

Debit Card
Disputing a wrongly debited transaction charged to your Mastercard debit card
Disputing a wrongly debited transaction charged to your Mastercard debit card
You can dispute a transaction that was wrongly charged to your Mastercard debit card by using the chargeback procedure in conjunction with SIX (the bank’s partner for Mastercard debit card transactions). A refund is possible in several cases, such as if the services or goods received are damaged, counterfeit or faulty, if the amount is wrong or has been debited twice, or if the retailer is not identifiable.
However, refunds will not be agreed for payments:
- made via 3-D Secure
- made at the physical point of sale using the contactless payment or via a chip with PIN
- outside of the chargeback period (30 days from receipt of the account statement showing the transaction)
- concerning a subscription that you omitted to cancel
- made via a digital wallet (e.g. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay)
- where the reason is tied the quality of the goods or services
To dispute a transaction, simply follow these steps:
- Contact the retailer first to try to resolve the issue
- If no agreement can be reached, start the chargeback procedure by submitting the dispute form
- Make sure you collect all supporting documents (e.g. emails, proof of contact with the retailer) and attach them to the dispute form
- The dispute form and relevant documents can be downloaded from www.six-group.com. SIX will then process your request
- Once you have submitted these documents, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt from SIX via email
As several parties will be involved in this process, it can take several months for your claim to be resolved. The decision to accept or reject a chargeback is taken in accordance with Mastercard rules and cannot be influenced by SIX or your card issuer (Banque Bonhôte & Cie SA). Insofar as the retailer may refuse the chargeback, reimbursement of the disputed transaction cannot be guaranteed.
Procedure for challenging debit card transactions
Please see below the link to download the form to be completed, which is needed to challenge a transaction. Subsequently, you can send it in via the SIX website, together with other supporting documents.
Form for challenging a transactionn
Debit Mastercard – Terms and Conditions of Use
I. General
- Types of action (functions)
The Debit Mastercard may be used for one or more of the following functions, depending on the agreement entered into:
- as a card for withdrawing cash in or outside Switzerland (see section II)
- as a payment card for buying goods and/or services in or outside Switzerland (see section II).
- Account link
The Debit Mastercard will always be linked to a specific account (hereinafter the “account”) held by the bank that has issued the card (hereinafter the “bank”).
- Card holder
The persons authorised to use the card may be the account holders, the account representatives or individuals designated by the account holder. The Debit Mastercard will always bear the card holder’s name.
- Property
The Debit Mastercard will remain the property of the bank.
- Fees
For issuing and authorising the Debit Mastercard and for processing transactions carried out by means of the Debit Mastercard, the bank may charge fees to the account holder’s account, which shall be debited from the account to which the Debit Mastercard is linked.
- Card holder's duty of due care and attention
The card holder assumes responsibility for discharging the following obligations with due care and attention:
- Signature
Upon receipt of the Debit Mastercard, the card holder must immediately sign the card in the designated area.
- Storage
The Debit Mastercard and the Debit Mastercard PIN must be looked after with the greatest care and kept separate from each other.
- Confidentiality of the Debit Mastercard PIN code
The Debit Mastercard PIN must be kept secret and must not be given to other persons by the card holder under any circumstances. In particular, the Debit Mastercard PIN must not be written on the Debit Mastercard or kept in any other manner with it, even in a modified form.
- Changes to the Debit Mastercard PIN
The amended Debit Mastercard PINs chosen by the card holder must not comprise combinations of figures that are easy to obtain, such as, for example, a phone number, a date of birth or a car licence-plate number.
- Transfer of the Debit Mastercard to other persons
The card holder is not authorised to transfer their Debit Mastercard to other persons and, in particular, to hand it over to third parties or to make it accessible in another manner.
- Loss declaration
Should the Debit Mastercard or the Debit Mastercard PIN be lost, or should the Debit Mastercard be left behind in an ATM, the service designated by the card-issuing bank must be informed immediately (see also sections II.7 and II.14). As a matter of principle, an account holder not complying with their obligation to exercise due care and attention shall have unlimited liability for any losses and improper use arising until the card has been effectively blocked.
