The chargeback lifecycle
1
An inquiry may come first
Some disputes open as an inquiry — the issuer asks for information before
anything is formally disputed. Your money is untouched at this stage.
2
The dispute is filed
The $25 dispute fee is charged as soon as the chargeback opens. The disputed
amount itself is not debited yet.
3
Lemma reaches out for evidence
We contact you for documentation supporting the charge — typically the
invoice, proof of service, patient consent, and any correspondence with the
cardholder. Respond within the window we give you; the card networks enforce
tight deadlines.
4
The disputed amount is debited
Once the dispute is formally opened, the disputed amount is debited from your
account and appears as its own transaction. Lemma packages your evidence and
submits it to Visa or Mastercard on your behalf.
5
The dispute resolves
- You win. The disputed amount is credited back to your account as a separate transaction.
- You lose. The debit stands and the funds stay with the cardholder.
A dispute can be provisionally decided in your favor before it’s final. Your
funds stay held until the issuing bank makes its final decision — a
provisional win doesn’t credit you back.
Fees
The $25 dispute fee is charged as soon as a chargeback is filed, regardless of who eventually wins, and appears as a Fee transaction. The disputed amount is separate from that fee. It stays debited while the dispute is open, is credited back in full if you win, and stays debited if you lose.What you’ll see
A single chargeback can produce up to three transactions, each on its own line:- The dispute fee, when the chargeback opens.
- The disputed amount, debited when the dispute is formally opened.
- The credit back, if you win.