What are Ethoca alerts?
Ethoca alerts are notifications from Ethoca, a Mastercard company, that tell a merchant about a confirmed fraud case or a customer dispute so the merchant can refund before it becomes a chargeback.
How it works
Participating card issuers share fraud and dispute information through Ethoca. When you receive an alert, you refund the order and stop fulfilment if it has not shipped, which usually stops the chargeback.
Why it matters for high-risk brands
Alerts are one of the most direct ways for a high-risk brand to keep its chargeback ratio down.
Ethoca alerts: questions
Does Ethoca only work with Mastercard cards?
No. Coverage depends on the issuers that take part in the network, which includes banks beyond Mastercard.
How fast do I need to act on an alert?
Quickly. An alert only helps if the refund lands before the issuer files the chargeback.