Learn how to block your card, contact the merchant, and file a dispute for unauthorized charges, fraud, or a stolen card.
For: All Spendesk cardholders. Admins and Account Owners can also act on behalf of a cardholder.
Before you start
Any cardholder can block their own physical or virtual card. Admins and Account Owners can block or cancel cards on behalf of team members.
You can only dispute a settled transaction. Pending transactions cannot be disputed yet.
Have this information ready before contacting support: the cardholder's email, the transaction date, the transaction amount, and the supplier's name.
If the card was stolen, you'll need a police report to submit with your dispute.
Dispute filing deadlines apply (see Dispute deadlines below).
⚠️ Warning: Never include your full card number (PAN) in a dispute form. Submitting the full card number causes Spendesk's banking partner to automatically reject your claim.
Step-by-step instructions
Go to the Cards tab in Spendesk.
Click Block card on the affected physical card, or open the card details panel and click Block card (multi-use virtual card) or Pause (subscription card).
Contact the merchant to request cancellation or a refund of the disputed transaction.
Keep proof of this contact attempt, such as an email or screenshot.
Email support@spendesk.com with the cardholder's email, transaction date, transaction amount, and supplier's name.
Wait for Spendesk support to confirm your case and send you the dispute form.
Complete the dispute form with all requested details.
Attach supporting documentation: a police report for a stolen card, or merchant correspondence for a commercial or goods/services dispute.
Return the signed dispute form to Spendesk support.
Wait for Spendesk to investigate and, if eligible, escalate your case to its banking partner, Adyen, who initiates the dispute with Visa.
Receive your refund once the dispute is won and the funds are recovered from Visa/Adyen.
👥 Roles: Only the cardholder can sign the dispute form. Admins can help gather information but cannot sign on the cardholder's behalf.
Dispute deadlines
Dispute type | Reporting deadline | Examples |
Fraudulent or unauthorized transaction | 30 days from the transaction date | Stolen card, unrecognized charge |
Non-fraud dispute | 90 days from the transaction date | Goods/services not received, duplicate charge, refund not provided |
💡 Tip: For non-fraud disputes, Visa requires proof that you tried to resolve the issue with the merchant first. Always keep this evidence before contacting support.
Disputes about the quality of goods or services, sale terms, or pricing aren't covered as payment disputes. Resolve these issues directly with the merchant.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: Your dispute form was rejected.
Cause: You included your full card number (PAN) in the form.
Resolution: Resubmit the form using only the last 4 digits of the card. Never share the full card number.
Symptom: You can't submit a dispute for a transaction.
Cause: The transaction is still pending and hasn't settled yet.
Resolution: Wait until the transaction settles, then email support@spendesk.com to start the dispute process.
Symptom: You didn't receive a replacement card after blocking a compromised one.
Cause: Spendesk doesn't automatically reorder cards after a block or cancellation.
Resolution: Delete the compromised card in your Spendesk account, then place a new card order manually.
When to contact support
Contact support@spendesk.com as soon as you suspect an unauthorized charge, fraud, or a stolen card. Acting quickly limits further unauthorized activity and speeds up your claim.