An unauthorized charge, wrong amount, duplicate charge, missing credit, or purchase not delivered as agreed may be a billing error on a U.S. credit-card statement. To use the federal written-dispute protections, send a billing-error notice to the card issuer's billing-inquiries address. It must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

If your card or account may be compromised, call the issuer immediately using the number on the card or statement. A phone call can help protect the account, but it isn't a substitute for written notice if you want to use the protections described by the Federal Trade Commission. This guidance covers U.S. credit-card billing disputes. Debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH payments, wires, and peer-to-peer payments follow different rules.

Chargeback versus a credit-card billing dispute

People often use "chargeback" and "credit-card dispute" to mean the same thing, but they aren't identical:

• A billing dispute is your notice to the card issuer that a statement contains an error.
• A chargeback is the issuer's or card network's process for reversing or investigating a transaction.
• Representment is the merchant's response to a chargeback.

You generally don't need to identify a card-network reason code or prepare a merchant-style representment package. Explain the problem clearly to the issuer, follow its instructions, and provide relevant evidence. Network procedures and the merchant's response can affect the outcome, but they don't replace the federal written-notice deadline for a covered billing error.

What may qualify as a billing error?

A strong dispute identifies a specific statement error rather than simply saying that a purchase was disappointing. Examples include:

The FTC also provides guidance for charges involving goods you never received or products you didn't order: What to Do if You're Billed for Things You Never Got.

A merchant's refusal to accept a return, a change of mind, or general dissatisfaction may not by itself establish a billing error. If the merchant failed to follow the agreement, identify the specific promise, cancellation term, delivery condition, or charge amount that was violated.

If the merchant name on the statement is unfamiliar, check your receipt, email, and the merchant's billing descriptor before reporting fraud. Some businesses bill under a parent company or payment processor.

The deadlines and payment rules

For a covered U.S. credit-card billing error:

1. Written notice: The dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent.
2. Acknowledgment: The issuer must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days, unless it corrected the problem before then.
3. Investigation: The issuer must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no more than 90 days after receiving the complaint.
4. Payments: Pay the part of the bill that isn't disputed. During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges under this process.

The federal rules appear in 15 U.S.C. Sections 1666-1666j. Keep paying undisputed amounts. Stopping payment on the entire statement can create a separate late-payment problem.

If a shipment is delayed, some issuers may extend the 60-day period in limited circumstances. Ask the issuer about that possibility, but don't wait for an extension before sending your dispute.

If you recently moved, the FTC says you must have sent the issuer your change of address in writing early enough for it to have been received at least 20 days before the billing period ended. If that may affect your case, explain the timing to the issuer and ask for its written position.

How to dispute a credit-card charge

1. Review the statement

Record the merchant name, transaction date, amount, statement date, and any reference or confirmation number. Note when the statement was sent if that information is available, because the 60-day period runs from that point. Compare the charge with your receipt and account history.

For an unauthorized transaction, contact the issuer immediately. Ask whether the card should be blocked or replaced and how to submit the written dispute.

2. Contact the merchant when practical

A merchant may be able to correct a duplicate charge, process a refund, or locate a delayed order faster than the issuer. Keep the conversation factual and request written confirmation of any promised correction.

Don't postpone the issuer notice while waiting for customer service. You can contact both parties before the 60-day deadline.

3. Prepare a short written notice

Include:

• Your name and address
• The account number or other account identifier requested by the issuer
• The charge date and amount
• The merchant's name
• A clear statement that you believe the statement contains a billing error
• The reason for the dispute
• The correction you want
• Copies of relevant supporting documents

Use the billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address listed on your statement or in the issuer's instructions. Keep a copy of the letter, every enclosure, and proof that the issuer received it.

