Learn about the operational challenges and risks associated with compliance with payment networks like Visa and Mastercard and find out how to simplify this process and make it more manageable and efficient.

Scheme Compliance

 (KI), the first of many AI features designed to make payment network compliance easier, faster, and smarter. Card compliance managers spend hours reading through bulletins and mandates from payment networks, such as Visa and Mastercard. It’s part of the job, but it’s also repetitive and time-consuming. 

Kajo already brings all your card network mandates in one place and helps you manage the workflow to stay compliant. Now, we've made getting insights about each bulletin even faster. ‘Ask KI’ gives you instant answers to questions about any bulletin, right where you're already working. ‘Ask KI’, built directly into Kajo, is the first step in Kajo Intelligence, a suite of AI Assistant features designed to simplify card network compliance and save you time finding information you need.

‘Ask KI’ is a built-in AI Assistant inside Kajo. You don’t need a separate tool, training, or setup. Just open a bulletin, type a question, and ‘Ask KI’ gives you a clear answer.


We sat down with our Head of Operations, Stephan Wächter, who shared what Ask KI really means and how it fits into the bigger picture of Kajo Intelligence.

Compliance managers and Kajo users who need reliable insights at speed. With Ask KI, your wider organisation can also answer questions themselves, reducing the number that land on your desk.

Ask KI isn’t a generic AI assistant. It’s built on Rivero’s deep knowledge of scheme compliance, combined with Kajo’s proven rule-based processes. That means it doesn’t just give a generic answer, it gives an answer based on the bulletin content and your specific compliance context.

We’re starting with a limited beta in Q3, before rolling it out more widely in Q4. And this is just the beginning. ‘Ask KI’ will keep learning and expanding, from bulletins today to scheme rules and references in the future.

Our vision is to make ‘Ask KI’ an everyday companion of scheme compliance managers and anyone working in the card/payment industry, helping you cut through complexity, find information you need and stay compliant.

Meet Ask KI: the first feature in Kajo Intelligence, built to make compliance faster and smarter. Instead of spending hours reviewing Visa and Mastercard bulletins, compliance managers can now ask questions directly inside Kajo and get clear, AI-powered answers in seconds. Ask KI highlights what matters most, saves time, and ensures accuracy by combining AI with Rivero’s deep payment network compliance expertise.

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Meet Kajo Intelligence (KI): Your AI Assistant in Kajo

Gain exclusive insights into the evolving world of payments that are reshaping the banking sector and enhancing customer experiences.

Thought Leadership

It starts with a simple request: "Find me an A+ rating, wifi-connected dishwasher that fits under a 60cm counter and gets here by Friday."

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I didn’t search. I didn't scroll. I didn't compare reviews, open tabs, or get sucked into decision fatigue. My AI agent did it for me. It knew my budget, my past purchases, and my goals. It filtered the noise. Ten minutes later, I had a shortlist. Five minutes after that, the order was in, complete with cashback applied and delivery scheduled. Zero friction. No abandoned cart. No marketing funnel. It hit me: this wasn’t shopping. This was solving a problem. And not once did I visit a merchant's site. Not once did I interact with a payment provider.

So… where does that leave everyone else?

We're entering a new age, one where AI agents act on behalf of consumers. These agents don't get tired. They don't browse aimlessly. They don't fall for banner ads. They don't care about your carefully crafted brand voice. They are data-driven and care about parameters. They scan, compare, and transact across APIs and marketplaces. And they're doing it faster, smarter, and with more context than any human shopper ever could. And here's the kicker: most businesses are utterly unprepared.

We unpacked these shifts and what they mean for fraud, payments, and disputes in our latest webinar. 

The digital strategies we've perfected over the past two decades like SEO, email journeys, loyalty programmes, and checkout optimisations, were built with human psychology in mind. But your next customer isn't human. It's algorithmic. That means:

So here's the uncomfortable truth: If your business is designed for people, you're about to be disrupted by machines acting for people.

For merchants, this is both terrifying and liberating. Terrifying, because the rules of engagement are shifting under your feet. Liberating, because for the first time in years, you can truly take back control. No more renting audiences from platforms.

You can now build direct relationships not with people, but with the agents they trust.

