Wero is a payment method based on SEPA Instant Credit Transfers. While it offers a seamless experience for your consumers, accepting Wero involves specific risks that you should understand. Similar to credit and debit cards, it is not guaranteed that you’ll receive your money because chargebacks are possible. Wero is an unguaranteed payment method for merchants, meaning funds are not instantly "final" because consumers have the right to initiate disputes.
Under this scheme, some merchants and MCCs are exempted from disputes, please see list below.
Disputes and Chargebacks
One of the primary risks of offering Wero is the possibility of a Chargeback. Although Wero transactions are initiated via instant settlement, the consumer has the right to challenge a payment through a structured dispute process.
The Pre-Dispute and Chargeback Process
The dispute process typically begins with a Pre-Dispute, which is a mandatory communication phase between you and your consumer aimed at resolving the issue without bank intervention.
- Timeframe: A consumer can initiate a Pre-Dispute within 180 calendar days from the transaction date. For specific sectors like airlines, hotels, or car rentals, this can extend to 120 days from the expected delivery date (up to a maximum of 540 days from the original transaction).
- Resolution: If you accept the claim in the Pre-Dispute, you must trigger a refund within 5 calendar days.
- Escalation to Chargeback: If you reject the claim in the Pre-Dispute, do not respond within 7 days, or fail to reach an agreement within 30 days, the consumer's bank (the Consumer PSP) can issue a Chargeback.
Common Reasons for Disputes:
- The consumer did not receive the product or service.
- The product is defective or not as described.
- A promised refund was not credited by the merchant.
- The transaction was unauthorised (fraud).
Fraud Risk
Accepting Wero payments carries a risk of fraud. While Wero uses Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) within the consumer's digital wallet to verify their identity, fraudulent activity can still occur (e.g., account takeovers or social engineering).
- Liability: If a transaction is proven to be unauthorised, the funds may be reversed via a Chargeback, even though you have sent the goods.
- Monitoring: Wero providers and the European Payments Initiative (EPI) monitor fraud levels. If your fraud or dispute rates exceed certain thresholds, you may be placed in a Compliance Programme (see below).
- Suspension: If there is a high suspicion of fraudulent activity at your shop, your ability to accept Wero may be temporarily suspended by EPI.
Merchant Compliance Programmes
To maintain the integrity of the network, Wero monitors merchants who generate excessive levels of "unhealthy" transactions.
1. Excess Dispute Compliance Programme
This monitors the number of chargebacks compared to your total sales. If you exceed the following thresholds per month, you may face additional fees or mandatory remediation plans:
- Observation: 30 chargebacks and a 0.3% ratio.
- Risk: 50 chargebacks and a 0.5% ratio.
- Excess: 100 chargebacks and a 1.0% ratio.
2. Excess Fraud Compliance Programme
This monitors the total volume of fraudulent transactions per month:
- Observation: €10,000 fraud volume and a 0.3% ratio.
- Risk: €20,000 fraud volume and a 0.5% ratio.
- Excess: €50,000 fraud volume and a 1.0% ratio.
Note: If you are classified as "High-Risk" due to excess fraud or disputes, you will remain in that status until your ratios fall below the "Observation" threshold for four consecutive months.
High-Risk Merchant Classification
Certain business types are automatically classified as High-Risk by Wero (e.g., online pharmacies, tobacco, gambling, or cryptocurrency). High-risk merchants are subject to stricter daily monitoring and may be required to pay custom service charges or provide additional security documentation to maintain their Wero acceptance.
Dispute Definitions:
Commercial Disputes: Applies to issues directly related to the merchant-consumer contract and order fulfilment. Under the EPI Rulebook, a commercial dispute can only be raised for the following specific reasons:
- Defective goods/services: Merchandise is damaged or not as described.
- Non-delivery: Items were not received or services were not rendered.
- Cancelled subscriptions: Charges occurred for a cancelled recurring payment.
- Missing refunds: An agreed-upon refund was never credited.
- Unauthorised add-ons: Non-authorised additional deferred charges were applied.
Non-Commercial Definition: Covers all disputes that fall outside of standard merchant fulfilment issues. The EPI Rulebook explicitly separates these into two distinct categories:
- Fraud: Unauthorised transactions, such as account takeovers or compromised credentials.
- Processing Errors: Technical payment mistakes, including duplicate charges, incorrect transaction amounts, incorrect currencies, or transactions already paid for by other means
Dispute exclusions:
EPI/Wero has exempted some MCCs for (commercial) dispute handling. In addition in the transition period to Wero they have created some other exceptions*:
- Consumers ordering from the Netherlands cannot create commercial disputes until 1st of January 2028 - pending final confirmation by EPI.
- Consumers ordering from France cannot create commercial disputes** until the 1st of November 2027.
