Chargebacks are one of the most frustrating and increasingly common challenges in the tour and activity industry.
You’ve delivered an epic experience. Your guests left smiling. And then, days later, a notification from the bank: a charge has been disputed and reversed. Suddenly, you're not just out the money, you’re also stuck proving that the experience actually happened.
In an industry where up to 40% of chargebacks occur, this isn't a rare issue - it's a serious risk to your revenue.
So, how do you protect yourself?
It All Comes Down to Evidence
The more clearly you can show that a real person made a real booking and participated in your experience, the harder it is for a chargeback to stick.
Paper waivers still have a role to play. When filled out properly with details like email addresses, dates of birth, and signatures, they can help establish a link between a guest and their booking. But they’re vulnerable to messy handwriting, lost forms, and questionable legibility.
Digital waivers offer a big step up from paper. Some systems timestamp waivers and store them securely, making it easier to verify when and where they were signed. Many also include features like on-site photo capture, adding an extra layer of guest verification. Still, these tools can fall short—especially when waivers are signed remotely or when there's no photo ID collected to confirm the guest’s identity.
That’s where Wherewolf truly stands apart.
Why Wherewolf Makes the Difference
Wherewolf is designed to give tour operators an edge against chargeback fraud. With the majority of digital waivers signed in advance, on any device, each waiver includes:
- A selfie, and
- A photo of a valid government-issued ID
These are securely attached to the guest’s waiver profile, along with their booking information. So when a chargeback rolls in, you’ve got hard proof that the person who paid is the same person who took part in the experience.
This makes it virtually indisputable that the person who signed the waiver is the one who took part in the experience.
Pair that with seamless integration with most leading reservation systems, and you’ve got a powerful, professional line of defence against fraudulent disputes.
Chargebacks Happen — But You Can Be Read
You can’t always stop a dispute from happening, but you can be ready to win it. The right digital tools don’t just save hours of admin, they protect your revenue and reputation.
With Wherewolf, you get more than digital waivers. You get a defensible record that holds up when it matters most.
Talk to a product specialist and discover how to save time, safeguard your revenue, and upgrade your waiver experience.