Most refund policies exist because a customer paid for something and didn't receive it or wasn't satisfied with it. Flash Pay works differently. You do NOT pay Flash Pay for a product or service in the traditional sense. Instead:
| Traditional Retailer | Flash Pay |
|---|---|
| You pay → receive product | Flash Pay pays your bill → you repay Flash Pay |
| Refund = reverse the purchase | Refund = returning a loan that was already spent |
| Product not received = refund | Bill already paid = loan still owed |
| Chargeback = disputing a purchase | Chargeback = attempting to steal a loan repayment |
| Service fee refundable if not delivered | Service fee non-refundable — service was delivered |
Here is the exact sequence of every Flash Pay transaction:
| Step | Action | Refund Implications |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer submits request | No funds moved yet — request CAN be cancelled with no obligation |
| 2 | Flash Pay reviews & verifies | No funds moved yet — request CAN be cancelled with no obligation |
| 3 | Customer signs Loan Agreement | Loan commitment made — cancellation still possible if bill not yet paid |
| 4 | Flash Pay pre-authorizes card | Hold appears on card — refundable if bill not yet paid |
| 5 | Flash Pay pays bill via ACH | LOAN IS ESTABLISHED — repayment obligation is now unconditional |
| 6 | Payment confirmation sent to customer | Service is 100% delivered — service fee is non-refundable |
| 7 | Card is charged — loan repaid | Transaction complete — no refund of loan repayment possible |
| Situation | Bill Amount Refund | Service Fee Refund |
|---|---|---|
| You cancel BEFORE Flash Pay pays your bill | ✅ Full refund — no obligation | ✅ Full refund |
| Flash Pay cannot verify your payee details | ✅ Full refund — request cancelled | ✅ Full refund |
| Flash Pay declines your request | ✅ Full refund — not processed | ✅ Full refund |
| Your card pre-authorization fails | ✅ Full refund — not processed | ✅ Full refund |
| Bill paid to WRONG account — Flash Pay error | ✅ Flash Pay pursues recovery | ✅ Full refund |
| Bill paid to WRONG account — your error | ❌ Loan still owed in full | ❌ Non-refundable |
| Bill paid correctly — you changed your mind | ❌ Loan still owed in full | ❌ Non-refundable |
| Bill paid — you dispute with payee | ❌ Loan still owed in full | ❌ Non-refundable |
| Bill paid — payee disputes receipt | ❌ Loan still owed (Flash Pay will assist) | ❌ Non-refundable |
| Bill paid — duplicate request identified | ❌ Refund less $25 duplicate fee | ❌ Non-refundable |
If you need to cancel your payment request BEFORE Flash Pay has paid your bill, contact us immediately:
If your bill has not yet been paid, we will cancel your request in full. Any card pre-authorization hold will be released within 3–5 business days depending on your card issuer. You will owe nothing.
The service fee is earned by Flash Pay at the moment your bill is paid via ACH. Once the bill is paid:
This policy is consistent with standard fintech industry practice. Plastiq, Melio, and other comparable platforms have the same non-refundable fee policy once payment is executed.
Once Flash Pay has paid your bill:
If Flash Pay pays the wrong amount, pays the wrong payee, or makes any other error in executing the ACH payment that is attributable solely to Flash Pay (not to incorrect information you provided), we will:
| Refund Type | Flash Pay Processing | Appears on Your Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-authorization release (card never charged) | 1–2 business days | 3–7 business days |
| Cancellation before bill payment | 1–2 business days | 3–7 business days |
| Flash Pay error — confirmed refund | 2–3 business days | 5–10 business days |
| Service fee refund (error cases only) | 2–3 business days | 5–10 business days |
FILING A CHARGEBACK ON A FLASH PAY TRANSACTION AFTER YOUR BILL HAS BEEN PAID IS NOT A LEGITIMATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISM — IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER A LOAN YOU ALREADY RECEIVED. IT MAY CONSTITUTE FEDERAL FRAUD AND WILL BE VIGOROUSLY CONTESTED BY FLASH PAY WITH FULL LEGAL EVIDENCE.
