Discover Reason Code AW: Altered Amount

What Discover reason code AW means

AW is a cardholder dispute about the amount, not the purchase itself. The cardholder agrees they bought something from you, but says the amount on their statement isn’t the amount they agreed to. The disputed amount is often only the difference between what they expected and what posted, not the full transaction.

In card-present settings the classic case is a tip or total that was changed after the cardholder signed. Online, AW shows up when the captured amount differs from the order total the customer saw at checkout.

For example: a customer checks out at $84.00, a backordered item is swapped for a pricier substitute, and $96.00 is captured without asking. The cardholder disputes the charge as altered, and the amount at stake is likely the $12.00 difference. Check the disputed amount on the notice before deciding how much effort the case deserves.

Common causes

• A tip or gratuity entered differently from what the cardholder wrote
• Shipping, handling or service fees added after the order was placed
• An upgrade, add-on or substitution charged without written approval
• A deposit followed by a final charge the customer thought was already covered
• Currency conversion that made a foreign-currency charge look larger than expected

Evidence that wins an AW dispute

1. The agreed amount: the order confirmation, invoice or signed receipt showing the total the cardholder accepted.
2. The checkout record: for online orders, a screenshot or log of the cart total, including tax and shipping, at the moment of purchase.
3. Approval of any change: an email, chat transcript or signed change order where the cardholder approved a new amount.
4. Disclosure of variable charges: terms that explained how the final price would be set, for example weight-based shipping or made-to-order pricing.
5. A reconciliation: a simple line-by-line breakdown connecting the agreed total to the amount captured.

If the difference comes from currency conversion done by the issuer, say so: you charged the agreed amount in your currency, and the conversion happened after you.

How to prevent AW chargebacks

• Capture exactly the amount shown at checkout. If it has to change, get written approval first.
• Show all fees before the customer pays, not on the receipt.
• For split shipments or deposits, explain on the confirmation page how and when each charge will appear.
• Price in the customer’s currency where you can.

Should you fight or accept?

Fight when you can show the cardholder agreed to the exact amount charged, or approved the change in writing. These cases come down to one document, and if you have it, they are straightforward.

Accept or refund the difference when the higher amount was never approved. Fighting a genuine overcharge rarely succeeds, and a partial refund is cheaper than a lost dispute plus its fee.