Mastercard's umbrella consumer-dispute code, where the condition attached to the notification decides which evidence the issuer reads.
Mastercard 4853 is the closest Mastercard analogue to Visa's 13-series consumer-dispute codes, but the rules diverge in important ways. The merchant response window is 45 days from the chargeback notification, not 30. The condition is named on the notification rather than implied by the code number. And Mastercard's evidence requirements for each condition are more prescriptive than Visa's: submitting goods-not-provided evidence on a Credit Not Processed condition is the most common reason 4853 cases are lost.
How the dispute actually arrives
A merchant receives a 4853 through their processor with the specific condition cited. The condition is the operative information. A 4853 with "Goods or Services Not Provided" attached is a different case than a 4853 with "Credit Not Processed" attached, and treating them as the same code costs merchants disputes they could have won.
The 45-day window is longer than Visa's 30 days, which gives the merchant more time to assemble evidence. It does not change what evidence wins; the condition does.
What the issuer is looking for
Issuers reviewing a 4853 read against the condition. For "Goods or Services Not Provided," the issuer wants proof of delivery, login records, or service-completion documentation. For "Defective Merchandise or Not as Described," the issuer wants the product description at point of sale, the cardholder's communication with the merchant before the chargeback, and any inspection or testing records. For "Credit Not Processed," the issuer wants refund records or, where no refund was due, the policy that supports declining it. For "Cancelled Recurring Transaction," the issuer wants the cardholder's signup terms, the cancellation request record, and the timing of the disputed charge against the cancellation date.
Each condition has its own evidence shape. Submitting proof of delivery on a "Credit Not Processed" case does not answer the question the issuer is asking. The first task in defending a 4853 is to identify the condition, then to assemble the evidence specific to that condition.
Common scenarios merchants see
Goods or services not provided. The cardholder paid, the merchant says it shipped or delivered, and the cardholder denies receipt. The evidence is the same as a Visa 13.1: tracking, delivery confirmation, login records for digital goods.
Defective merchandise or not as described. The cardholder received the product but says it did not match the listing or did not work. The evidence is the product description at point of sale, the merchant's return and inspection process, and any photos or test records the merchant has.
Credit not processed. The cardholder returned the goods or cancelled the service and never received the refund they were owed. If the refund was issued, the records resolve it. If the refund was not issued because the return arrived outside the policy window or did not meet the policy's conditions, the merchant's documented policy is the case.
Cancelled recurring transaction. The cardholder cancelled the subscription or service and was charged afterwards. The evidence is the same shape as Visa 13.7 (cancelled merchandise or services): the cancellation policy, the cardholder's acceptance of it, and the documented cancellation request (or its absence).
What this code is not
Reason code 4853 is not a fraud claim. If the cardholder says the transaction was not theirs, the dispute will arrive under Mastercard 4837 (no cardholder authorization) instead. Merchants who submit AVS, CVC2, and 3DS evidence on a 4853 are answering a different question than the one the issuer is asking.
Where this fits in our service
Mastercard reason code 4853 is a code we draft rebuttal letters against where the condition has been identified and the corresponding evidence exists. The letter is built from the cited condition, the Mastercard rule provision that applies, and the evidence specific to the condition. A 4853 letter on a goods-not-provided condition and a 4853 letter on a cancelled-recurring condition share almost no structural language. If you are reading this because you just received one, you can start with a free first letter.
Official source: Mastercard rules. Last reviewed 2026-05-11.