Chargeback is protective mechanism provided by credit card associations (e.g. Visa, MasterCard and the China Union Pay) to their cardholders. Each credit scheme sets out specific circumstances and time frame in which a member of scheme (the card issuing company) can claim a refund in connection with a disputed transaction such as failure to provide goods by a merchant or the provision of subscribed services by a service provider against the merchant's acquirer (the merchant's acquiring bank). Please note that chargeback claims do not apply to situation where the cardholders settle the transaction by execution of the Interest-free Purchase Instalment Program Direct Debit Authorization Form: see "Question 8" and answer below. Cardholder must pay attention to the Credit Card Associations' requirements and the timeframe for initiating the chargeback request.

In general, cardholders can initiate dispute and request for refund under the following common situations:

Unauthorized use of internet/mailing order/phone order transaction

Duplicated charge (authorized one transaction but the merchant charged more than one)

Incorrect amount or transaction currency

Credit /Refund not received

Non-receipt of goods or services

Informed merchant to cancel the direct debit authorization. However, the merchant still billed my account.

For example：Cardholder purchased 1 year membership at a fitness center and using BOC credit card to make lump-sum payment of HKD12,000. However, after 6 months of service, the merchant ceased the business and not able to render services for the remaining 6 months. Under this circumstance, cardholder can submit the chargeback request to BOC Credit Card (International) Limited ("Card Company") within the time specified. If the request is in line with the scheme rules of Card Association, the Card Company will raise a chargeback claim against the merchant's acquirer. The Card Company will refund the dispute amount to cardholder's credit card account for successful recovery of the disputed transaction.

Cardholder can contact our 24-hour customer service hotline: 2853 8828 for enquiry and request a chargeback to be raised. Our CSR will help you throughout the process. On the other hand, you can also submit by fax or post a completed "Transaction Dispute Form" together with supporting documents (e.g. service contract, membership card or any evidence of undelivered goods or service record) to us to enable us to file a chargeback request with the acquirer of the erring merchant (the merchant's acquiring bank). Under the chargeback scheme rules you need to check the monthly statement carefully and report to us if there exists any disputed transactions.

Note. "Transaction Dispute Form" can be downloaded from our website (www.boci.com.hk) or obtain from any of Bank of China (Hong Kong) branch

With the exception of the situation referred to in Question 8, we, as your card issuer, shall assist the cardholder to raise chargeback request against the merchant acquirers according to the relevant chargeback rules of card scheme. We shall analysis and examine the request in supporting documents pursuant to the scheme rules through credit card associations. When the merchant's acquirer (the merchant's acquiring bank) accepts the chargeback claim, we will collect the disputed amount and refund the amount to cardholders.

Upon provision of sufficient information and fulfillment of the rules of the respective credit card association, the Card Company will submit the chargeback claims against the merchant's acquirer (the merchant's acquiring bank) through the credit card associations for follow up actions. A merchant acquirer will handle the application or pass it to the merchant for follow up depending on different situations (For details see below).

Under the scheme rules of respective credit card associations, the chargeback process normally takes about 45 to 90 calendar days to complete. When a dispute is resolved, the disputed amount will be refunded to your card account directly. Meanwhile, we will send you a confirmation advice by SMS and the chargeback amount will be shown on the next monthly statement.

In generally, under the rules of both Visa/MasterCard International, the time limit for chargeback in situations mentioned above is (1) not to exceed 540 calendar days from the transaction processing date; and (2) 120 calendar days from the merchant closure date. Under the China Union Pay requirements for Hong Kong domestic transaction, the time limit for chargeback is 360 calendar days from the prepayment date.

In order to allow us to have sufficient time to process cardholder dispute request regarding non-receipt of goods or services, please note that cardholder must submit a dispute request together with the relevant supporting documents at least 14 days prior to the deadline.

Assume a merchant goes out of business on "1st Jan 2017":

1. If a cardholder joined the membership paid by his/her Visa card on "1st Jan 2015" and therefore the chargeback claim is not valid under the rules of Visa International as it exceeded 540 calendar days from the transaction processing date.
2. If a cardholder submitted chargeback request in "Dec 2017", before the transaction exceeded 540 calendar days from the transaction processing date, the claims is still not valid under the rules of Visa International as the claim is not submitted within 120 calendar days from the merchant closure date.
3. If a cardholder joined the membership on "1st Dec 2016" by Visa card and made chargeback request on "20th Jan 2017", the claim is valid under the rule of Visa International as it has not exceeded 540 calendar days from the transaction processing date and within 120 calendar days from the merchant closure date.

You can call our 24-hour customer service hotline: 28538828 to inquire. For submitted chargeback request and disputed transaction, you are not required to settle the dispute amount while you are waiting for it to be resolved.

