Pledge chargebacks on BackerKit

What is a chargeback?

A chargeback is a type of consumer protection that allows people to dispute charges on their credit or debit card accounts. If a charge seems fraudulent, was made by mistake, or if a store sent a defective item, cardholders can ask their card issuer to reverse the payment.

On platforms like BackerKit, chargebacks are pretty rare. Backers typically understand that supporting a creative project is different from buying a product from a store. They’re backing a process, not just ordering something. But if a chargeback does happen, or if you’ve mistakenly issued a chargeback for your pledge, don’t worry — there’s a clear process to resolve it

How does BackerKit handle chargebacks?

When a chargeback occurs, it’s reported directly to BackerKit’s Trust & Safety team. We investigate each case to figure out why it happened and work to resolve it.

Our goal is to handle the back-and-forth with payment processors and the bank for you, so you can focus on creating and running your project.

For creators: How do I manage chargebacks?

Refunds and chargebacks

BackerKit does not offer refunds. The responsibility for issuing a refund is between the project creator and the backer. If a backer wishes to request a refund, they should reach out directly to the project creator.

If a chargeback is issued as a way to circumvent this refund policy, BackerKit will take steps to dispute the chargeback. This is why it’s important to first contact the creator regarding refunds and, if necessary, reach out to BackerKit’s Trust & Safety team for guidance. Issuing false chargebacks may impact your ability to make future pledges to BackerKit projects or any crowdfunding project that uses BackerKit services.

What to do if you see a charge you don’t recognize

Sometimes, a charge might look unfamiliar at first. Before declaring the charge fraudulent, here are a couple of steps to check if it’s legitimate:

Did a household member use your card to make a pledge?

It’s possible that a family member or someone you share a payment method with used your card. Reach out to anyone who might have access to your card or device to see if they recognize the charge. You can also reach out to our team to assist with checking for pledges associated with your payment method.

Do you have an email receipt from the pledge?

Search your email inbox for phrases like "Thank you for your pledge”. Any receipts for pledges made through BackerKit should pop up. Seeing the receipt may jog your memory about an intentional pledge you made.

What to do if you’ve issued a chargeback by mistake

Accidentally filed a chargeback for a pledge? Don’t worry — it happens! Here’s how to fix it:

1. Contact BackerKit Trust & Safety right away. Send a message to the BackerKit Trust & Safety (trustandsafety@backerkit.com) team as soon as possible. Let them know that the chargeback was an accident and you’d like to resolve it.
2. Contact your bank or card issuer. Reach out to your bank or card issuer to let them know you’d like to cancel the dispute. They may ask you to confirm this request in writing or through their online banking system.
3. Keep our team updated. Share any updates from your bank with the Trust & Safety team so they can keep track of your dispute.

Taking action quickly can help avoid delays, and it ensures that your pledge stays intact.