4. Attach focused evidence

Send copies rather than irreplaceable originals. Helpful documents can include:

• The statement page with the charge marked
• A receipt, order confirmation, or contract
• Delivery tracking and communications about a missing order
• Cancellation, return, or refund confirmation
• Screenshots showing the price or terms at the time of purchase
• Emails, chat transcripts, and call dates
• A fraud report or account-security details for an unauthorized charge

Arrange the documents in the same order as your explanation. Redact unrelated account numbers and sensitive information unless the issuer specifically requests it through a secure channel.

5. Track the response

Record the date the issuer received the dispute, the acknowledgment date, requests for additional information, and the expected resolution date. Save every letter and secure-message record.

If the issuer asks for more information, answer through its approved channel and keep a copy. A concise timeline is usually more useful than a long narrative.

A short dispute-letter template

Adapt this template to your facts and use the issuer's designated billing-dispute address:

[Date]

To: Billing Inquiries or Billing Disputes
[Card issuer name and address]

Re: Billing error on account ending in [last four digits]

I am writing to dispute a charge on my credit-card account:

Merchant: [merchant name]
Transaction date: [date]
Amount: [$ amount]

I believe this charge is a billing error because [brief, specific explanation].

For example, [the charge was duplicated / the amount is incorrect / the goods were not delivered / the merchant confirmed a refund that has not appeared / I did not authorize the transaction].

I request that you investigate the charge and correct my account. Attached are copies of [list the evidence].

Please send written confirmation of this dispute and the results of your investigation.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone or email]

Don't describe a recognized purchase as unauthorized merely because the merchant refused a refund. Use the reason that accurately matches the facts.

What happens after you file?

The issuer may correct the problem, acknowledge the complaint, request more information, or investigate without issuing an immediate credit. It may also place a temporary credit on the account. Read each notice carefully and follow the issuer's instructions.

The merchant may provide records such as an order confirmation, delivery proof, cancellation terms, or evidence that a refund was issued. The issuer then evaluates the information and sends a decision or explanation.

A dispute isn't an automatic refund. The issuer may conclude that the charge was accurate, that the notice was late, or that the evidence doesn't establish an error. A merchant's return policy also doesn't disappear simply because you opened a dispute.

If the merchant gives you a refund after you file, tell the issuer and check a later statement to confirm the credit. Don't keep a duplicate credit without reporting it.

If the issuer denies the dispute

Read the written decision and identify the reason for denial. Then:

1. Compare the decision with your evidence and the original purchase terms.
2. Ask whether the issuer accepts a written reconsideration or additional documents.
3. Send proof of delivery for your original dispute if the issuer says it was late or never received.
4. Ask the merchant to correct the problem directly if the dispute concerns delivery, cancellation, or a missing refund.
5. Keep a file containing the statement, letter, delivery proof, responses, and final decision.
6. If you believe the issuer failed to follow its billing-error procedures, use its formal complaint or escalation process and identify the federal or state regulator that oversees the issuer.

An agency complaint can document a service or compliance concern, but it doesn't guarantee that the charge will be reversed. If the amount is substantial or the issue involves a contract or identity theft, consider qualified legal or consumer-protection assistance.

Mistakes that weaken a dispute

• Waiting for the merchant until the 60-day notice period expires
• Relying on a call alone when you want the written-dispute protections
• Sending the notice to the wrong address
• Disputing the entire statement instead of identifying the transaction
• Sending unrelated screenshots or an emotional explanation without dates
• Failing to pay the undisputed balance
• Ignoring requests for additional information
• Reporting a familiar merchant as fraud instead of describing a delivery, refund, or billing problem
• Assuming a debit-card or payment-app dispute follows the credit-card rules

Check the statement date, locate the issuer's billing-dispute address, and send a focused written notice with copies of your evidence before the deadline. Keep proof of delivery and continue paying the undisputed balance.

Official references

• FTC: Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
• FTC: What to Do if You're Billed for Things You Never Got
• 15 U.S.C. Chapter 41, Part D: Credit Billing
• Missouri Division of Finance: Fair Credit Billing