Let's talk about the elephant in the (server) room. Payment infrastructure is built for humans. 

. CAPTCHA. Card verification. Consent screens. AI agents don't do clicks. They transact directly. And most of our infrastructure, especially fraud models, can't tell the difference between a rogue bot and a legitimate shopping agent. 

Issuers, PSPs, acquirers, you’re at risk of becoming invisible. If agents don't see you, you're not in the flow. And if you're not in the flow, you're not getting transactions.

Who’s responsible if an agent overspends? How do you tax an order placed by a server in a different country? Can merchants block AI agents without violating consumer rights? The truth: our legal frameworks are built for humans. They don’t yet know what to do with Custobots. And that’s a huge risk but also a huge opportunity for those ready to shape the next regulatory frontier.

Are we ready for a world where the buyer isn't human?

I think we are getting there faster than we think. But there is still a lot of uncertainty how exactly agentic commerce will develop. Here are my top considerations for merchants, issuers and payment service providers.

Agentic commerce could empower merchants to rebuild direct, performant relationships if they're bold enough to shift their strategy from storytelling to service.

So, for issuers, the real questions is: "how do we become indispensable in this new flow?"

Are you prepared to rebuild your customer journey, not for clicks, but for code? And most importantly, will you fight to stay in the flow, or let someone else own the rails of tomorrow's commerce?

AI-powered agents are transforming shopping from a human decision-making process into a machine-driven transaction flow. Traditional marketing, checkout, and fraud models weren't built for this. This article explores how agentic commerce is changing the rules for merchants, issuers, and PSPs and what leaders can do now to stay in the flow.

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What happens when your customer isn't human anymore?

Our webinars bring together industry experts and practical know-how to help issuers tackle their most pressing challenges. Browse the full library to watch on-demand, revisit key discussions, and find ideas to strengthen your operations.

Webinars

, as they explore how AI-led transactions are shifting the fraud and dispute landscape. 

You'll learn:



It's a forward-looking, practical conversation on staying prepared for the next frontier of payments.

Watch the webinar on demand 

Agentic commerce is ushering in a new era of digital interaction and with it, fresh challenges for issuers managing fraud and disputes. This webinar lays out what’s changing and how to adapt.



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The impact of Agentic Commerce on first party fraud and disputes

News

From 8-11 September, we’re heading to Rome for Mastercard’s Risk X Conference to connect with global leaders in cybersecurity, AI, fraud prevention, and payment innovation.

With dispute management and payment network compliance at the core of everything we do, RiskX is a natural place for us to be. 

As the industry continues to evolve, through regulatory updates like PSD3, the rise of AI-driven fraud, and the growing complexity of chargebacks, Rivero is proud to be part of the conversation shaping the future of risk management and secure payments.

You’ll find our team on-site at the Rivero booth, ready to talk about how banks and issuers can simplify their dispute processes, stay on top of rule changes, and reduce operational risk.

We’re also looking forward to the workshops on dispute management and chargebacks, covering topics like fraud & scam trends, Mastercom updates, and Mastercard’s modernization of disputes.

If you’re attending, we’d love to meet you and hear about what you're working on.

Looking forward to meet many of you in Rome. 

Rivero will be at Mastercard’s Risk X Conference in Rome from 8–11 September 2025. With dispute management and payment network compliance at the core of what we do, we’re joining global leaders to share insights and explore what’s next for fraud recovery, chargebacks, and smarter risk operations. Stop by our booth or join a session, we’d love to connect.

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Rivero is joining Mastercard RiskX Conference in Rome

Learn about the operational challenges and risks associated with the fraud & dispute process for banks and explore strategies and best practices benefitting both banks and their cardholders.

Fraud & Disputes

When Visa introduced the Visa Issuer Monitoring Program (VIMP), it sent a clear message: issuers are expected to take a proactive role in reducing fraud and managing disputes. But like many things in the payments world, the details are easy to miss… and the operational impact can add up quickly.

But what exactly is the Visa Issuer Monitoring Program, why does it matter, and what can issuers do to stay out of trouble?

What is the Visa Issuer Monitoring Program (VIMP)?