Chargebacks were designed to protect consumers who did not receive goods or services they paid for. In a Flash Pay transaction:
Filing a chargeback under these circumstances is not using the system as intended — it is attempting to avoid repaying a debt you legitimately owe.
The ONLY legitimate basis for contacting your card issuer about a Flash Pay charge is if your identity or card was used by someone else without your authorization to create a Flash Pay request. If this has happened:
For all other concerns — including if you changed your mind, if you have a dispute with your payee, or if you do not recognize the charge — contact Flash Pay directly at (832) 821-5944 BEFORE contacting your card issuer.
If a chargeback is filed on a legitimate Flash Pay transaction, the following will occur immediately:
| Step | Timeline | What Flash Pay Does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Within 24 hours | Flash Pay is notified of the chargeback by Stripe. We flag your account immediately. |
| 2 | Within 24–48 hours | We attempt to contact you directly via WhatsApp and email to resolve the dispute without a formal fight. |
| 3 | Within 48–72 hours | We compile the full evidence package (see Evidence Package section) and submit it to the card network through Stripe's dispute portal. |
| 4 | Within 3 business days | We initiate ACH debit recovery per the authorization in your Loan Agreement and Terms of Service. |
| 5 | If chargeback lost | We pursue collections through a licensed agency and/or file suit in Harris County, Texas for the full amount plus fees and 18% default interest. |
| 6 | Ongoing | Your account is permanently flagged. Future Flash Pay requests will be declined. |
Every Flash Pay transaction is documented with a comprehensive evidence package specifically designed to comply with the compelling evidence requirements of Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. This package is submitted immediately upon receipt of any chargeback:
| # | Evidence Item | Addresses | Network Reason Code Killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signed Loan Agreement with digital signature, IP address, UTC timestamp, device fingerprint, and geolocation — auto-captured at submission | Authorization | Visa 11.3 / MC 4853 / Amex C08 |
| 2 | ACH payment confirmation screenshot — payee name, amount, date, bank reference number | Delivery | Visa 13.1 / MC 4853 / Amex C05 |
| 3 | Customer's original payment request — WhatsApp/text/email with timestamp proving customer initiated the transaction | Authorization | Visa 10.4 / All 'not authorized' |
| 4 | Pre-authorization confirmation from Stripe — card was verified and authorized before bill was paid | Authorization | Visa 11.3 / MC 4853 |
| 5 | SMS OTP verification log — proves customer had physical possession of the phone number provided | Identity | All 'not authorized' codes |
| 6 | Government-issued photo ID (front and back) — proves identity of the person who signed | Identity | All 'not authorized' codes |
| 7 | Customer acknowledgment of payment receipt — WhatsApp reply or email confirming bill was paid | Delivery | Visa 13.1 / All 'not received' |
| 8 | Card charge notification sent to customer — proves they were notified of the charge in advance | Notice | MC 4853 / Amex disputes |
| 9 | Statement descriptor warning sent to customer — proves they were told what would appear on their statement | Notice | 'Unrecognized charge' disputes |
| 10 | Full communication log between Flash Pay and customer — proves ongoing relationship and consent | Relationship | All friendly fraud codes |
Flash Pay's evidence submission is specifically structured to meet Visa's Compelling Evidence 3.0 (CE3.0) standard, which was updated in April 2023 to make it easier for merchants to win friendly fraud chargebacks. Under CE3.0:
Under CE3.0, where we can demonstrate two prior undisputed transactions with matching characteristics, the chargeback is substantially more likely to be resolved in Flash Pay's favor at the pre-arbitration stage.
