Customer paid $99/mo for my SaaS for 11 months. Just filed chargebacks for all 11 payments ($1,089 total) claiming "services not received." They clearly used the product — I have login logs, API calls, the works. Stripe says I need to provide evidence. What do I include?
For "services not received" disputes, you need to prove they actually used the service. Compile:
1. Login timestamps showing IP addresses
2. Screenshots of their usage/dashboard activity
3. API call logs with their account ID
4. Any emails they sent during the subscription (support tickets, etc.)
5. The signed-up email matches their card details
6. Your ToS showing they agreed to the subscription
11 months is unusual — most banks have time limits on disputes (typically 60-120 days). Check the reason code. If it's "fraud" they might claim their card was stolen. If it's "services not received" you have a strong case with usage proof.
Also document that you have a clearly accessible cancellation process. Screenshot your cancellation flow. They could have cancelled anytime but didn't.
Stripe's chargeback response is time-limited (usually 7-10 days). Don't wait. Submit everything you have even if it's not perfectly organized. More evidence = better.
Pro tip: Include a clear, one-page summary at the top. The bank employee reviewing this sees hundreds of cases. Make it easy for them to understand why you should win.
After you fight this, consider adding Stripe Radar or similar fraud prevention. Some customers are serial chargebackers. Once you win, add them to your block list and terminate their account.
Also: consult with a lawyer about whether this is wire fraud. Knowingly filing false chargebacks is a federal crime. Sometimes a stern letter makes them withdraw.
Update for anyone following: I won 9 out of 11 chargebacks! The two I lost were the oldest ones (outside the 120-day window for compelling evidence). Total recovered: $891.
What worked: I created a PDF packet with a summary cover page, then organized evidence by month. Each section had login timestamps, feature usage stats, and support ticket exchanges. The bank sided with me on every recent charge.
Lesson learned: I now send monthly "account activity" emails to all customers. Creates a paper trail and reminds them they're actively using the service.
Congrats on the wins! For others reading this, I'd add: implement "positive friction" in your signup flow. Require customers to check a box explicitly acknowledging the recurring billing terms. Some payment processors let you add this checkbox text to the transaction record.
Also consider using 3D Secure (3DS) authentication. It shifts fraud liability to the card issuer in many cases and provides additional proof the cardholder authorized the transaction.
From a legal perspective, Kate's approach was solid. A few additions for SaaS founders dealing with serial chargebacks:
1. Your ToS should explicitly state that chargebacks don't waive the debt — if they dispute and lose, they still owe you
2. Include an arbitration clause with a carve-out for small claims — gives you options if chargebacks become a pattern
3. Document your refund policy prominently. Courts and banks look favorably on merchants who offer reasonable refunds but get hit with chargebacks anyway
The wire fraud angle is real but rarely practical to pursue unless you're dealing with organized fraud rings. Focus on prevention and winning disputes through evidence.
One thing not mentioned: watch your chargeback ratio. Visa and Mastercard have thresholds (typically 0.9-1% of transactions). Exceed them and you risk being placed in monitoring programs with higher fees, or worse, losing your merchant account entirely.
If you're seeing repeat chargebacks, consider offering proactive refunds to borderline cases. Losing $99 hurts less than losing your ability to process cards. Some SaaS companies even use "soft decline" flows that offer a discount before allowing cancellation to reduce friendly fraud.
Want to participate in this discussion?
Email owner@terms.law to request access