If a charge on your U.S. credit card is wrong or unauthorized, start with the card issuer shown on your statement. To use the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) billing-error procedure, the issuer generally must receive your written notice within 60 days after it sent the first bill showing the error.
Send the notice to the issuer's billing-inquiries address, not the address used for payments. Keep a copy of the letter, its attachments, and proof that the issuer received it. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on disputing credit card charges includes a sample letter and explains the federal process.
These rules apply to U.S. credit cards. Debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH transfers, payment apps, and wire transfers have different procedures and deadlines.
What a credit card chargeback involves
People often use “chargeback” to describe the reversal or credit that can follow a card dispute. You don't normally file one directly with Visa or Mastercard. You tell the issuer, which reviews the complaint and decides whether to handle it under the FCBA, a card-network process, or another issuer procedure.
The FCBA may cover billing problems such as:
- An unauthorized charge, or a charge you still don't recognize after checking the merchant details and authorized users
- An incorrect amount or duplicate charge
- Goods or services that weren't delivered as agreed
- A payment or credit for a returned item that wasn't posted
- A refund the merchant confirmed that never appeared on the account
A change of mind, a missed return deadline, or general dissatisfaction doesn't automatically make a charge a billing error. The purchase agreement, the merchant's terms, and what actually happened will matter.
A merchant refund and an issuer dispute are separate things. Contacting the merchant may solve the problem faster, but don't wait for a response if the charge was unauthorized or the 60-day deadline is close.
The three FCBA deadlines
| Action | Federal time limit |
|---|---|
| Written billing-error notice | The issuer must receive it within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent |
| Written acknowledgment | The issuer must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days of receiving it, unless it resolves the problem sooner |
| Investigation and resolution | The issuer must resolve the dispute within two complete billing cycles, but no later than 90 days after receiving the complaint |
These deadlines apply to the FCBA written billing-error process. Fraud reporting, card benefits, and network disputes may have separate requirements. A deadline used by a card network or issuer shouldn't be treated as a replacement for the FCBA's 60-day notice deadline.
If you moved and didn't receive the bill
The FTC describes a specific exception for a billing error caused by a missed bill after a move. You must have sent the issuer your change of address in writing at least 20 days before the billing period ended. Keep evidence of when that notice was sent.
How to dispute the charge
1. Check the statement first
An unfamiliar billing name isn't always fraud. A merchant may use a different descriptor, or another authorized user may have made the purchase. Check the statement against receipts, order confirmations, subscriptions, and account activity.
Write down:
- Transaction date
- Amount
- Merchant name as it appears on the statement
- Last four digits of the card
- Why you believe the charge is wrong
If the charge appears fraudulent, contact the issuer right away. Ask whether the card should be blocked or replaced and whether other transactions need review.
2. Contact the merchant when that makes sense
For a delivery problem, missing refund, duplicate charge, or cancellation dispute, tell the merchant exactly what needs to be corrected. Ask for a case number and written confirmation of any promised refund.
Save emails, chat messages, return receipts, shipping records, and notes from phone calls. If the merchant says it issued a refund, check the account for the actual credit and tell the issuer about it. A promise to refund isn't the same as a posted credit.
You don't have to wait for the merchant when the charge is unauthorized or waiting could push you past the issuer's deadline.
3. Send a written notice to the issuer
Keep the letter factual and specific. Include:
- Your name and mailing address
- The account number or last four digits of the card
- Transaction date and amount
- Merchant name
- A clear explanation of the billing error
- The correction you want
- Copies of documents that support your explanation
Use the billing-inquiries address on the statement or in the issuer's billing-rights notice. The payment address may send your letter to the wrong department.
Because the issuer must receive the notice within the deadline, use a delivery method that gives you proof of receipt. Keep the letter, attachments, delivery record, and a copy of the statement. Send copies rather than original documents unless the issuer specifically asks for an original.
4. Make the evidence easy to follow
The strongest evidence answers four questions: what did you buy, what did the merchant promise, what went wrong, and when did you seek a correction?
| Problem | Useful evidence |
|---|---|
| Unauthorized or unrecognized charge | Statement, fraud-report confirmation, account notifications, and notes showing when you reported it |
| Incorrect or duplicate amount | Statement, receipt, order confirmation, and a calculation showing the difference |
| Item or service not received | Order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking information, delivery history, and messages with the merchant |
| Item or service not as agreed | Advertisement or order description, contract terms, photographs, inspection records, and efforts to resolve the issue |
| Missing refund or return credit | Return receipt, tracking, merchant refund confirmation, refund reference number, and the statement showing the credit is missing |
| Subscription charged after cancellation | Cancellation confirmation, cancellation date, signup terms, and later billing statements |
Number the attachments in the same order as the points in your letter. Highlight dates and amounts that matter. A short, organized set of records is usually more useful than an unrelated message history or hundreds of screenshots.
