If you paid for an item that was advertised as genuine but what arrived appears counterfeit, dispute the payment as counterfeit merchandise or merchandise not as described. You authorized the purchase, so don't label it an unauthorized transaction or a cardholder-does-not-recognize claim. Those categories describe a payment you didn't make or approve.

A chargeback is a request to reverse a payment, not an automatic refund. The payment method, the provider's rules, the evidence, and the applicable deadlines all affect the result. If just one item in a larger order is counterfeit, dispute that item's amount and explain why. Don't claim the whole transaction without a reason.

Start with the payment method

Build your evidence packet

Save the listing before contacting the seller. A seller or marketplace can edit or remove the page after a dispute starts.

Collect:

1. Transaction proof: merchant name, amount, date, order number, and payment method.
2. Advertisement proof: screenshots of the product page, seller profile, price, photographs, return policy, and any wording that promised a genuine, authentic, or branded item. Save the page address and the date if possible.
3. Authenticity proof: a written finding from the brand, an authorized service center, or a reputable authentication professional. Ask the reviewer to identify the item and explain the objective reasons it isn't genuine.
4. Item photographs: clear images of the logo, stitching, materials, hardware, packaging, labels, model number, serial number, and defects.
5. Seller communications: your refund request, the seller's response, and any marketplace messages.
6. Delivery and return records: tracking, delivery confirmation, return authorization, and return tracking if the provider tells you to send the item back.
7. A short timeline: purchase, delivery, discovery of the problem, authentication, seller contact, and dispute dates.

A serial-number search by itself may not settle the question because counterfeiters can copy genuine numbers. An expert explanation is usually more useful than a general internet comparison. There isn't one authentication document that every issuer or payment provider requires, so submit the strongest evidence available and follow the provider's instructions.

Keep the original files and email headers when possible. Label readable copies in date order and explain what each document proves. Redact unrelated account information, but leave your name, transaction date, merchant, amount, and relevant last four digits visible.

If the item is a charger, battery, cosmetic, or another product that could be unsafe, stop using it. Keep the item and packaging in their current condition while the issuer, marketplace, brand, or other investigating party reviews the matter.

Ask the seller for a refund

Send one clear request through email or the marketplace's messaging system. State what the listing promised, why the item is counterfeit, and that you want a full refund.

Contacting the seller creates a useful record and may be required by a marketplace. It shouldn't make you miss a card issuer's or PayPal's deadline. If the deadline is close, open the dispute while the seller request is still pending.

If the seller offers a return, get the instructions in writing. Don't mail the item without tracking or outside the payment provider's instructions. Keep the item unchanged until you know whether it must be inspected or returned.

Direct U.S. credit-card purchase

For a direct credit-card purchase, the FTC's instructions on disputing credit-card billing errors say that written notice should reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you.

Send the notice to the billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address on your statement. That address may be different from the payment address. Keep a copy of the letter and proof that the issuer received it. A phone call can help you learn the issuer's procedure, but don't rely only on a call if you want the protections associated with written notice.

Use this template for an accurate, authorized purchase:

[Your name]
[Your mailing address]
[City, State, ZIP code]
[Email address]
[Phone number]
[Date]

[Card issuer]
[Billing-dispute address from your statement]

Re: Dispute of [amount] for counterfeit merchandise
Account ending in [last four digits]
Transaction date: [date]
Merchant: [merchant name]
Order or transaction number: [number]

Dear Dispute Department:

I authorized the purchase described below, but I dispute the charge because the merchandise was materially not as described.

Merchant: [merchant name]
Purchase date: [date]
Amount: [$ amount]
Item: [full item description]
Delivery date: [date]

The item was advertised as [genuine, authentic, or the exact wording from the listing]. The item I received is counterfeit. [Briefly state the objective reasons, such as an attached written authentication finding, incorrect construction, or markings that do not match the genuine product.]

I contacted the merchant on [date] and requested a refund. [State the response, or state that the merchant did not respond.] I have attached the listing, transaction record, photographs, authenticity evidence, and related correspondence.

I am not claiming that the card transaction was unauthorized. I authorized the purchase, but I did not receive the authentic merchandise represented in the listing.

Please investigate this as a counterfeit-merchandise or merchandise-not-as-described dispute and reverse the disputed amount, subject to the applicable rules. To the extent this is a qualifying credit-card billing error, please treat this letter as written notice under the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Please confirm receipt, provide the dispute reference number, and tell me whether additional documents are required. If the dispute is denied, please send the written explanation and the documents relied upon in reaching that decision.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Signature, if mailed]

Attachments:
1. Transaction record
2. Product-listing screenshots
3. Authentication evidence
4. Photographs
5. Seller correspondence
6. Delivery and return records

You can also upload the letter through the issuer's secure portal if that option is available. Save the submission confirmation.

PayPal wording for a counterfeit item

Open the claim from the PayPal transaction in the Resolution Center. Choose Item Not as Described or Significantly Not as Described, whichever PayPal displays for the transaction. PayPal's published chargeback evidence guidance identifies merchandise-not-as-described disputes for goods that differ from what was advertised, including merchandise that is defective or materially different.

