American consumers disputed nearly 30% more credit card transactions in 2025 than they did just four years earlier. Some of those “chargebacks” are legitimate issues or outright scams. But increasingly, many are what Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Amanda Mull says is friendly fraud — transaction disputes that aren’t completely honest or the retailer’s fault.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Mull joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the sharp rise in chargebacks, and the consequences of this trend for retailers, banks and consumers.

Read more: Credit Card Holders Are Using ‘Friendly Fraud’ to Get Back at Retailers

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Amanda Mull; Edited by Naomi Shavin.

Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Sean Carter.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

American consumers disputed nearly 30% more credit card transactions in 2025 than they did just four years earlier. Some of those &ldquo;chargebacks&rdquo; are legitimate issues or outright scams. But increasingly, many are what Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Amanda Mull says is friendly fraud &mdash; transaction disputes that aren&rsquo;t completely honest or the retailer&rsquo;s fault.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Mull joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the sharp rise in chargebacks, and the consequences of this trend for retailers, banks and consumers.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-13/credit-card-holders-are-using-friendly-fraud-to-get-back-at-retailers?srnd=homepage-americas">Credit Card Holders Are Using &lsquo;Friendly Fraud&rsquo; to Get Back at Retailers</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Amanda Mull; Edited by Naomi Shavin.
Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Sean Carter.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

One Weird Trick to Get Your Credit Card Charge Reversed? Fraud.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/501ec796-7e02-4eb3-9bce-b49101130e7f/transcript