Reason code

American Express (Amex) reason code 061 is issued when a cardholder is expecting a refund, but a charge is mistakenly processed instead. This typically happens when the merchant accidentally processes a refund as a sale, resulting in a second charge on the account.

Merchants can avoid this issue by carefully reviewing all refund transactions before submission to ensure they are processed as credits, not debits. Another helpful approach is using point-of-sale systems with clearly labeled options for refunds. 

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If you wrongfully received this reason code: 

• Provide transaction records confirming a credit was intended and that the error is not on your part

• Share POS screenshots or internal notes showing your efforts to make the correction before the dispute was filed

If you did make a mistake, consider investing in a chargeback management platform to help you process any refunds before they become a chargeback.

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There are specific steps you can take to prevent these kinds of errors: 

• Use refund-specific workflows (some POS systems offer this) to reduce processing errors

• Provide staff training on how to correctly process returns and to double check transactions

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