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Visa reason code 12.6.2 and how to answer paid by other means disputes

Visa reason code 12.6.2 (Paid by Other Means) means the cardholder says they paid for the same purchase with a different method, such as another card, cash, a bank transfer or a wallet, and the card charge should not exist. You win it by showing the other payment never arrived, was refunded, or paid for a different order.

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What Visa reason code 12.6.2 means

Code 12.6.2 sits in the same Visa group as duplicate processing, but the two payments use different methods. The cardholder claims one purchase was paid twice, once on this card and once some other way. Typical cases are a failed payment followed by a successful retry on another card, an invoice paid by bank transfer after the card on file was already charged, or a deposit paid in cash and then charged again in full on the card.

Typical triggers for a 12.6.2 chargeback

  • A customer retried with a second card after the first looked like it failed, and both payments succeeded.
  • An invoice was paid by bank transfer while the card on file was charged automatically.
  • A subscription was paid manually and also renewed on the saved card.
  • A deposit was paid in cash and the full amount was charged later on the card.
  • The customer believes a different order was this one.

Time limits for Visa 12.6.2

For processing error codes the issuer typically has 90 days from the processing date to raise the dispute. Your response window is set by your processor, often between 7 and 21 days. In Stripe the deadline appears as the evidence due date on the dispute. A missed deadline loses the dispute automatically.

Evidence that wins a 12.6.2 dispute

  • Your payment ledger for the order, showing the card charge as the only payment received.
  • Proof the other payment failed, was declined or was returned.
  • A refund record if the second payment was already returned to the customer.
  • Separate invoices or orders if the other payment covered a different purchase.
  • Bank reconciliation or settlement reports showing which payments actually reached you.
  • Customer messages that confirm which method paid for which order.

What to avoid when you respond

  • Do not refund the card after the dispute is opened, because the customer can be credited twice.
  • Do not claim the other payment never happened without a ledger or bank record.
  • Do not mix up invoices. Match each payment to its order number.
  • Do not fight a real double payment you kept. Refund the other method or accept the dispute.

How to prevent Visa 12.6.2 chargebacks

  • Mark an invoice as paid the moment any payment arrives and stop automatic card collection.
  • Show clear payment status after a failed attempt, so customers do not try another card blindly.
  • Reconcile bank transfers and card payments daily.
  • Refund the extra payment as soon as you spot it, before the customer calls the bank.

How 12.6.2 appears in Stripe

Stripe usually shows Visa 12.6.2 with the reason duplicate, and the raw code is always in the network reason code field of the dispute (payment_method_details.card.network_reason_code). The duplicate evidence fields let you explain why the other payment does not cover this charge. NoChargeback reads the code, searches the customer's other payments and invoices, and builds the payment timeline for you. See Stripe chargeback protection and PayPal chargeback protection.

Rebuttal letter opening for Visa 12.6.2

We are responding to the dispute filed under Visa reason code 12.6.2. The disputed card charge is the only payment we received for this order. The other payment the cardholder refers to was not received, as shown in the attached payment ledger and settlement report for the order.

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Can a merchant win a Visa 12.6.2 chargeback?

Yes. When your ledger shows the card charge was the only payment for the order, or the other payment was for a different purchase or already refunded, the dispute can be reversed.

What is the difference between 12.6.1 and 12.6.2?

Code 12.6.1 covers one purchase charged twice on the same card. Code 12.6.2 covers one purchase paid with this card and also with a different payment method.

What if the customer really paid twice?

Keep one payment and return the other. If the card charge is already disputed, refund the other method instead, so the customer is not credited twice.