Confirm the parties and transaction record
Identify the funder or purchaser, merchant legal entity, operating names, guarantors, broker or servicer, relevant processors, amendments, and the client authority supporting disclosure and recovery activity. Confirm that names and dates align across the agreement, statements, bank or processor records, and prior correspondence.
Rebuild the payment chronology
Document the purchase price, purchased amount, remittance mechanism, reconciliation terms, debits or splits, returned items, credits, fees, modifications, settlements, and the calculation supporting the current claim. Isolate any amount that remains disputed or unsupported.
Check the merchant's operating status
Establish whether the merchant remains active, has changed names or locations, sold operations, changed processors or accounts, entered insolvency proceedings, or ceased business. Use only lawful and authorized information sources, and distinguish verified facts from unconfirmed leads.
Separate recovery facts from legal questions
The economic substance and legal characterization of a particular agreement can depend on its terms and governing law. Limitation or prescription periods, security, guarantees, court remedies, insolvency priorities, and enforcement steps require current jurisdiction-specific professional advice where applicable.
Choose the next documented decision
A responsible review ends with a defined decision: obtain missing records, correct the calculation, refresh information, begin authorized commercial contact, propose a structured resolution discussion, obtain legal advice, coordinate another regulated professional, pause, return, or close the file. No checklist can predict recovery or determine a remedy for a specific matter.