VIMP is Visa's programme for monitoring fraud and dispute activity among card issuers. It's designed to flag financial institutions with unusually high dispute or fraud rates for card-absent transactions, and prompt action before things get worse.

VIMP monitors issuers based on two key metrics: the

, which tracks the number of disputes relative to total Visa transactions and the 

, which measures fraud volume as a percentage of total sales, expressed in basis points. In addition to the ratios, Visa considers two qualifiers for each metric: for disputes, the 

Visa sees this as one unified programme, with two monitored metrics. Each metric has a monthly threshold that differs by region and may change over time. Visa publishes these periodically in its 

 in how the programme is applied. For example, in the US region, Visa monitors only domestic 3DSecure transactions and only the fraud activity, not disputes.

If an issuer exceeds either set threshold in a given month, they may be flagged, and enrolled in VIMP. Once in the programme, the issuer must submit a remediation plan to Visa and demonstrate measurable progress. That plan isn't optional. Issuers who repeatedly breach the thresholds or fail to act can face escalating consequences, including fees or penalties.

Exiting VIMP requires the issuer to bring their ratios consistently below the thresholds for a defined period, showing that their operations have improved.

It’s Visa's way of reinforcing accountability and keeping the system running smoothly.

Falling into VIMP is more than just a regulatory issue. It affects the 

of internal teams, relationships with cardholders, and even a bank's ability to scale. Being flagged can trigger heavier oversight from internal risk and compliance teams. It can lead to pressure from Visa to update internal policies or adjust fraud and dispute operations. And it doesn't take much for a reputation hit to follow… especially if cardholders experience delays, confusion, or friction when trying to resolve issues.

 to consider. If an issuer remains above the thresholds after the remediation period, Visa may impose monthly non-compliance assessments… adding monetary liability on top of the operational burden.

The bottom line? Once in the programme, getting out takes time and effort. Staying below the radar is always the better strategy.

Most issuers aren't ignoring the problem. Even when teams are doing their best, manual processes and outdated systems can make it hard to spot what’s really driving dispute or fraud rates… and even harder to fix it.

One key way is by resolving disputes earlier in the process. It connects directly with tools like Ethoca and Verifi to resolve claims before they escalate into chargebacks. That means fewer formal cases, and lower risk of crossing Visa's dispute thresholds.

Another benefit lies in fraud reporting. Amiko automates much of the process, linking dispute data with fraud analytics teams. That way, they can see which types of disputes are causing issues and update fraud rules quickly, before issuers hit a volume that triggers monitoring.

Automation gives visibility, control, and speed. 

VIMP reflects a broader trend in the payments ecosystem: increasing scrutiny and shared responsibility. And the pressure on issuers is clear: they are now expected to anticipate potential risks before they become costly.

Whether it's disputes or fraud, having smart, automated systems in place makes a real difference. Amiko helps reduce the pressure on teams and maintain a smoother, more resilient dispute operation.

If you want to see how this could work with your team's current setup, 

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What issuers need to know about Visa Issuer Monitoring Program (VIMP)

Why fragmented access to payment network updates is holding banks back

In the world of payments, staying up to date is essential. Payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard regularly issue updates on compliance, security, products and innovation that banks rely on to stay competitive. 

For banks, these updates are more than notifications; they are critical guides for maintaining smooth operations and staying competitive. Yet, for many banks's employees, accessing and using this information feels far harder than it should be.

We live in an age where almost any information is just a search away. But in specialised industries like payments, siloed systems and teams can make getting these updates surprisingly challenging. As a result, many stakeholders are left with fragmented access to essential knowledge. 

This isn't just frustrating; it can cause a significant knowledge gap that could put the banks and these stakeholders at a disadvantage.

Payment networks regularly issue updates and announcements covering everything from the latest technical requirements, updated fees and costs, and new product announcements to security mandates, fraud prevention and recovery measures. 

These updates are guides that help banks adapt to stay updated with new payment trends and products and ensure compliance with technical requirements to avoid non-compliance, innovate new product offerings and improve customer experience.

These updates aren't just for compliance teams. They affect everyone at the bank, from the fraud team, product managers, finance team and even marketing and customer support. For example, when a new update about the chargeback process is released, it might require changes and updates in workflows across operations, fraud recovery management, and customer support, with each team needing to understand the update to act quickly and efficiently.

