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The bank would then investigate the claim. To illustrate, let’s say a cardholder contacts their issuing bank, claiming that one of the charges on their bank statement was unauthorized. Most often, though, banks issue provisional credits as part of the transaction dispute-or chargeback-process.Ĭhargebacks are forced payment reversals conducted at the banking level. If that’s the case, then the credit would work like a placeholder until the transaction is settled.
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In some cases, it could be because a transaction has not yet been verified. There are a few reasons why a bank might offer a provisional credit to a cardholder. Their issuing bank will be able to divulge the details of the credit, including where it came from, why it was issued, and how long it will take before the provisional credit becomes permanent.
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If cardholders are confused about the source of a provisional credit, they can usually contact the bank to get more information. The entry on the cardholder’s statement will note that it’s a credit, but it may not always explain the reason in detail. The credit will then appear on the cardholder’s statement as its own distinct line item.
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Banks may issue a credit to an account holder at their discretion.
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