If you notice a card transaction you didn't make or don't recognize, act quickly to secure your account and start the refund process. This article walks you through blocking your card, contacting the merchant, and filing a dispute with Spendesk.
For: All Spendesk cardholders (physical and virtual cards), on any plan.
Before you start
You don't need any special role or permission. Any cardholder can block their own card and report a suspicious transaction.
This process applies to both physical and virtual cards, on all Spendesk plans.
Have these details ready before you contact support: your email address, the transaction date, the transaction amount, and the supplier name.
If your card was physically stolen, also prepare a police report, you'll need to attach it to the dispute form.
Step-by-step instructions
Navigate to the Cards tab.
Select the card with the suspicious transaction.
Click Block card if it's a physical card or a multi-use virtual card.
Click Pause instead if it's a subscription virtual card.
Contact the merchant involved and request cancellation of the suspicious transaction.
Keep a copy of your communication with the merchant (email or screenshot), you'll need it as proof for the dispute.
Email support@spendesk.com with the following details:
Cardholder's email
Date of the transaction
Transaction amount
Name of the supplier
Wait for the Spendesk support team to launch an initial investigation.
Complete the dispute form Spendesk provides if the merchant doesn't refund you directly.
Attach supporting documents to the dispute form: a police report if the card was stolen, or copies of your correspondence with the merchant.
Submit the completed dispute form back to Spendesk.
Spendesk forwards your dispute form to its banking partner for investigation. The banking partner reviews the case and decides whether a refund is warranted. Resolution time varies depending on the complexity of the case.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: Spendesk support says it can't open a dispute yet.
Cause: The transaction is still pending (not yet settled).
Resolution: Block the card to prevent further attempts and wait for the transaction to settle. Once it settles, contact support again to start the dispute.
Symptom: The dispute is declined even though the transaction wasn't authorized by you.
Cause: Some transactions are protected by full 3D Secure (3DS) authentication. If a transaction was fully authenticated with 3DS, the card network treats it as authorized and it generally cannot be disputed as fraud.
Resolution: Contact the merchant directly to request a refund. If the merchant refuses and you believe the 3DS authentication was compromised, reply to your Spendesk support conversation with as much detail as possible so the team can review the case further.
Symptom: You see multiple suspicious transactions in a short period of time.
Cause: Your card details may have been compromised.
Resolution: Block only the affected card(s) immediately — you don't need to block every card on the account. Then follow the steps above for each disputed transaction.
💡 Tip: Turn on transaction notifications so you're alerted immediately when a new payment is made on your card.
⚠️ Warning: A dispute can only be opened once a transaction is fully settled. If the transaction is still pending, block your card and wait before contacting support.