But what happens when only part of the organisation receives this information or gets it too late? Delays, misalignment and missed opportunities.

Most payment networks share updates through dedicated platforms, portals or websites. While accessible, these updates often only reach specific teams (usually scheme compliance or operations), which are responsible for distributing them across the organisation. 

But what if the information does not flow to everyone? 

While compliance teams do their utmost best to distribute the updates, especially when they have a compliance impact, some updates might not be shared as effectively, especially if there are no direct compliance impacts. Does it mean they are not relevant?

Many banks rely on processes where one team receives updates and passes them along to others to keep an overview of updates that have compliance impacts. While this approach ensures that the team keeps an overview of the compliance, it might create some bottlenecks and challenges in knowledge sharing:

For time-sensitive requirements, these inefficiencies can lead to high risk and consequences like non-compliance, financial penalties or reputational harm. And for other updates, not being aware of newly launched scheme's products can lead to slower product development. Similarly, missing out on the sunset date for a new service can result in the bank paying for unused services. 

A better way to share information internally could give banks a real edge by empowering employees to excel in their roles.

The competitive advantage of accessible knowledge

Easy access to payment network updates is not just necessary but a competitive advantage. When every team has the insights they need, they can innovate faster, strengthen security, save costs and hit deadlines. It's about shifting from reacting to changes to staying ahead of them. And with the right processes and technologies, banks can do more than just comply.

In an industry where change is constant, staying informed is critical. 

At Rivero, we are passionate about payments and payment operations, and our mission is to help banks remain competitive and achieve excellence in operations.

, we want to transform the approach to payment network updates from a fragmented compliance challenge to a strategic advantage. By giving every team fast and easy access to a knowledge hub of all the payment network updates they need, we help banks simplify the information flow in the organisation to innovate faster, maintain compliance and deliver exceptional customer experience.

To learn more about Kajo, don't hesitate to contact our team for an 

How payment network updates can be a strategic advantage.

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The case for better payment network knowledge within banks

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.

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.

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.

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.


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.

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, 

, 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.

Explore how Ethoca, Consumer Clarity, and Mastercom empower issuing banks to reduce chargebacks, automate disputes, and enhance customer experience.

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Mastercard dispute tools explained: Ethoca, Mastercom & more

Disputes used to be treated as a cost of doing business: an unavoidable part of running a card programme. But things have changed. The volume of digital transactions keeps growing, customer expectations are higher than ever, and traditional dispute processes are under strain.

Manual workflows, incomplete data, and slow resolution times are all negatively impacting brand reputation, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

For card issuers, the question is no longer whether to improve dispute management but how.

This article looks at why legacy systems fall short, what smarter automation looks like, and how issuers can deliver faster, clearer, and more scalable dispute experiences, without overwhelming their teams.

For card issuers, the sooner you can intervene during a potential fraud or dispute, the better. Fast merchant responses and accurate resolution at this stage can mean the difference between a quick fix and a costly, time-consuming chargeback.

By automating pre-dispute handling, Amiko enables issuers to recover funds faster, without adding manual work to the team. In fact, around 

75% of active merchant responses happen within 24 hours

. That’s well ahead of the 72-hour recommended waiting period suggested by Mastercard and Ethoca.

For issuer teams, Amiko tackles every step, from routing claims to pre-dispute channels to tracking outcomes and escalating when necessary. These zero-touch recoveries allow dispute analysts to focus on higher-value cases while the system handles the routine ones. Speed is important, of course, but removing repetitive steps and creating space for your team to focus on the cases that really need attention has a tremendous impact.

Behind all of this is automation: real-time routing, merchant response tracking, and configurable rules for credit decisions, even in tight regulatory timeframes. That means fewer manual steps, and more reliable outcomes. Because smarter tools don’t just help you manage disputes… they help you avoid them altogether.

For issuers, every dispute is a test of two things: how well your team can manage operations and how clearly your cardholders feel supported. Too often, both sides suffer.

 helps fix that. It brings structure and intelligence to what has long been a static, frustrating process, reducing incoming case volume while improving customer satisfaction.

