How to dispute a transaction?
Is there a card transaction on your N26 monthly statement that you did not make? Did you place an order online, but never receive it? Don’t worry, this article will help you figure out how to resolve these issues.
What is a Chargeback?
A Chargeback is a service offered by N26 through Mastercard, which allows you to dispute transactions which you did not make, or where something went wrong with the merchant. For example, if you ordered goods online and did not receive them by the allotted delivery date, you may be eligible to file a Chargeback and ask for your money back.
How do I dispute a transaction with N26?
If you need to dispute a transaction, you can do it in your N26 app by navigating to the transaction you want to dispute, then clicking Report a problem. If you already closed your account and you do not have access to the app, you will need to contact customer service via email to support@n26.com.
Note: if your dispute is due to an unauthorised transaction, you need to block and reorder your card to prevent further fraud occurring, before we can process your request.
Common Card Dispute FAQs:
Q: What should I do when I notice an unauthorised transaction on my account?
A: Go to your N26 app, and reorder your card as “lost” or “stolen” based on your circumstances. If your card was in your possession at all times, please re-confirm that you did not make the transaction yourself. If that is the case, you can go ahead and reorder as “stolen”. This will prevent further unauthorised transactions occurring, and secure your account. Report the fraud with the police, and follow the instructions above to initiate a dispute.
Q: How long do I have to file a dispute if I ordered goods online and never received them?
A: If you did not receive a delivery date, Mastercard Chargeback guidelines allow for customers to file a dispute 30 days after the date of the transaction. If you received a delivery date, you can dispute the transaction from the date you expected to receive the goods. Mastercard Chargeback guidelines state that you must file the dispute within 120 days of either of these dates.
Q: I didn’t receive cash from an ATM, what should I do?
A: First, try contacting the Bank that owns the ATM. This is the fastest way to get your money back. To help you out, here is some guidance on what you can say:
Dear XX,
I attempted to withdraw cash from an ATM owned by your company, and I did not receive the cash, but was still charged. Below, you can find information about the transaction:
Amount: €{insert amount}
ATM name: {insert ATM/bank name} ATM
Date & Time of transaction: DD/MM/YYYY at {insert time} (CET)
ATM location: {ATM address - include the name of the street, shopping mall}
Please return the funds to my account, or I shall fill a Chargeback with my bank.
If the bank which owns the ATM is not helpful, you can follow the instructions above to initiate a dispute. Be sure to include the transaction date, amount and merchant, and your reason for contesting this transaction, to allow us to have enough information.
Q: I have a previous payment with a merchant who has charged me again. What should I do?
A: First, reach out to the merchant to see if they can help. This is the fastest way to get your money back. To help you out, here is a basic template you can use to raise this issue with the merchant:
Dear XX,
I authorised a transaction to {merchant name}, but {merchant name} has subsequently charged me additionally, without my authorisation. Below, you can find information about the transaction:
Merchant name: {insert merchant name}
Amount of original, authorised transaction: €{insert amount}
Amount of non-authorised transaction: €{insert amount}
Date & Time of original, authorised transaction: DD/MM/YYYY at {insert time} (CET)
Date & Time of non-authorised transaction: DD/MM/YYYY at {insert time} (CET)
Please return the funds to my account, or I shall fill a Chargeback with my bank and a complaint to the police/authorities.
If the merchant is unresponsive or uncooperative, you can follow the instructions above to initiate a dispute. Be sure to include the transaction date, amount and merchant, and your reason for contesting this transaction, to allow us to have enough information.
Q: The merchant told me that they have issued a refund to my N26 card, but I have not yet received the refund. What should I do?
A: Your refund could take up to 15 calendar days from the date the merchant issued it. Please be patient, and wait for this time frame to pass. If 15 days pass and you still see no refund in your account, you can follow the instructions at the top of this article to initiate a dispute. Be sure to include the transaction date, amount, merchant and your reason for contesting this transaction to allow us to have enough information and identify the transaction.
Q: What is N26 doing to prevent fraud?
A: At N26 we take every possible action to protect your account from fraud, including:
- The flexibility to choose when to block your card, activate and deactivate payments abroad, enable and disable online transactions and set up spending limits directly within your N26 app
- Receiving push notifications informing you of any activity occurring on your account
- Using internal tools and card fraud prevention to detect and prevent fraud
- Developing systems to reduce the risk of potential fraud occurring
Q: How does card fraud occur?
A: There are 3 main types of card fraud:
Your card is skimmed & counterfeited, for example you used your card at a tampered ATM which stole your card details
Your card details are stolen online, for example:
You ordered something from a fraudulent/fake website
Your details were stolen from a legitimate purchase
Your online shopping account was hacked
Your physical is card stolen & used to make purchases
Q: How can I protect my account from fraud?
A: Below are a few ways you can protect your account from fraud:
- Use trusted ATMs which are located within a bank branch
- Order from trusted online retailers & websites
- Change your passwords/pins regularly
- N26 will never ask for your card or account details outside the app or web app. Don’t trust SMS or Emails that seem to come from N26 with odd links or which ask you to provide this information directly.
- Change your card settings within your N26 app, for example: disabling online payments, ATM withdrawals, payments abroad and setting spending limits based on your regular transactional behaviour
- Avoid making Magnetic Stripe transactions if possible, as these are not as safe as chip based transactions or digital wallet
- Keep your card in a safe place