- MCCs that are completely exempted from Disputes, consumers cannot create a dispute see list
- MCCs that are exempted from commercial disputes or Invoice payment disputes*, consumers can only create disputes for expected fraud or duplicate payments see list.
*Note: Exemptions are applicable to change and will be updated in accordance with the EPI/Wero rulebook.
** Disputes based on fraud or processing errors payments can still be made.
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Part 1: Fully Exempt from All Pre-Disputes and Chargebacks
The European Payments Initiative (EPI) completely exempts the following sectors from all pre-disputes and chargebacks because they do not involve a standard trader-consumer contract for products or services.
Government & Public Services
- 9211: Court costs
- 9222: Fines
- 9223: Bail and bond payments
- 9311: Tax payments
- 9399: Government services (Not elsewhere classified)
- 9402: Postal services – Government only
Financial Services & Money Transfers
- 4821, 4829: Telegraphic/Money Orders and Money Transfer
- 6012, 6051: Financial Institutions and Quasi-cash
- 6211: Security Brokers/dealers
- 6530, 6531, 6532: Payment Service Provider – Stored Value Load, Money Transfer, and Remote Stored Value Load
Insurance
- 5960: Direct Marketing - Insurance
- 6300, 6381, 6399: Insurance sales, underwriting, premiums, property & casualty
Charities & Social Organisations
- 8398: Charitable and Social Service Organisations
- 8641, 8651, 8661: Civic, Fraternal, Political, and Religious Organisations
Gambling, Betting & Lotteries (Provided they are legal and registered)
- 7800, 7801, 7802: Government-owned lotteries, licensed online casinos, and horse/dog racing
- 7995: Betting (including lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting)
Part 2: Exempted Specifically from Commercial Disputes
The following segments fall outside the scope of the European Consumer Rights Directive (CRD) or fall under specific Article 16 exceptions (such as service contracts after the service is fully performed, urgent repairs, or inseparably mixed goods). Because of this, they are exempted from commercial disputes (such as defective merchandise or services not rendered claims).
Healthcare & Medical Services
- 5047: Medical, Dental, Ophthalmic, Hospital Equipment
- 8011, 8021, 8031: Doctors, Dentists, Osteopaths
- 8041, 8042, 8049: Chiropractors, Optometrists, Chiropodists
- 8050, 8062, 8071, 8099: Nursing facilities, Hospitals, Dental Labs, Health Practitioners
Passenger Transport & Freight
- 4011, 4119, 4131: Railroads (Freight), Ambulance Services, Bus Lines
- 4214, 4215: Motor Freight Carriers, Courier Services
- 4789: Transportation Services (Not elsewhere classified)
Construction, Real Estate & Architecture
- 1520: General Contractors (Residential and Commercial)
- 1711, 1731, 1740, 1750: Heating/Plumbing, Electrical, Masonry, Carpentry
- 1761, 1771, 1799: Roofing, Concrete Work, Special Trade Contractors
- 6513: Real Estate Agents
- 8911: Engineering, architectural and surveying services
Education & Social Services
- 8211, 8220: Elementary, Secondary, Colleges, Universities
- 8241, 8244, 8249: Correspondence, Business/Secretarial, Vocational Schools
- 8299: Educational Services (Not elsewhere classified)
- 8351: Child Care Services / Kindergarten
Urgent Repairs, Maintenance & IT Services
- 7349, 7372, 7379: Cleaning/Maintenance, Computer Programming, Computer Maintenance & Repair
- 7622, 7623, 7629: Electrical, Air Conditioning, and Small Appliance Repair
- 7692, 7699: Welding and Misc. Repair Shops
Utilities, Fuel & Vehicles
- 4900: Electric, Gas, Sanitary and Water Utilities
- 5169, 5172: Chemicals and Petroleum Products
- 5511, 5521, 5551: Car, Truck, and Boat Dealers
- 5541, 5552: Service Stations and Electric vehicle charging
Professional, Employment & Security Services
- 7361: Employment Agencies
- 7392, 7393, 7394: Management Consulting/PR, Security Services, Equipment Rental
- 8111, 8734, 8931: Legal Services, Testing Laboratories, Accounting/Auditing
- 8999: Professional Services (Not elsewhere classified)
Miscellaneous Personal & Commercial Services
- 742, 763: Veterinary and Agricultural services
- 2791, 2842: Typesetting and Specialty Cleaning Preparations
- 4899: Cable and other pay television
- 7210, 7211, 7216, 7217: Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning
- 7230, 7261: Beauty Shops, Funeral Services
- 7276, 7277, 7278: Tax Preparation, Counselling Services, Buying/Shopping Clubs
- 7299, 7311, 7321: Misc. Personal Services, Advertising, Consumer Credit Reporting
- 7339, 7342: Secretarial Support, Pest Control
- 7513, 7535, 7549: Truck Rentals, Automotive paint shop, Towing Services