AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
If you paid by card, ask your bank to raise a dispute: card schemes have "goods not received" reason codes, such as Visa 13.1 and Mastercard 4855. If you paid by bank transfer there is no chargeback, so you demand delivery or a refund from the seller in writing, then complain to the FCCPC and, if needed, file a small claim or report fraud to the police.
How you paid decides the route
A card payment runs through a scheme (Visa, Mastercard or Verve) with dispute rules that let your bank pull money back from the merchant's bank. A bank transfer is final once credited; the CBN's transfer rules allow a reversal without the receiver's consent only when a bank made the error, not when you paid a seller who then failed to deliver. That single difference shapes everything else.
| How you paid | Main route | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Debit or credit card online | Card dispute (chargeback) through your bank | Your bank and the scheme, on evidence |
| Payment gateway checkout using a card | Same as card, via your bank | Your bank and the scheme |
| Bank transfer to the seller | Written demand, FCCPC complaint, small claims or civil claim | The seller, the FCCPC or a court |
| Transfer to someone who was never a real seller | Fraud report to your bank and the police | Banks, police and courts |
Paid by card: the chargeback
Card schemes publish reason codes that tell the merchant why money is being taken back. Stripe's documentation of network codes lists, for "product not received", Visa 13.1 "Merchandise/Services Not Received" and Mastercard 4855; Mastercard also groups "Goods or Services Not Provided" under 4853. Verve has its own rules, which your bank applies.
- Contact the seller first and keep the reply, or the lack of one. Banks usually want to see that you tried.
- Call or write to your bank and say you want to dispute a card transaction for goods not received. Give the date, amount, merchant name as it appears on your statement, and the promised delivery date.
- Send evidence: order confirmation, the advert, chats, tracking details and your request for a refund.
- Ask for a reference number and the timeline your bank works to.
Timelines vary by bank and scheme. Stanbic IBTC's debit card terms, as one bank's example, say chargebacks follow the Verve or Mastercard rules and take 3 working days for domestic and 45 working days for foreign transactions from logging with the acquirer. Ask your own bank for its figure.
Paid by transfer: demand, then FCCPC
Most Nigerian online sellers ask for a transfer. If the goods do not come, your first step is a written demand to the seller: what you bought, what you paid, the date and session ID, and a clear deadline for delivery or a refund. Keep it calm and factual; it becomes evidence.
If the seller is a real business that is simply refusing, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) handles consumer complaints. Its site links to complaints.fccpc.gov.ng for filing and tracking a complaint, lists contact@fccpc.gov.ng, and gives 0805 600 2020, 0805 600 3030 and toll-free +234 800 000 2121 (as listed in October 2026). In an October 2025 release the FCCPC highlighted an Enugu High Court judgment that a "no refund" policy was void and that service providers must refund consumers when a service is not rendered.
Small claims for larger amounts
In Lagos, the Small Claims Court Practice Directions cover money claims up to ₦5,000,000, excluding interest and costs, where the claim has a Lagos connection. You must first serve a Letter of Demand (Form SCA 1) giving 14 days to pay, parties may represent themselves, and the directions aim for judgment within 60 days of filing. Other states have their own small claims arrangements; check your state judiciary.
When the "seller" was a scammer
If the shop, Instagram page or WhatsApp number vanished after payment, treat it as fraud rather than a consumer dispute. Tell your bank's fraud desk at once and ask it to contact the receiving bank; any recovery depends on money still being in the account. Then report to the police. Our guide to freezing scam money before it is withdrawn covers the first hour, and evidence to gather for a payment dispute lists what to keep.
Why proof of delivery matters
Whatever route you take, the question will be whether the seller delivered. Sellers sometimes produce a dispatch note or a rider's phone record. Answer it with your own evidence: the promised date, messages showing you chased delivery, and a note of anyone at your address who could have received it. If something arrived but was the wrong item, say so in writing at once; that is a "not as described" claim rather than "not received", and card schemes treat it under a different code.
What to check first
- Your statement: card payment or transfer? The answer picks your route.
- The seller's identity: registered business name, address, phone. A real business can be pursued through the FCCPC or court.
- Your evidence: receipt, session ID, screenshots of the listing and every message.
- Dates: when you paid, when delivery was promised, when you asked for a refund.
Where Pryme fits
Businesses on Pryme can take payment through bank-transfer checkout, which is free for the business. Buyers and sellers can generate a verifiable receipt through our partnership with VerifyDoc.ai, which anyone can check is unaltered (receipts), useful evidence in a dispute.
Questions people ask
Can I reverse a transfer if the goods did not come?
Not through the bank on that ground alone. The CBN's rules let banks reverse transfers without the receiver's consent only for bank errors. You pursue the seller directly, through the FCCPC or in court, or report fraud if the seller was fake.
How do I file a complaint with the FCCPC?
The FCCPC site links to complaints.fccpc.gov.ng for filing and tracking complaints, and lists contact@fccpc.gov.ng and its phone lines.
What is a chargeback?
It is a card dispute raised by your bank under Visa, Mastercard or Verve rules, which takes money back from the merchant's bank if your claim is upheld.
How much can I claim at the Lagos small claims court?
The Practice Directions cover money claims up to ₦5,000,000 excluding interest and costs, after a Letter of Demand giving 14 days to pay.
Sources
- Stripe Docs: Dispute reason code categories (Visa and Mastercard codes) · accessed Oct 2026
- Stanbic IBTC: Debit card terms and conditions · accessed Oct 2026
- FCCPC: Lagos and Enugu judgments reinforce consumer protection under FCCPA (27 Oct 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Lagos Small Claims Court Practice Directions (Lagos MEPB file, Dec 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq (G Elias): CBN rules on erroneous and failed inter-bank transfers (8 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.