Getting a MED email is stressful — it carries that "this is serious" vibe. And it is. But it's manageable, as long as you know what to do and follow the right deadlines. This guide explains everything: what it is, why it happened, how to defend within 5 business days, and what happens next.

TL;DR
  • MED = Special Refund Mechanism created by the Central Bank of Brazil — not a PixGo thing
  • Customer disputes at THEIR bank within up to 80 days after payment
  • You have 5 business days to respond with evidence, counting from the email (the exact date is written in it)
  • The payer's bank decides, not PixGo. Analysis takes 5 to 15 business days
  • DO NOT ignore — multiple unanswered MEDs can suspend your account

What MED is, in plain language

MED is a payer right instituted by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB). When someone makes a PIX and later believes they were victim of fraud, error or undelivered product, they can open a dispute in their bank app within 80 calendar days. That process is MED.

The customer does NOT need your consent, does NOT need to warn you — they open it directly with their bank. The payer's bank analyzes, requests your version (via PixGo's PSP), receives your evidence, and decides.

MED process timeline: payment, dispute opened, email to you, defense in 5 days, bank review, verdict
The MED path from start to finish: from payment to the payer bank's verdict.

MED ≠ voluntary refund (important distinction)

There are 3 paths that end with DEPIX going back to the customer, and MED is just one:

Path Who starts Who decides Defense deadline
MED (dispute)Payer (customer)Payer's bank (via BCB)5 business days to respond
Voluntary refundSeller (you)PixGoYou choose when
Automatic reversalSystemAutomatic (bank)No defense

This article is about the first — MED. The other 2 paths are explained in PIX paid but DEPIX didn't arrive.

Why do customers open MED?

Most common real-world reasons:

  • Buyer's remorse: paid, slept, woke up next day regretting and disputes as if it were fraud. Very common.
  • Customer forgot: paid a QR, doesn't remember what for, sees it in statement and disputes thinking it's fraud.
  • Chargeback fraud attempt: bought a low-cost digital product/service to test, then disputes saying didn't receive it. Mostly applies to infoproducts and online courses.
  • Real issue: product didn't arrive, wrong item, poor quality. Here MED is legitimate from the payer's perspective — but you can defend if you held your end.
  • Fraud on the customer's bank: someone used the payer's account unauthorized (cloned card, hacked account). In that case MED is legitimate and the customer's bank will win.
  • Customer paid the wrong person: PIX error. They dispute to reverse, and BCB makes this case easy.

How you find out you got a MED

You're notified through two channels:

  1. Automatic email: arrives at the email in your PixGo Profile. Subject contains "MED" or "dispute" + deposit ID + amount. Check SPAM and trash if you didn't see it — some providers filter.
  2. Status on the Dashboard: the disputed transaction moves to MED status (don't confuse with refunded — that one only appears if the final verdict is against you). See the change at pixgo.org/dashboard.
Important: from receiving the email, the 5 business days deadline begins (Monday to Friday). The deadline date is written in the email itself, under "Prazo para resposta". Don't wait until the last minute.

How to defend — step by step

Step 1: Gather evidence

The more proof of a legitimate sale, the better. Most valuable:

  • Invoice or receipt for the sale (even informal — online sales receipt counts)
  • Physical delivery proof: courier tracking screenshot showing "delivered", photo of product at destination, signed receipt if any
  • Digital delivery proof: screenshot of the email sending the product/service, platform access log, download record
  • Conversation with the customer: WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, email screenshots — any communication proving purchase agreement
  • Order/checkout screenshot: the My Store page showing item chosen, amount, customer info
  • Video of product being packed/shipped: increasingly accepted, especially for high-value physical product
  • IP/geolocation proof: if your system logs it, can help (shows the order came from the same device as the payer)

Step 2: REPLY TO THE MED EMAIL (do NOT use the ticket system)

Important: MED defense is done by replying directly to the email you received — do NOT open a ticket at /chamados for this. The ticket flow is for other matters (general support, technical issues). MED is a separate route: your reply goes straight to the disputes team.

How to do it:

  1. Open the MED email in your inbox (subject contains "MED" / "dispute" + deposit ID)
  2. Click Reply (not Forward, not copy/paste into a new email — actually Reply)
  3. In the reply body, write a direct and organized defense:
    • Deposit ID (already in the original email)
    • Disputed amount
    • Sale date
    • Short description of what was sold
    • Summary of the relationship with the customer (how they contacted you, what was agreed)
  4. Attach ALL evidence listed above. More is better — PDF, images, short video. If it gets too big, bundle into ZIP.
  5. Send the reply — done, your defense is registered
Pro tip: write the defense thinking the reader is someone at the customer's bank who doesn't know you or the product. Be objective: "Sold course X on Y date, customer received it by email Z, screenshot of delivery attached." Doesn't need to be long — needs to be clear and with proof.

Step 3: Wait for review

After you reply to the email with your defense, it's forwarded by the PSP to the payer's bank. The review takes 5 to 15 business days on average. Can take longer in complex cases.

During the whole review period, the Dashboard status stays as MED (the transaction is "in dispute"). When the verdict comes:

  • Verdict in your favor: status returns to completed and DEPIX is credited normally to your Liquid wallet (in standard D+1 if it hadn't arrived yet, or immediately if it had).
  • Verdict against you: status changes from MED to refunded — now the refund is confirmed and the value goes back to the payer.

