Amex reason code C05
Amex C05: Goods/Services Canceled
What the cardholder is claiming
The cardholder says they canceled the order or service, but you billed them anyway or never reversed the charge.
The evidence that actually wins
Bank analysts skim responses in minutes against a checklist for this exact code. Lead with the strongest fact; never make them dig.
- ✓A search of every cancellation channel (email, chat, phone logs, in-app) showing no cancellation request before the billing date
- ✓Usage or delivery logs showing the cardholder kept using the service or accepted the goods after the date they claim to have canceled
- ✓Your cancellation policy and window, with proof of disclosure and acceptance at signup or checkout
- ✓Timestamps showing the cancellation arrived after the disclosed cutoff or after the order had already shipped
- ✓Any cancellation confirmation number the member cites, checked against your system for authenticity
The honest read
This one is decided on timeline, so build it before you decide to fight: when they say they canceled, when you billed, what happened in between. If the member canceled through any reasonable channel before you charged them, credit it and move on. The strong fight is usage logs showing continued use after the claimed cancellation date, or a genuinely empty record across all your support channels. Be aware that hard-to-cancel flows hurt you here; if canceling required a phone call and the member sent two emails instead, Amex will usually treat those emails as a valid cancellation.
Nobody can promise you a win; the cardholder's bank decides. What you control is submitting the strongest complete case your records support, on time. Our plain-language guarantees say exactly what that means.
Fighting a C05 right now?
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