Visa Compelling Evidence 3.0
Boost fraud dispute win rates by 15-25% using customer purchase history
What is Compelling Evidence 3.0?
Visa Compelling Evidence 3.0 (CE3) is a dispute program that allows merchants to prove a disputed transaction is legitimate by showing the same customer made previous successful purchases. If you can demonstrate that the cardholder has a history of buying from you without disputing, it strongly suggests the current dispute is friendly fraud rather than true fraud.
Key Benefit
CE3-eligible disputes typically see win rate improvements of 15-25% compared to standard fraud dispute responses.
How Reflex Uses CE3
Detect Fraudulent Disputes
When a dispute is filed with reason code "fraudulent", Reflex automatically checks if CE3 evidence is available.
Search Purchase History
Reflex searches your transaction history for previous purchases by the same customer that were not disputed. We look for matches across multiple data points.
Format CE3 Evidence
When matches are found, Reflex formats the evidence according to Visa's CE3 requirements and includes it in the dispute response.
Submit with Standard Evidence
CE3 evidence is submitted alongside other compelling evidence (timestamps, customer data, delivery proof) for maximum impact.
Evidence Match Types
Visa requires at least two of the following data elements to match between the disputed transaction and previous undisputed transactions:
IP Address
Same IP address used across multiple purchases indicates consistent customer behavior.
Device ID
Device fingerprint matching shows the same device was used for multiple purchases.
Shipping Address
Same shipping address across orders proves consistent delivery destination.
Email Address
Customer email matching shows the same account made previous purchases.
CE3 Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
- Dispute reason must be "fraudulent" (TC 10.4)
- At least 2 prior undisputed transactions from the same customer
- Prior transactions must be within 365 days of the disputed transaction
- At least 2 matching data elements between transactions
- Prior transactions must be at least 120 days old
Automatic Detection
Reflex automatically checks CE3 eligibility for every fraudulent dispute. When you view a disputed transaction in the Stripe App, you'll see a banner indicating if CE3 evidence is available:
Strong Fraud Defense Available
This customer has 3 successful past purchases with you. We'll use this history to prove they're a real customer, not a fraudster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CE3 work for all dispute types?
No, CE3 only applies to fraudulent disputes (Visa reason code 10.4). For other dispute types like "product not received" or "duplicate", Reflex uses different evidence strategies.
Do I need to do anything to enable CE3?
No. Reflex automatically checks CE3 eligibility for every fraudulent dispute and includes CE3 evidence when available. No configuration required.
What if I don't have customer purchase history?
If this is the customer's first purchase or there's no matching data, CE3 won't be available. Reflex will still submit other compelling evidence (timestamps, customer data, etc.) to defend the dispute.
Is CE3 available for Mastercard disputes?
CE3 is a Visa-specific program. Mastercard has similar programs that Reflex also supports. The evidence collection works the same way regardless of card network.
Need More Help?
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