- Obligation to carry out checks and report inconsistencies
The account holder will be liable for checking the corresponding account statements upon receipt and immediately reporting to the bank any irregularities, particularly debits arising from improper use of the card, no later than 30 days after the account statement for the relevant accounting period has been received. The loss-reporting form must have been completed, signed and returned to the bank within 10 days of its receipt.
- Police statement
In the event of an offence, the card holder must file a complaint with the police. They must contribute as best they can to the investigation of any claim and to reducing the loss arising.
- Funding obligation
The Debit Mastercard may only be used if sufficient funds are held in the account, i.e. the balance is positive (credit balance or authorized credit limit). The bank has the right to decline to carry out a transaction if the bank account does not hold sufficient funds. The bank shall not be held liable for any costs (e.g. late-payment interest or reminder fees), which have been charged because of insufficient funds in the account.
- Bank’s right to debit the account
The bank shall be authorised to debit the account by all the amounts resulting from use of the Debit Mastercard (in accordance with section I.1) (see section II.7). The bank’s right to debit the account shall also remain unrestricted in the event of a dispute between the card holder and third parties. Amounts in foreign currencies will be converted into the account’s currency. In the event cash is withdrawn in a currency other than that of the card, the bank’s corresponding exchange rate shall apply. Fees may also be charged if cash is withdrawn in a foreign currency.
- Period of validity and card replacement
The Debit Mastercard shall be valid until the end of the date indicated on it. For the purposes of a standard commercial transaction, and unless the card holder expressly forgoes this, the Debit Mastercard shall be replaced automatically by a new Debit Mastercard prior to the end of the date indicated on it.
- Termination
Termination may take place at any time. The revocation of a power of attorney in accordance with section I.3 shall be considered as termination. Following termination, the Debit Mastercard must be returned spontaneously to the bank as swiftly as possible. A request for reimbursement or the early return of the card will not give rise to the right to the reimbursement of the annual card fee. Notwithstanding termination, the bank shall remain entitled to debit the account by any amounts arising from use of the card prior to the actual return of the Debit Mastercard.
- Amendments to the terms and conditions
The bank reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. The amendments shall be notified in an appropriate form and deemed to be accepted if the Debit Mastercard has not been returned before the amendments enter into force. The account holder shall be obliged to report immediately and in writing to the bank any changes that impact the agreement (e.g. name, address, nationality, income).
- General terms and conditions
Furthermore, the bank’s terms and conditions will apply.
II. Debit Mastercard as a cash withdrawal and payment card
- Cash withdrawal function
The Debit Mastercard may be used at any time to withdraw cash in conjunction with the Debit Mastercard PIN, from domestic and international automatic teller machines (ATMs) indicated accordingly, or by signing the transaction proof, from providers indicated accordingly, without exceeding the limits set for the Debit Mastercard.
- Payment function
The Debit Mastercard may be used at any time to pay for goods and/or services in or outside Switzerland using the Debit Mastercard PIN, by signing the transaction proof or simply using the card (e.g. in car parks, at motorway tolls or for a contactless payment) from service providers designated for this purpose, without exceeding the limits set for the Debit Mastercard.
- Termination of periodic services
It is the responsibility of the account holder to terminate recurring services paid for using the Debit Mastercard by contacting the acceptance point if these services are no longer required. Should the card be terminated, the account holder themselves shall be obliged to change or, where appropriate, terminate the payment method by contacting the acceptance point for any services giving rise to a direct debit.
- Debit Mastercard PIN (= secret code)
In addition to the Debit Mastercard, the Debit Mastercard PIN shall be provided to the card holder in a separate sealed envelope. This six-digit secret code is specific to the card and calculated automatically. It is not known to the bank or to third parties. If several Debit Mastercards are issued, each Debit Mastercard shall be given its own Debit Mastercard PIN.
- Changes to the Debit Mastercard PIN
The card holder is recommended to select a new six-digit Debit Mastercard PIN from an automatic teller machine equipped for such purpose, with the new code directly replacing the Debit Mastercard PIN previously in force. The PIN may be changed as often as required, at any time. To enhance protection against the improper use of the Debit Mastercard, the Debit Mastercard PIN must not consist of easily identifiable numbers (see section I.6d)) or be written on the Debit Mastercard or kept together with it, even in a modified form.
