Friendly fraud: why disputing a purchase you made hurts everyone
Something wrong with a payment? We can almost always fix it faster than your bank can. Here’s what friendly fraud is, why it matters on a creator marketplace like BentBox, and what to do instead.
Payment problem? Talk to us first.
Email info@bentbox.co and we will fix any payment issue. Please don’t open a dispute or chargeback.
What is friendly fraud?
Friendly fraud is when someone disputes a payment they made themselves, and received what they paid for, by asking their bank, card issuer or PayPal to reverse it.
It’s called “friendly” because it’s often not planned. Sometimes it’s a genuine misunderstanding. Sometimes it’s a deliberate attempt to get content for free. Either way, once a purchase has been made and the content delivered, disputing it as “unauthorised” or “not received” is a false claim, and payment processors treat it as fraud.
How it usually happens
An unfamiliar name on the statement
The charge may appear under the name of our payment processor rather than “BentBox”, so it isn’t recognised and gets disputed.
Someone else used the card
A partner or housemate made the purchase with a shared or saved card, and the cardholder disputes it without asking first.
Forgotten purchases
A purchase made weeks ago is forgotten by the time the statement arrives.
Buyer’s remorse
The content was bought and accessed, and then the buyer tries to get the money back by claiming the charge wasn’t theirs.
The first three can all be cleared up with a single email to us. The last one is fraud.
Why it hurts creators and the whole marketplace
BentBox is a marketplace. When you buy a box, you’re paying an independent creator for their work. A disputed sale doesn’t just disappear:
- Creators can lose earnings for content they’ve already delivered.
- Every dispute carries fees and penalties from the payment processor, on top of the reversed amount.
- Dispute rates are monitored. If they climb, processors can restrict or withdraw the payment methods BentBox offers to every buyer and creator.
In short, disputes carry high-risk consequences for merchants, and a handful of false claims can affect the whole community.
We keep a record of every purchase
BentBox is an age-verified platform. Every purchase is linked to a verified account, and we keep records of what was bought, when, and when the content was accessed. When a purchase is disputed, we send this evidence to the payment processor to contest the claim.
What happens if you dispute a purchase you made
- Your BentBox account may be blocked, including access to content you’ve bought.
- The reversed amount remains a debt you owe, together with any dispute fees charged to us.
- We may refer the unpaid amount to a debt collection agency to recover it.
None of this applies to genuine problems. If you were charged in error, or your card or PayPal account was used without your permission, contact us and we will put it right.
What to do instead
We work constantly to provide exceptional customer support, and we’re here to help you 24/7.
- Email info@bentbox.co from the address linked to your BentBox account.
- Tell us the date and amount of the charge and how you paid. If you have it, include the last four digits of your card or the transaction ID. Never send your full card number.
- Tell us what went wrong. We’ll look into it and fix it.
Think your card was used without your permission? Email us straight away so we can lock the affected account and investigate the charge. To protect your card, you should also let your bank or card issuer know it may be compromised.
Frequently asked questions
We’re here to help, 24/7
Whatever the payment issue, one email to info@bentbox.co is all it takes.