Transaction Disputes
I created a way for credit union members to dispute fraudulent credit or debit card transactions online.
Overview
When a credit union member notices that they have a fraudulent transaction on their debit or credit card, they can file a dispute with the credit union online. Many online banking platform providers offer this functionality out of the box. However, most of their offerings simply allow the user to select one or more transactions, enter the reason they are disputing the transaction, and the form simply emails someone in the Fraud department to handle the dispute.
The solution I developed is much more robust than that. It can automatically handle multiple dispute types (see "Features" below) and will automatically put a block on the credit or debit card when the dispute is filed if necessary.
Features
Multiple Dispute Types
Handles dispute cases for card fraud, unauthorized charges, duplicate charges, charges with incorrect amounts, card not charged for a transaction, non-receipt of merchandise/services/funds, returned merchandise with no refunds, cancelled services or subscriptions, or merchandise or services not a described.
Each dispute type has its own workflow to allow the member to describe the problem thoroughly.
Multiple Transaction Selection
The member can choose to select one or more transactions at a time as part of the dispute.
Eligible Transaction Filter
The member can only choose transactions that are actually eligible for dispute. For example, they cannot select transactions that are older than a configurable x number of days. There are several filter options that can be applied to the transaction list.
Electronic Signature
The final step before the transaction is filed is to display the terms to which the member agrees while filing the dispute. The form also asks for the signature. The member can sign the terms using their mouse or their phone. When the signature is captured, a PDF document is generated with it which is then sent to the imaging system for storage.
My Involvement
I was the only web developer on this project. I wrote all of the member-facing part including the entire front end for the workflow. I also wrote the logic that selects the member’s credit/debit cards and eligible transactions for dispute. I also wrote the piece that generates and sends the signature and form to the imaging system.
I worked with Symitar programmer who wrote the Repgen that blocks the card as necessary and performs some other tasks in the core system.
Finally, after the project was fully tested, I deployed it to the Jwaala online banking system.
The project was sponsored by the credit union's Fraud Department so I worked directly with their Fraud Manager to determine system requirements, gather feedback, and perform acceptance testing.
Results
Launch was successful with no problems reported. The system processed an average of 30 transaction disputes per week. The system ran successfully for around two years until the credit union switched to the Alkami online banking platform. There are active plans to bring the feature back in Alkami.