F24

Amex Reason Code F24: No Card Member Authorization

F24 means the Card Member says the charge was not made by them. Learn why Amex issues it and how to answer it.

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American Express
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Amex reason code F24 is No Card Member Authorization. It sits in the Fraud group. It means the Card Member denies making the charge, and the merchant has not proved the Card Member took part in the sale.

What is Amex reason code F24?

A dispute under F24 starts when the Card Member tells Amex they never made the purchase. The merchant has not shown proof that they did. The charge is first worked on with the Card Member before you, the merchant, hear anything.

If Amex needs more, you get an Inquiry or a Chargeback. You get an Inquiry when the Card Member disputes a charge. The documents on file do not settle it. If the Card Member gives enough facts, Amex may debit your account right away.

If your reply settles the dispute on time, there is no Chargeback. If you miss the deadline or send the wrong papers, the Chargeback stands.

Common causes of F24 chargebacks

F24 shows up most often when a merchant cannot tie a sale to the person who owns the card. Some common causes:

  • The card was used without the owner's knowledge, and the sale had no signature or PIN.
  • The sale was made online or by phone, and no proof links the buyer to the card.
  • The merchant kept no record showing the Card Member agreed to the charge.
  • Someone else in the household used the card, and the owner reported it as unauthorized.

For card not present sales, keep proof of what the Card Member agreed to pay for. Save the goods and terms they signed up for. Without those, an F24 claim is hard to beat.

How to prevent F24 chargebacks

Prevention means proving at the time of sale that the real card owner took part. A few habits help:

  • Get a signature or PIN for in person sales whenever the card allows it.

  • Use address and security code checks for online sales, and save the results.

  • Keep order forms, receipts, and terms the buyer agreed to.

  • Watch for odd orders, like a rush shipment to an address that does not match the card. Slow down and check before you ship.

  • Make the charge easy to spot on the card statement. Some disputes start because the owner does not recognize the charge.

How to respond to an F24 chargeback

After a Chargeback, you can send papers that might undo it. Your Chargeback is undone only if your reply answers the claim and arrives on time. If you do not reply in time, or you do not send what was asked for, the Chargeback stands.

Your papers should include a copy of the charge record or credit record. Add proof that the Card Member took part. A signed receipt works. So does delivery to the card owner's address. So do past orders from the same card.

A good reply explains the documents. It answers the exact dispute reason. It also says what you did to fix the problem. The best way to respond is online through your Merchant Account.

If you are not sure what the notice means, start with how to read a chargeback notice. To see the rounds that can follow your reply, read what happens after you answer a chargeback.

F24 is one of several codes in the Amex Fraud group. Two others come up often:

  • F29 covers card not present fraud, where the merchant cannot prove the card owner placed the order.
  • F30 covers a counterfeit EMV card used in person.

Each code asks for different proof, so match your documents to the code on your notice. Mastercard has a similar dispute under reason code 4837. Read it if you also take Mastercard.

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