| Network & Code | Reason Description | Why It Fails Against Flash Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa 11.3 | No Authorization | Customer signed Loan Agreement authorizing exact charge amount. IP + device + OTP verification prove identity. |
| Visa 13.1 | Not Received | ACH confirmation + customer acknowledgment prove service was delivered before card was charged. |
| Visa 10.4 | Other Fraud | Signed agreement, OTP, government ID, and IP match prove this is not fraud — it is an authorized transaction. |
| Visa 12.5 | Incorrect Amount | Exact amount is disclosed in Loan Agreement and agreed to before bill is paid. Amount matches agreement exactly. |
| MC 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Flash Pay provided the service (bill payment) exactly as described. Customer received and acknowledged payment confirmation. |
| MC 4841 | Cancelled Recurring | This is a single, non-recurring loan repayment. There is no recurring billing and the dispute code is factually inapplicable. |
| Amex C05 | Goods/Services Cancelled | Service was not cancelled — it was delivered. Customer did not cancel prior to bill payment. |
| Amex C08 | Not Received | ACH payment confirmation and customer acknowledgment prove delivery prior to card charge. |
| Discover UA | Unauthorized Purchase | Signed Loan Agreement with digital signature, IP, OTP, and government ID prove authorization. |
| Any Network | 'I don't recognize this charge' | Customer was notified in advance via WhatsApp of exact charge amount and statement descriptor 'FLASH PAY SVC'. |
If you file a chargeback after your bill has been paid and Flash Pay suffers a financial loss, you will be liable for all of the following:
| Liability Item | Amount / Details |
|---|---|
| Full loan amount | The entire bill amount Flash Pay paid on your behalf |
| Service fee | The Flash Pay service fee for the transaction |
| Chargeback fee | $25–$100 per dispute (charged to Flash Pay by Stripe/card network) — you reimburse this |
| Default interest | 18% per annum or maximum state rate, from date of chargeback until fully paid |
| ACH debit recovery | Flash Pay will initiate ACH debit from your bank account per the authorization in the Loan Agreement |
| Collections costs | All fees charged by the licensed collections agency engaged to recover the debt |
| Attorney's fees | All reasonable attorney's fees incurred by Flash Pay in pursuing recovery |
| Court costs | All court filing fees and costs if Flash Pay files suit |
Filing a chargeback to avoid repaying a documented personal loan may constitute one or more federal crimes:
Flash Pay reserves the right to refer credible cases of chargeback fraud to appropriate law enforcement authorities including the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and local prosecutors. Flash Pay will cooperate fully with any criminal investigation arising from chargeback fraud.
If you default on your loan repayment obligation through a chargeback or otherwise, Flash Pay reserves the right to:
Following a fraudulent chargeback, your Flash Pay account will be:
| Your Situation | Wrong Action | Right Action |
|---|---|---|
| I don't recognize the charge on my statement | ❌ Call my bank immediately | ✅ Text Flash Pay — we'll confirm the transaction in minutes |
| I submitted wrong payee details | ❌ File a chargeback | ✅ Text Flash Pay immediately — if bill not paid we can cancel |
| My bill was paid but payee didn't apply it | ❌ File a chargeback | ✅ Text Flash Pay — we'll send your payee the ACH reference number |
| I changed my mind after the bill was paid | ❌ File a chargeback | ✅ Contact Flash Pay — we can discuss options but loan is owed |
| I think I was charged the wrong amount | ❌ File a chargeback | ✅ Text Flash Pay with your reference number — we'll verify immediately |
| My landlord is disputing the payment | ❌ File a chargeback against Flash Pay | ✅ Work with Flash Pay — we'll provide ACH records for your landlord |
| I submitted a duplicate request | ❌ Wait and see | ✅ Contact Flash Pay immediately — we'll cancel the duplicate |
| Someone used my info without permission | ❌ File a chargeback | ✅ Contact Flash Pay AND your card issuer — we'll cooperate fully |
When you contact Flash Pay with a legitimate concern, we commit to:
| Channel | Contact Details | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp / Text | (832) 821-5944 | Fastest — under 30 minutes |
| Phone Call | (832) 821-5944 | Business hours — under 2 hours |
| Contactus@flashpayusa.com | Under 2 hours business hours | |
| Website | www.flashpayusa.com | Submit via contact form |
Flash Pay reserves the right to update this Refund and Chargeback Policy at any time. Material changes will be posted on our website with a revised effective date. Continued use of the service after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
This Refund and Chargeback Policy is part of the overall legal framework governing your use of Flash Pay, alongside:
In the event of any conflict between this Policy and the Loan Agreement, the Loan Agreement controls for the specific transaction. In all other respects, the Terms and Conditions control.