and card-absent transactions. They relate to requested visual data that must be scanned and sent to the issuer as a picture. With that comes the issue of legibility, or complete information.

While other disputes may have initiated the chargeback investigations, issuers will fall back on this code if the information is illegible or missing. That means they do not have enough to validate the cardholder’s claims and use another code for the chargeback. Hence, they’ll use code 4802 pending your response to the illegible or missing information.

Image review approval is a prerequisite to chargebacks with reason code 4802. The guidelines outline the process of approving an image of the sales data or receipts. Hence, the issuer will reject your image and process a chargeback if it doesn’t meet Mastercard’s standards.

Screenshots, snaps, and scans are acceptable during inquiries, provided they contain legible and requested information.

Chargebacks in this category are easy to dispute. However, you must have a clear copy of the requested receipt or sales data. Anything short of that will validate the chargeback and make it irreversible, especially when your window for disputing the chargeback elapses.

We will show you how to dispute chargebacks with reason code 4802. In the meantime, let’s see the possible reasons why issuers can reject your data for illegibility or missing information.

Why Did It Happen?

Chargebacks with reason code 4802 occur when the issuer has deemed a piece of requested information illegible or missing in your reply. It often comes after an inquiry or request for specific details. In addition, cardholder disputes can cause these inquiries.

Issuer reviews can also result in inquiries where you must submit a picture or a scan. Here are some possible reasons an issuer can reject your reply and process a chargeback:

• The requested information is illegible: Illegibility can arise for several reasons. The information might be too small to read with the human eye. Similarly, the information or the section with the information may be worn out or appear faint in your picture or scan.

Light ink or stained copies can make a piece of information illegible. Issuers deal with many disputes and often have allocated time for merchant responses. They can quickly process a chargeback when they can’t determine the information within this time frame.

Some issuers may message you for further clarification or to provide a more legible copy. However, we don’t bank on this approach happening often. Providing the most legible copy is the best move.

Manhandling receipts and colored papers can also distort crucial images, causing the issuer to process a chargeback.

• The requested information is missing: Sending an image without the requested information will result in chargebacks with reason code 4802. These details can include dates, amounts, etc.

Fraud cases may be among the underlying causes of chargebacks with reason code 4802. The chargeback will stand if you cannot provide evidence that the cardholder participated in the transaction. That is because issuers may view that as a failure to provide complete information.

Codes and Missing or Illegible Information

Issuers will use the following codes to represent the missing or illegible information:

• 01: Represents a truncated account number or an electronically generated terminal identification number (TID)
• 02: Represents the transaction date
• 03: The transaction amount
• 04: Invalid substitute draft
• 05: Merchant name and location or both
• 06: Other details (specified)

You can use the above codes to determine which missing or illegible information caused the chargeback. With that, disputing the chargeback will be a breeze.

Important Notice

Mastercard no longer processes chargebacks under reason code 4802 associated with retrieval requests.

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How to Fight Mastercard Chargeback Reason Code 4802: Requested/Required Information Illegible or Missing

Chargebacks with reason code 4802 are temporary, pending when you provide the missing or illegible information. You may still incur a chargeback if the original dispute proves to be true. However, that will come with a different reason code.

Here’s how you can dispute chargebacks with reason code 4802:

• Provide the information that was missing or illegible: Send the invoice or requested sales data again. However, ensure the missing or illegible information is available and clear in the new copy.
• Provide a clear and legible copy of the TID or transaction information document
• You can dispute the chargeback if it is past the time limit. Mastercard allows issuers 120 days to file chargebacks under this reason code. Also, the chargeback does not apply to the following:
• Prove that a chip/PIN transaction was involved where the first presentment included DE 55 and related data
• Prove that a Mastercard Commercial Payments Account Transaction was involved

The chargeback stands if the missing information is unavailable. Issuers can process arbitrary chargebacks if they don’t receive a legible or complete TID. However, a new reason code, 4902, will apply to the arbitrary chargeback.

How to Prevent Mastercard Chargeback Reason Code 4802: Requested/Required Information Illegible or Missing

Chargebacks with reason code 4802 are preventable with a few extra cautions on your end. Follow the steps below to prevent future occurrences:

• Maintain digital copies of your transactions to back up your hard copies.
• Store your hard copies in a secure environment.
• Respond promptly to the issuer’s inquiry message.
• Request more time to obtain legible and complete information if necessary.
• Respond to customer complaints and maintain a robust relationship with your customers.
• Review your transaction information document (TID) and other details before responding to issuer inquiries. Ensure the information is legible and complete as per the issuer’s request.
• Avoid using colored paper to store your transaction details for a long time. The colors may wash off, making the information illegible.

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