- Debit Mastercard e-commerce transactions
For the purposes of an e-commerce transaction payment, the account holder must make payment by means of a secure authentication method (3D Secure) if the acceptance point so requests. To this end, the account holder must sign up to a suitable solution in advance.
- Legitimacy, responsibility and assumption of risk
Any person inserting their Debit Mastercard and typing their Debit Mastercard PIN into a device provided for such purpose, who has signed the transaction receipt or who uses the card at automated payment points (e.g. in car parks, at motorway toll booths or for a contactless payment) shall be deemed to be authorised to effect the cash withdrawal or payment with the Debit Mastercard. This shall apply even if this person is not the actual card holder. Accordingly, the bank shall be authorised to debit the account by the amount of the transaction effected and recorded electronically. The account holder shall thus assume as a matter of principle the risks arising from improper use of the Debit Mastercard.
- Coverage of losses in the event of no liability
Provided that the card holder has complied in all respects with the terms and conditions of use of the Debit Mastercard (particularly the obligation to exercise due care and attention referred to in section I.6) and has not committed any other errors, the bank shall cover the losses incurred by the account holder arising from improper use of the Debit Mastercard by third parties as a cash withdrawal and payment card.
Losses arising from counterfeiting or falsification of the Debit Mastercard shall also be covered.
Card holders and their spouse, as well as persons living under the same roof as them, shall not be considered as “third parties”.
Losses covered by an insurance policy and any resulting losses arising of whatever nature shall not be covered.
- Technical incidents and outages
The card holder may not claim any compensation on the grounds of technical failures or operating losses preventing the use of the Debit Mastercard for payment or cash withdrawal purposes.
- Liability for non-acceptance of the Debit Mastercard
The bank shall decline any liability if, for any reason whatsoever, the acceptance point refuses to accept the Debit Mastercard or if, for technical or other reasons, a payment or withdrawal cannot be made with the Debit Mastercard. This shall also apply in the event that it is impossible to use the Debit Mastercard at the ATM or if the Debit Mastercard is damaged or rendered unusable by the ATM.
- Responsibility for transactions effected using the Debit Mastercard
The bank shall not assume any liability for transactions effected using the Debit Mastercard. In particular, the account holder must settle directly with the relevant acceptance point any claims related to the goods and services, as well as any disputes and allegations resulting from legal documents. The bank shall retain an unfettered right to debit the account.
- Limits
The bank shall set limits for each Debit Mastercard issued and communicate them accordingly. It shall be incumbent upon the account holder to inform any representatives of the limits.
- Transaction receipt
Upon request, the card holder shall be given a transaction receipt when effecting cash withdrawals from most ATMs, and automatically or upon request when paying for goods and/or services.
Subsequently, the bank itself shall not send any debit notices.
- Blocking
The bank shall be entitled to block the Debit Mastercard at any time without informing the card holder in advance and without having to give a reason.
The bank shall block the Debit Mastercard if the card holder expressly requests it so to do, if they report the Debit Mastercard and/or the Debit Mastercard PIN missing and if it is terminated. Card holders without power of attorney over the account may not block Debit Mastercards other than those in their own name. The block may be requested solely from the department designated by the bank that issued the card. The bank shall be authorised to debit the account for uses of the Debit Mastercard before the block takes effect, within a period of time in line with standard business practice. Blocking expenses may not be debited from the account. The block shall be lifted only if the bank receives the account holder’s written consent so to do.
- Communication of data to third parties and data processing
The account holder will be informed that the bank is authorised to pass data about the customer and the card and the transaction data specific to the Debit Mastercard to third parties, where these are involved in transaction processing. The account holder’s attention is drawn to the fact that the transaction-related data may, where appropriate, be used to draw conclusions about the account holder’s behaviour.
III. Applicable law
The legal relationship between the card holder and the bank will be governed by Swiss law. The place of performance, the place of jurisdiction and, for account holders domiciled abroad, the venue for proceedings will be in Neuchâtel.