One of the most common reasons for dispute is: “I don’t recognise this transaction.” Often, it’s not fraud, it’s confusion. But most systems treat every single claim the same: send it to the back office, log it as a case, and let someone figure it out. That’s costly and inefficient.

Amiko changes this. In nearly half (48.1%) of “Do not recognise” cases, 

the Virtual Agent helps the cardholder recognise the transaction on the spot, in under a minute on average

. That means no ticket, no agent, and no back-office processing required.

For the cases that do need to move forward, the average time to file is 

, structured, guided, and with all required data captured upfront.

The result? Fewer touchpoints, faster outcomes, and more trust. Cardholders don’t feel like they have to fight, they get clear and direct answers. And for issuers, every recognised transaction is one less case to review or escalate.

For real claims, fast and structured filing

Amiko deflects unnecessary cases, but it also makes it easier to process the ones that matter.

In nearly 20% of “There’s a problem” conversations, the 

issue is resolved within 90 seconds, without a formal case being created

. For the claims that do move ahead, the cardholder spends around 3 minutes and 30 seconds filing, with every scheme requirement already fulfilled.

This structure is key. The captured data is clean, complete, and ready for processing, with no messy follow-ups or missing fields. That makes downstream automation more effective, helps prevent errors, and accelerates resolution times.

The average time for a cardholder to get to any outcome, whether recognising a transaction, resolving an issue, or completing a claim, is 

. That’s often less time than it takes to find a static dispute form.

This speed and clarity boost cardholder satisfaction and make it far more likely that users stick to digital channels, reducing pressure on your call centre and letting agents focus on more complex, sensitive cases.

Issuers gain structured data, faster handling times, fewer manual touchpoints, and a lighter operational load, without compromising service quality.

Most card issuers still rely on paper forms, but some have switched to digital forms to handle dispute claims. These may feel modern, but they follow a static, outdated logic: gather basic data and push it to the back office. The form doesn’t guide the cardholder. It doesn’t flag common errors. It doesn’t help prevent misfiled or unnecessary claims. And it certainly doesn’t deflect work from your dispute team.

Every single submission becomes a case, whether it should or not. Follow-ups are often needed to gather missing information. And agents spend their time processing low-value tasks rather than high-value work.

But rather than passively collecting data, Amiko uses machine intelligence to guide cardholders through the process in real-time. It helps them recognise transactions, resolve issues, or, when needed, file a compliant claim. By resolving common cases before they even reach the dispute team, Amiko cuts case volumes in half. That’s a shift 

The Virtual Agent produces fully structured data, capturing all necessary information for scheme and legal compliance. That means no follow-up calls, no manual checks, and no delays caused by missing information… Human agents no longer waste time cleaning up submissions, they focus on complex fraud cases and high-value claims instead.

For issuers, this means fewer unjustified claims, fewer errors, faster resolution times, and a dispute operation that’s ready to scale, without scaling headcount.

This isn’t just more efficient. It changes the nature of the dispute team’s role. Instead of running a processing line, they're managing exceptions and contributing strategically. That’s better for your team, better for your budget, and better for customers who expect fast answers.

Legacy dispute systems weren’t built for today’s pace. They react slowly, rely on manual work, and make it hard to meet customer expectations. But things don’t have to stay that way.

Smart automation, such as Rivero’s Amiko platform, offers issuers a new approach. One that reduces back-office load, speeds up resolution times, and puts customer experience first.

By turning static forms into guided, self-service conversations and by automating key decisions, issuers can reduce costs, improve accuracy, and scale their operations without scaling headcount.

For banks looking to stay competitive, this isn’t just a tech upgrade… it’s a strategic step forward.

Do you want to learn more about Amiko and what it can do for you? 

Disputes used to be treated as a cost of doing business: an unavoidable part of running a card programme. But things have changed. The volume of digital transactions keeps growing, customer expectations are higher than ever, and traditional dispute processes are under strain. For card issuers, the question is no longer whether to improve dispute management but how.

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Dispute management deserves more attention from issuers

For decades, financial institutions have viewed customer disputes and chargebacks as inevitable or a cost of doing business. Opinions have changed in recent years, however, as advanced technology solutions can help banks and enterprises reduce caseloads, resolve disputes, and improve the customer experience.

