Stop Playing With People’s Payments: Why Chargebacks Hurt More Than You Think

The African American Urge to Dispute Instead of Discuss

by TamikaMarie | #TheTamikaEffect

Let’s have an honest conversation—grown folk to grown folk. Because somebody needs to say it loud for the people in the back who keep swiping cards and pulling chargebacks like it’s a dispute and not a digital tantrum.

What’s a Chargeback, Really?

A chargeback is when a customer—usually after a service has already been provided—contacts their bank and tells them, “I didn’t authorize this payment” or “I didn’t get what I paid for.” Now don’t get me wrong, if something shady actually went down—if a vendor ghosted you, scammed you, or misrepresented what they were offering—you absolutely have the right to dispute.

But what’s happening now? Folks are filing chargebacks on invoices they agreed to, services they received, and sometimes even after they said ‘thank you’ and used the damn product. That’s not a dispute, that’s disrespect.

It’s Giving: Avoidance, Not Accountability

Let’s call it what it is. Nine times out of ten, it’s not that the service wasn’t provided—it’s that the money ain’t there, or you’re avoiding a conversation you don’t want to have.

Instead of saying,

“Hey, I’m behind financially and need a plan.”
or
“I bit off more than I could chew and don’t know how to fix it,”

some folks just call the bank, hit dispute, and let the chips fall.

But here’s the part they’re not telling you at the bank counter: that one little click can destroy a business owner’s financial infrastructure.

The Back-End Fallout You Don’t See

When you file a chargeback without trying to resolve it first:

• The business immediately loses the payment plus a $20–$50 processing fee.

• Their merchant account gets flagged—too many chargebacks? They could lose their payment processor altogether.

• It lowers their risk rating and jeopardizes their ability to even accept cards going forward.

So while you may think it’s “just your $400,” on the backend? You may have cost them $1,000 in damages, disrupted their payroll, or even messed up their ability to serve the next customer in line.

And let me be VERY clear: this ain’t just bad for the business—it’s bad for YOU.

Real Bosses Don’t Swipe and Hide

If you’re out here trying to build a brand, grow your business, or become financially solid—don’t get into the habit of filing chargebacks as a way to avoid financial accountability.

It’s a fiscally irresponsible move and a communication breakdown wrapped in a bank transaction.

You don’t want to be the person known for not honoring your word.

You don’t want your name floating through the entrepreneurial ecosystem like,

“She’ll pay and then reverse it if her feelings change.”

Because guess what? We talk. Service providers talk. Gatekeepers talk. Your next opportunity might come through someone you lowkey tried to finesse.

Let’s Normalize Saying:

“Hey sis, I’m behind. Can we work something out?”
or
“I’m not happy with what I received. Can we talk about a resolution?”

You’d be surprised how far honesty can go. Most of us are flexible, but what we’re not about to be is played.

Final Word from Your Auntie in Taxation

At TMB Tax Bureau and across the Tax Revenue Manager network, we take care of our people. We build tech, we build systems, we build legacies.

But the minute a chargeback hits without communication? We shut it down—fast. Access gone. Bonuses forfeited. Data wiped. It’s not personal—it’s business. And that business has boundaries.

So the next time you’re tempted to hit that “dispute” button, ask yourself:

Is this about the service—or is this about something I need to own up to?

Because over here, we don’t do confusion—we do contracts, clarity, and communication.

And that?
That’s #TheTamikaEffect.