Navigating the world of payment disputes is rarely simple. For issuing banks, managing growing volumes of disputes and chargebacks can mean high costs, complex workflows, and frustrated customers. At Rivero, we believe that simplifying payment operations is the key to staying ahead.
Mastercard’s dispute management ecosystem is built around Ethoca Alert Services, Ethoca Consumer Clarity, and Mastercom. It is a strong example of how automation and transparency can help issuing banks reduce friction and gain control of their operations.
Key Takeaways for Issuers
- Ethoca Alerts help stop chargebacks before they happen by connecting merchants and issuers in near real-time.
- Ethoca Consumer Clarity reduces friendly fraud and customer confusion by showing detailed transaction data at the point of inquiry.
- Mastercom streamlines the entire dispute process from start to finish through a centralised and automated platform.
Together, these services cut costs, increase efficiency, and improve cardholder satisfaction, directly aligning with Rivero’s mission to simplify payment operations.
Why disputes are a growing burden for issuing banks
Dispute volumes are rising. So are expectations for resolution speed and accuracy. Yet many issuing banks still rely on outdated, manual processes which cause delays, errors, and extra costs.
Every chargeback can result in lost revenue, operational drag, and reputational damage. And while some disputes are inevitable, many are preventable. That’s where Mastercard’s services come in; offering issuers the tools they need to act faster, work smarter, and deliver a better experience to their customers.
Ethoca Alerts: Preventing chargebacks in real-time
Ethoca Alerts is designed to help issuers stop fraud and cardholder dispute related chargebacks before they escalate. When a cardholder confirms a suspicious transaction, the issuer can use Ethoca to notify the merchant in near real-time.
How it helps issuers:
- Stops chargebacks early: Merchants are alerted quickly and can issue a refund or cancel an order before the dispute is formally filed.
- Lowers dispute volumes: By resolving issues before they turn into chargebacks, banks handle fewer cases and save time and money.
- Improves customer trust: Fast, proactive resolutions show cardholders that their concerns are taken seriously.
- Protects revenue: Particularly useful for low-value or 3-D Secure transactions that are otherwise hard to contest.
Ethoca Consumer Clarity: Stopping friendly fraud before it starts
A large percentage of chargebacks come from cardholders who simply don’t recognise a transaction. Ethoca Consumer Clarity solves this by providing detailed information, like merchant name, logo, and even itemised receipts, directly in the banking app or call centre tools.
Why this matters:
- Fewer false disputes: When cardholders understand what a transaction is, they’re far less likely to dispute it.
- Quicker calls, better outcomes: Customer service teams can resolve confusion in the first conversation with all the details at hand.
- Improved user experience: Cardholders feel more in control when they can self-serve and avoid unnecessary friction.
- More efficient teams: Less time spent on avoidable disputes means more capacity for complex cases.
Mastercom: End-to-end chargeback management in one place
Mastercom is Mastercard’s platform for managing the full dispute lifecycle. It centralises case management, automates key steps, and makes it easier for issuers and acquirers to collaborate.
What it enables:
- Centralised workflows: One interface for everything from dispute initiation to final resolution.
- Faster resolution: Built-in tools like Collaboration and pre-chargeback workflows speed up decision-making and reduce back-and-forth.
- Automation and standardisation: Cut down on manual work with templates, auto-routing, and structured data exchange.
- Built-in compliance: Mastercom enforces Mastercard’s dispute rules and tracks all actions, helping issuers stay audit-ready.
- Data-driven actions: Issuers can feed confirmed fraud into Mastercard’s fraud databases automatically, supporting broader prevention efforts.
Digital tools that drive real operational impact
We’re in the business of helping issuing banks move away from legacy systems and manual work. Mastercard’s dispute management suite shows what’s possible when automation, data, and proactive communication come together.
For issuing banks, using Ethoca and Mastercom isn’t just about managing disputes better, it’s about building smoother operations that scale.
With Mastercard’s suite, issuers can:
- Reduce operational load by preventing avoidable disputes and automating case handling
- Improve cardholder experiences with faster, clearer resolution paths
- Minimise financial losses from chargebacks and write-offs
- Free up internal resources to focus on long-term improvements—not just putting out fires
Connecting the dots
Mastercard’s tools reflect a broader shift in the payments industry: one where real-time data, proactive communication, and digital-first platforms aren’t optional, they’re essential. But for many issuers, connecting all these services into one smooth, efficient process is still a major challenge. At Rivero, we’re here to help banks make that shift smoothly. Our solutions, Amiko and Kajo, provide end-to-end integration with Ethoca, Verifi, and Mastercom. Whether it’s through payment network compliance, dispute automation, or fraud recovery, we build solutions that simplify complexity, so your teams can focus on what really matters.
Amiko, our end-to-end dispute and fraud recovery solution helps issuers reduce manual work, lower dispute volumes, and improve cardholder satisfaction. On the compliance side, Kajo helps banks stay ahead of constantly evolving payment network requirements.
Together, Amiko and Kajo support a future where issuing banks can lead with modern operations, connected systems, and more time for what really matters.