At Rivero, we believe in bringing clear, helpful, and straightforward insights to issuing banks. That's why we sat down with Srii Srinivasan, an investor, entrepreneur, and former co-founder and CEO of Chargeback Gurus. Her deep expertise offers invaluable lessons for financial institutions looking to simplify their payment operations, stay compliant, and better manage fraud recovery and disputes.

Srii, you've been in this space for a long time. What initially attracted you to chargeback management?

: I started my entrepreneurial journey very early on in my career. One of our earliest companies was an international customer service and sales contact centre. We faced our first set of chargebacks when a long-term client filed multiple chargebacks without any notice. As I couldn't find any help to understand and navigate this deep, mysterious world, I took the time to educate myself. I fought those chargebacks and won every single one of them. With this acquired knowledge, we started servicing our clients to help them fight and win chargebacks. Eventually, our clients began relying on us to address other payment challenges, such as high decline rates, understanding payment rules, and preventing fraud. 

We saw the tremendous need among merchants for a service that would solve their chargeback and fraud pain points, which led us to start Chargeback Gurus in 2014. To this day, I’m very passionate about educating both myself and merchants about the ever-changing payment rules and regulations.

What notable communication gaps have you observed, particularly those that impact issuing banks?

: The complexity of the payment ecosystem creates significant communication gaps. A key one is the lack of a universal, direct communication channel between merchants and card issuers. Issuers often fail to disclose the reasons for dispute losses or the reasons for rejecting documentation, resulting in a slow and fragmented information flow. This means that issuers often lack sufficient transaction details to resolve disputes and may only learn about fraud or disputes after significant delays, forcing them to rely on outdated chargeback processes.

Another major gap arises when customers bypass merchants and directly contact their card issuer. Up to 86% of cardholders go straight to the issuer for disputes, especially in card-not-present (CNP) transactions. Our research shows consumers often don't know the difference between a chargeback and a refund, leading to unnecessary chargebacks. Also, 61% of disputes are due to vague merchant descriptions or lack of information, not actual fraud. Issuers sometimes fail to ask cardholders whether they contacted the merchant, leading to unethical disputes. Finally, many financial institutions still use outdated legacy systems for dispute management, resulting in slow resolution times and widening the communication gap.

Given the time-sensitive nature of disputes, how have technology solutions helped improve response times and resolutions for all parties, including issuing banks?

: AI/ML-powered chargeback solutions have dramatically transformed dispute management, leading to faster response times, higher recovery rates, and more efficient resolutions. Some larger issuers have partially automated dispute decision-making, using AI to review scanned documents for quicker responses.

Platforms now use AI/ML to intelligently automate the entire chargeback process, from dispute intake to evidence submission. This allows instant responses, eliminating manual delays. We have advanced tools that predict dispute win probability by analysing hundreds of data points, including historical data on customers, issuers, and transaction patterns. This helps prioritise high-value cases and optimises resource allocation. These systems also determine the required evidence and customise it based on factors such as the issuer and industry.

End-to-end dispute packages can be automatically gathered, analysed, and organised from multiple sources by AI systems. They can predict transaction fraud likelihood by continuously monitoring for suspicious patterns and flagging potential fraud in real-time, preventing disputes from escalating. Automated compliance reporting and risk assessment further speed up resolution and reduce errors.

What did you find surprising or memorable in dealing with friendly fraud, and what's your advice for card issuers on this issue?

: First, we need to understand that acquirers and issuers are stakeholders who do not fully reveal their cards to each other. This leads to surprising outcomes since they do not have full visibility into the 'chargeback story'... and every chargeback tells a story! 

I recall a dispute from a celebrity whose Executive Assistant used their personal card for a large personal purchase without consent, shipped to the celebrity’s verified address. When the celebrity noticed the transaction, they disputed it as 'unauthorised'. It was complex: the merchant had shipped to a verified address, the transaction passed fraud filters, and all evidence was collected. This surprising case shows the multiple dimensions to the same dispute story, highlighting why 'friendly fraud' is nuanced and challenging to resolve.