A simple dispute-letter template
Adapt the details to your transaction. The FTC's consumer guidance linked above also provides a sample letter.
[Date]
To: Billing Inquiries
[Card issuer name and address from your statement]
Re: Billing error on account ending in [last four digits]
I am writing to dispute a billing error on my credit card account.
Merchant: [Merchant name]
Transaction date: [Date]
Amount: $[Amount]
The problem is: [Briefly explain what is wrong. State whether the charge was unauthorized, duplicated, incorrect, not delivered as agreed, or not credited after a return or refund.]
I request that you investigate this transaction and correct the account by [state the correction you want]. Enclosed are copies of:
- [Statement or transaction record]
- [Receipt, order, or contract]
- [Merchant correspondence or delivery record]
- [Other relevant evidence]
Please acknowledge receipt of this billing-error notice in writing.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Mailing address]
[Phone or secure contact information]
Paying while the dispute is open
Keep paying amounts that aren't part of the dispute. Follow the issuer's instructions about the disputed amount and related charges; don't simply stop paying the entire statement. Skipping unrelated amounts can create a separate delinquency problem.
Check each statement for a temporary credit, a permanent correction, or a new notice from the issuer. A temporary credit isn't necessarily the final result.
What happens after the issuer receives the letter
Mark two dates from the issuer's receipt of your notice:
- The 30-day acknowledgment deadline
- The 90-day outside resolution deadline
The issuer may resolve the matter sooner. If it asks for more information, respond using the method and deadline in its notice. Save every letter, email, secure message, and call reference number so you can reconstruct what happened.
An acknowledgment only confirms that the issuer received the complaint. It isn't a decision on whether the charge was valid.
If the issuer rejects the dispute
Read the written decision and focus on the specific reason given. If the issuer offers reconsideration or an appeal, answer that reason with targeted evidence.
For example, if the issuer relies on proof of delivery, show evidence that the address was wrong, the package was returned, or the merchant agreed to refund you. If it says the charge was authorized, explain the relevant facts and provide records that challenge that conclusion.
If the issuer misses an acknowledgment or resolution deadline:
- Send a written follow-up stating when the original notice was received.
- Ask for the current status and a written explanation.
- Attach the original letter and proof of delivery.
- Request review by the issuer's complaints or executive customer-service department.
- Check which regulator supervises the issuer.
If the issuer is an FDIC-supervised bank, the FDIC consumer complaint process explains what to provide, including a written timeline, names, dates, transaction amounts, and contact details. Confirm that the FDIC is the appropriate regulator before filing. A regulatory complaint doesn't replace the original billing-error notice.
What if you missed the 60-day deadline?
Contact the issuer and the merchant anyway, particularly if the charge was unauthorized or a confirmed refund never posted. The issuer may offer a voluntary review or use a separate fraud procedure, but don't assume the FCBA protections will apply after the deadline.
Tell the issuer the statement date, transaction details, reason for the delay, and evidence you have. Ask which process and deadline applies, and keep the answer in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have 60 days from the purchase date?
Not for the FCBA billing-error procedure. The issuer must receive your notice within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent to you.
Is a phone call enough?
A phone call can alert the issuer quickly, especially when fraud is suspected, but don't rely on it alone for the written FCBA process. Send the notice to the billing-inquiries address and keep proof of delivery.
Should I contact the merchant or the issuer?
For a delivery, refund, or service problem, the merchant may be able to fix the issue quickly. Contact the issuer as well when the problem may be a billing error, and don't let a merchant conversation run out the 60-day clock. For an unauthorized charge, notify the issuer immediately.
What if the merchant says a refund was issued?
Keep the merchant's confirmation, tell the issuer, and check the next statement for the credit. If the credit hasn't posted and the FCBA deadline is approaching, send the written notice rather than waiting for the merchant.
Can I use these steps for a debit card?
No. Debit cards, prepaid cards, payment apps, ACH transfers, and wire transfers have different protections and procedures. Use the rules for the payment method that was actually charged.
If you're still within the 60-day period, download the statement, find the billing-inquiries address, and send the written notice now. Keep the receipt with the letter and supporting records.