You can adapt this statement:

I authorized this PayPal payment, but the item I received was materially not as described.

The listing represented the item as [genuine or authentic brand and model]. The item delivered on [date] is counterfeit. The attached evidence includes the listing, transaction details, photographs, authentication finding, and my written request for a refund.

The seller [refused the refund, did not respond, or gave this response: ...]. I am requesting a refund under the applicable PayPal Purchase Protection rules for an item that is significantly not as described.

Please tell me whether the item must be returned and, if so, provide the required return instructions. I will keep the item, packaging, and tracking records.

PayPal commonly uses a 180-day window for eligible item-not-as-described claims, but exclusions and transaction-specific terms apply. Check the deadline shown in your account and the current terms instead of assuming that every transaction qualifies.

If PayPal was funded by a credit card, tell both providers about any open case. Don't pursue two refunds for the same charge, and don't assume that filing with PayPal pauses the card issuer's deadline.

Visa and Mastercard reason codes

You generally don't need to choose a network reason code. Describe what happened accurately and let the issuer map the dispute to its current code or subcategory.

For reference:

• Visa commonly associates 13.4 with counterfeit merchandise and may use a merchandise-not-as-described category such as 13.3 for a broader description or quality problem.
• Mastercard generally handles an authorized counterfeit purchase through its cardholder-dispute or goods-not-as-described pathway, often associated with 4853 and a relevant subreason.
• Mastercard 4863 is associated with a cardholder not recognizing a transaction. It isn't the right description merely because the merchandise is fake.
• On PayPal, use the item-not-as-described or significantly-not-as-described category when you made the purchase yourself.

Network codes are processing labels, not a guarantee of a refund or a legal finding that the seller committed a crime. If the issuer says a different current category applies, give the issuer the facts rather than insisting on a code.

Deadlines and what happens next

Direct credit card

The FCBA deadline is tied to the first statement containing the error. It isn't necessarily the purchase date, delivery date, or date you received an authentication report.

After receiving a qualifying written notice, the issuer generally must:

• Acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days, unless it has already resolved it
• Investigate the claim
• Resolve it within two complete billing cycles, but no later than 90 days

An issuer may use a faster schedule or request more documents. A temporary credit isn't necessarily final; it can be removed if the issuer accepts the merchant's response.

Debit card

Call the issuing bank promptly and ask for its merchandise-dispute deadline, evidence requirements, and submission method. Don't assume that the FCBA's 60-day written-notice rule for credit cards applies to a debit-card purchase. Waiting can reduce the options available under the bank's agreement or network process.

PayPal

PayPal's deadline is separate from the card issuer's deadline. Open the case as soon as you discover the problem, answer requests within the case, and keep proof of every upload or return. PayPal may require tracked return shipping before deciding an item-not-as-described claim.

There is no single response time that applies to every Visa, Mastercard, or PayPal dispute. Follow the case status and any response date given by the issuer or platform.

If the dispute is denied or reversed

Ask the issuer or PayPal for:

1. The specific reason for the decision
2. The evidence submitted by the merchant
3. The deadline and method for reconsideration or appeal
4. The documents the provider believes are missing

Respond to the stated reason with a short chronology and labeled documents. A delivery confirmation may prove that a package arrived, but it doesn't by itself prove that the item inside was authentic. Point out that distinction calmly.

If the issuer says the claim was late, compare its calculation with the statement date and the date your written notice was received. If a qualifying credit-card dispute wasn't acknowledged or resolved within the applicable period, ask a supervisor to review the handling and keep the request in writing.

Notify the issuer or PayPal if the merchant later refunds you. A merchant refund and a chargeback shouldn't produce duplicate payment.

Avoid these mistakes:

• Filing an unauthorized-transaction claim for a purchase you made
• Waiting for the seller until the card or PayPal deadline has passed
• Sending only photographs without showing what the listing promised
• Treating a copied serial number as conclusive proof
• Returning the item without tracking or without following the provider's instructions
• Sending an emotional, unsupported accusation instead of a dated explanation
• Ignoring requests for more information
• Spending a temporary credit before the dispute is final
• Disputing more than the amount connected to the counterfeit item
• Altering, reselling, or discarding the suspected counterfeit

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a fake luxury bag, watch, or electronic item?
You can request a dispute when the item was advertised as genuine but the item delivered is counterfeit. The provider will consider the payment method, deadline, terms, and evidence.

Do I have to prove that the seller knew it was fake?
Your initial claim generally turns on what the listing represented and what you received. Focus on proving that the item was materially not as described rather than trying to establish the seller's intent.

Do I need a letter from the brand?
There is no universal authentication document required by every issuer. A brand or qualified expert finding helps, but listing evidence, photographs, and objective discrepancies may still support a claim when official authentication isn't available.

What should I do if the deadline is close?
Send the written credit-card notice or open the PayPal case today. You can then submit the labeled evidence packet and any additional material the provider permits.