As stated on Interest-free Purchase Instalment Program Direct Debit Authorization Form that it is a loan agreement between the Card Company and the cardholder/applicant, the chargeback provisions of card organizations shall not apply to the Interest-free Purchase Instalment Program ("Program") once the cardholder agreed and signed to accept the instalment plan under the Program. You are therefore liable to repay the outstanding monthly installments to us as your credit provider under the instalment plan agreement including in situation where the goods or services contracted has not and may not be delivered for whatever reason.

Each primary cardholder can apply for up to 9 additional cards for immediate family members.

Gift points are valid for up to 1 year in general whereas for Platinum cardholders Gift Points remain valid for up to 2 years. For ease of reference, your gift point balance and the deadline for redemption are shown on your monthly statement.

All previous balances and new transactions will be billed in accordance with a statement cycle, with the last day of the billing cycle being the cut-off day. You have to pay the bill within 26 days after the cut-off day. You may enjoy a maximum 56-day interest-free repayment period for new transactions, provided no previous balance is being carried forward.

If the whole amount of the statement balance is not settled before the payment due date, the outstanding balance will be subject to interest. If the minimum payment due is not settled on or before the payment due date, a late charge calculated at 5% of the minimum payment amount, together with the interest of the outstanding balance, will be charged in each billing cycle. Please refer to Fees Schedule for details.

Direct Debit Authorization is a payment agreement made between a cardholder and a merchant. As a credit card company, we only provide a channel for payment and as such, have no authority to cancel the Direct Debit Authorization on your behalf. You should contact the merchant directly to cancel the authorization.

If the merchant declines to do so, you may call our 24-hour Customer Services Hotline (852) 2853 8828 for assistance and we shall ask you to complete a "Termination of Direct Debit Authorization" form. We shall endeavour to secure a cancellation on your behalf by liaising with the merchant.

You may fax or mail to us a completed "Request for Refund Form" and we will arrange for the refund in accordance with your instruction. A "Credit Balance Refund Fee" of HK$50 will be debited from your credit card account directly. Alternatively, you may transfer the credit balance to your other BOC Credit Card account(s) for setting-off repayments.

You may withdraw cash at any ATMs of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Nanyang Commercial Bank Ltd. or Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd., or any JETCO ATMs in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, or ATMs with UnionPay logo (applicable to CUP Dual Currency Credit Card) or PLUS logo (applicable to VISA Credit Card) or Cirrus logo (applicable to MasterCard Credit Card) around the world or over-the-counter at any branch of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Nanyang Commercial Bank Ltd. or Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd.

To conduct ATM services at ATMs outside Hong Kong, please activate the "ATM cash withdrawal functions outside Hong Kong" before departing Hong Kong through Internet Banking ,Mobile Banking (only applicable for Internet Banking customer of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Nanyang Commercial Bank or Chiyu Banking Corporation.) or any ATMs of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Nanyang Commercial Bank Ltd. or Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd., any JETCO ATMs or by calling BOC Credit Card 24-hour Customer Services Hotline at (852) 2853 8828.(Please click here for details)

For details on the daily limit of cash advance, please refer to the ''User Circulars''. If you desire a larger amount, you will have to perform the transaction over-the-counter at a bank.

For details on cash advance service fees, please refer to the ''Fees Schedules''.

If you wish to increase your credit limit, you will have to provide us with your latest financial information and the desired credit limit. We shall notify you of the result in writing once available.

If the bank issuing your credit card is the same as the one where your bank account is held, you may bring along your bank passbook and your credit card to any branch of the related bank to request for such a facility to be added to your credit card(If you already have an ATM card for your bank account, please also bring along that ATM card for cancellation). Each primary card can accommodate 2 personal bank accounts (current or savings).

Alternatively, you may complete and return to us by fax or mail the "Encoding or Decoding ATM Facilities Application Form". Upon completion of signature verification with your account opening branch, we shall process your request accordingly.

Please call our 24-hour Lost Card Hotline (852) 2544 2222 as soon as you discover the loss.

For security reasons, your replacement card for the lost card will bear a new card number. To ensure uninterrupted and correct processing of all Direct Debit Authorizations, you have to notify the merchants concerned to use the new card number. For PPS, you also have to re-register with the new card number to ensure proper payment processing.

You can complete the address update slip on the reverse side of the monthly statement or contact us for a "Cardholder Information Amendment Form" to fill in the required details, then fax or mail it to us for action. Alternatively, you may provide us with a written notification under a signature that corresponds with the one on our record, or simply visit any branch of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Nanyang Commercial Bank or Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd. with your request.