What happens if you ignore the email

If you don't respond within 5 business days, the defense is considered invalid by default. The system understands that you agree with the dispute and the refund is automatic.

Worse: multiple unanswered MEDs indicate a suspicious pattern (seller that doesn't defend = could be fraud or phantom product). Accumulating several MEDs without response can lead to PixGo account suspension. Defend even MEDs you think you'll lose — at least it shows you're paying attention.

I got a legitimate MED (I dropped the ball). What to do?

If you recognize the customer is right (product didn't arrive, you didn't deliver as agreed, etc.), best move:

  1. DO NOT dispute the defense — don't try to force a win you don't deserve.
  2. You can reply to the MED email saying "I acknowledge the refund request" — speeds the process.
  3. Contact the customer to resolve outside PIX — for physical product, ask them to return; for service, offer direct refund.

Important: accepting 1 legitimate MED doesn't mark you as fraud. The pattern matters — many MEDs without defense, all on the same kind of product.

How to avoid MEDs (best practices)

Can't eliminate 100%, but can reduce drastically:

  • Document every sale: always keep order screenshot, customer conversation, delivery proof. Even if you don't use it, keeps the habit.
  • Identify the charge at PIX time: when generating the QR, clearly describe the product. Customer sees this in their bank app.
  • Keep post-sale contact: send confirmation email, ask for review. Engaged customer disputes less.
  • For physical product: ALWAYS use trackable courier. Tracking + signature is gold-standard proof.
  • For digital product/course: log every access (login, downloads, videos watched). Platforms like Eduzz, Hotmart, Kiwify already do this — My Store users can complement with automated email.
  • Avoid selling to strangers at high amounts: for over R$500, at least have a quick chat first. Customer willing to talk is less likely to dispute.
  • Recognize red flags: customer who pressures hard on price, asks for immediate delivery without agreement, sends PIX before talking — could be chargeback fraud attempt.

FAQ

Can I recover the DEPIX after losing the MED?

No. The payer bank's verdict is final. In extreme cases of proven fraud (customer confesses, police involved), open a ticket with the police report — can be revisited, but it's a rare exception.

Is MED a PixGo thing? Can I complain with PixGo?

No. PixGo only processes PIX via regulated PSPs (parceiros de pagamento regulados). MED is a Central Bank rule, executed by the payer's bank. PixGo just receives the notification, alerts you, forwards your defense. The final decision is external.

How long does the customer have to open MED?

80 calendar days from the payment, per current BCB rule. So it's worth keeping receipts for at least 3 months.

Can I see the CPF of the customer who opened MED?

No. Per LGPD and BCB rules, payer data arrives masked. You see first name and partial CPF (last 4 digits), nothing more.

Does MED affect my tier progression?

Yes. When a sale goes to MED and then refunded (verdict against you), the value is deducted from the accumulated total for tier purposes. If you hit Bronze at R$300 and had R$100 refunded via MED, you go back to the R$200 count (Beginner until you level up again). If the review goes in your favor (back to completed), the value keeps adding normally.

What if I never got the email but saw MED on the Dashboard?

Check SPAM, trash and other emails. If you really got nothing, only then open a ticket at pixgo.org/chamados requesting the MED info (this is the only case where it's worth using a ticket for MED — to recover the missing email). You still have defense rights while the 5-business-day deadline isn't over.

The customer opened MED by mistake and said they'll cancel. How?

The customer talks to THEIR bank to cancel the dispute. You can't cancel from your side — whoever opened, closes. Ask the customer to confirm in writing (screenshot, audio) in case you need to show support they gave up.

Can I block this customer from buying from me again?

Good news: PixGo already does this automatically. As soon as a CPF opens a MED, it's permanently flagged in the system and can never buy DEPIX again — neither from you nor from any other seller on the platform. Automatic protection for the entire PixGo ecosystem.

Meaning: a customer who opened MED once won't bother you again. If they try to pay any PixGo QR in the future with the same CPF, the PIX is rejected by the PSP before processing.

You don't see a "blocked CPFs list" on the Dashboard (per LGPD, this data is protected), but the filter happens silently. For extra protection on your side, you can implement your own anti-fraud (mandatory checkout registration, IP/device fingerprint capture, "first purchase only up to R$X" rule).

Can I sue the customer for chargeback fraud?

Yes — chargeback fraud is a typified crime (estelionato, art. 171 of Brazilian Criminal Code). If you have clear evidence of fraud (customer confessed, conversation admitting receipt, etc.), you can file a police report and pursue civil action. Case by case. PixGo doesn't file lawsuit for you, but can provide basic documentation if requested by justice.

Practical summary

  • MED is a payer right (BCB rule), not PixGo's choice
  • You're notified by email + MED status on the Dashboard (becomes refunded only if verdict is against you)
  • 5 business days to defend from the email (the deadline date is in the email)
  • Defense: reply to the MED email with ID + description + ALL evidence (NOT through tickets)
  • Review: 5-15 business days by the payer's bank
  • NEVER ignore — multiple unanswered MEDs = account suspension risk
  • Document every sale as prevention

Related reading: PIX paid but DEPIX didn't arrive · Customer's bank flagged the PIX · Reporting DEPIX on tax