My advice to issuers is to use technology to understand customer patterns, leveraging data from multiple sources. Card issuers should adopt a multi-pronged approach to friendly fraud, combining advanced technology with customer education, clear communication, and collaboration with merchants. Leverage data analytics to identify suspicious behaviours, such as multiple disputes from the same cardholder or unusual purchasing patterns. Facilitate clear communication and strong customer service; encourage merchants to provide automated order confirmations, transparent policies, and prompt support. Issuers can promote similar strategies to cardholders to resolve issues before disputes escalate. Finally, leverage card network rules and evidence requirements, such as 

, which allows merchants to submit detailed historical transaction data to combat repeat-friendly fraud offenders. Educate cardholders about the difference between true fraud and friendly fraud, encouraging them to contact merchants first for returns or refunds.

Which advancements in chargeback automation and cardholder self-servicing in the issuing and acquiring domain have most impressed you and why?

: The integration of AI and machine learning (ML) across the chargeback lifecycle has been most impressive. I believe in 'smart' chargeback automation, which combines machine and human intelligence for best outcomes. These systems intelligently automate every phase, from case intake to evidence gathering and custom dispute package generation, making the process faster, more accurate, and less repetitive. This reduces operational costs and significantly improves chargeback prevention and recovery rates.

This is closely tied to predictive analytics and data-driven decision-making. Platforms leverage predictive analytics to identify patterns in chargebacks, optimise fraud prevention, and proactively protect consumers and merchants. Card networks have also introduced programs to help merchants prevent disputes and first-party fraud, like Visa’s CDRN & RDR and Mastercard/Ethoca Consumer Clarity, connecting issuers and merchants for seamless prevention.

Cardholder self-servicing platforms are another impressive achievement. Cardholders can access seamless digital experiences via mobile apps or online banking portals to activate cards, view spending, manage cards, and even initiate and resolve disputes without needing to contact support. This shift improves customer satisfaction and loyalty by offering faster, more transparent resolutions. It also eliminates manual forms, allowing banks to collect information upfront and provide real-time status updates.

I’m also impressed by instant card issuance and management. I personally love instant card solutions that enable me to receive and activate new or replacement cards within minutes. These advancements are all about customer empowerment, while reducing costs, and proactively protecting both merchants and consumers.

Looking ahead, what are your key predictions for the future of cardholder dispute management?

Srii: AI/ML and automation will continue to dominate dispute management. AI-driven systems will streamline all aspects, drastically reducing resolution times from weeks or months to days or even hours. Manual, labour-intensive processes will be rapidly replaced, expediting processes, reducing errors, and lowering administrative costs. AI-driven predictive analytics will forecast likely outcomes for current cases, and GenAI will enhance fairness and objectivity by handling multiple cases simultaneously, making the process scalable and cost-effective.

Proactive dispute prevention and resolution will be even stronger. AI and advanced analytics will become more accurate in identifying and preventing fraudulent or illegitimate disputes, reducing overall dispute volumes and costs. Card networks and issuers will increasingly urge cardholders to resolve issues directly with merchants before escalating to formal chargebacks. Advanced AI insights will help merchants understand the story behind each chargeback to proactively prevent them, correct errors, and improve customer journeys.

Easy and fast dispute resolution will be a key differentiator for issuers. Issuers will actively promote robust dispute resolution as a selling feature to earn consumer trust. Real-time data flow and integration between issuers, acquirers, and card networks will facilitate quicker and more accurate outcomes, reducing operational costs. Advanced cloud platforms will continue to enable banks to automate workflows, leverage AI/ML for fraud detection, and provide real-time visibility into disputes, allowing efficient management of volume spikes and compliance.

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Srii Srinivasan's insights highlight a clear path forward for issuing banks: embrace technology, foster collaboration, and prioritise clear communication. At Rivero, we understand these complexities, that’s why we built solutions that help issuing banks simplify their payment operations, streamline dispute management, and ensure payment network compliance. We believe that by adopting smarter, more efficient processes, issuing banks can not only reduce costs but also significantly improve their customer experience and strengthen their position in a competitive market.

Want to learn more about how Rivero helps issuing banks navigate the evolving landscape of dispute management? 

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