---
id: help.disputes.what-is
title: "What is a dispute (chargeback)?"
canonical: https://docs.secureprocessing.app/help/disputes/what-is-a-dispute
description: "A dispute is when your customer asks their card’s bank to take back a payment. The card network and the banks decide who wins, not us and not you."
last_verified: 2026-11-01
---

# What is a dispute (chargeback)?

A dispute is when your customer asks their card’s bank to take back a payment. The card network and the banks decide who wins, not us and not you.

## Query or chargeback

There are two kinds, and the dashboard tells them apart:

| On screen | What it means | Is money held? |
|---|---|---|
| Query — answer needed | The customer’s bank is asking a question. It may never go further. | No |
| Response needed | A chargeback. The bank is asking to take the money back. | Yes |

A query can turn into a chargeback. It stays the same dispute, and the money is held at that moment.

## How it reaches us

The bank tells us, and a person at Secure Processing records the dispute. You then get an email, and the dispute appears under **Disputes** in your dashboard.

You cannot open a dispute yourself. Only the card network can claim one.

## Who decides

The bank decides, on its own timeline, after reading your evidence. We forward your evidence and tell you the answer. We cannot overrule the bank, and neither of us can extend its deadline.

## How it ends

| On screen | What it means |
|---|---|
| Won | The bank found for you. The money is back in your balance. |
| Lost | The bank found for your customer. The money stays with them. |
| Query closed | The question ended. No money moved at any point. |

For developers: [Disputes](https://docs.secureprocessing.app/disputes.md)

## Related

- [A customer disputed a payment: what to do now](https://docs.secureprocessing.app/help/disputes/what-to-do-now.md)
- [What happens to my money during a dispute](https://docs.secureprocessing.app/help/disputes/what-happens-to-my-money.md)
- [Send your evidence before the deadline](https://docs.secureprocessing.app/help/disputes/send-your-evidence.md)

Still stuck? Write to [admin@secureprocessing.app](mailto:admin@secureprocessing.app) with the dispute’s id.