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For a U.S. consumer, send a credit-card billing-error dispute to the card issuer named on your statement. Use the billing-disputes address shown there or the issuer's verified secure dispute tool. Don't send your first notice to the merchant's payment processor. A processor such as Stripe usually serves the merchant and isn't your card issuer.

For an eligible credit-card billing error, the issuer should receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Contacting the seller may produce a faster refund, but it doesn't replace a time-sensitive notice to the issuer.

The templates below are for consumers. You can adapt them for a mailed letter, secure message, or platform case form. No template guarantees a reversal; the payment method, evidence, and applicable dispute process control the result.

This is general information for U.S. consumers, not legal advice.

Start with the payment method

Payment method Start with Main caution
Credit card The card issuer's billing-dispute department or secure dispute tool The federal billing-error notice period is measured from the statement date, not simply the purchase date
Debit card or bank transfer Your bank or credit union's fraud and dispute department Debit and electronic-fund-transfer rules differ from credit-card billing-error rules
PayPal or another payment platform The platform's official Resolution Center or case page Follow the deadline and evidence requirements shown in your account
Merchant refund problem The merchant, while protecting any issuer deadline A promise of a refund isn't the same as a refund that has posted

A Visa or Mastercard logo doesn't tell you where to send the first message. For a card purchase, the issuer named on your statement is usually the practical starting point. If you paid through a processor, the processor may not be able to open or decide your consumer dispute.

Refunds, chargebacks, and merchant rebuttals

A refund is money the merchant voluntarily sends back.

A chargeback is a dispute started through a card issuer or another payment provider after a consumer reports a problem. The provider may investigate and ask the merchant for evidence.

A merchant rebuttal, also called representment, is the merchant's response arguing that the charge should stand. It may include an order record, delivery information, account activity, or authentication data.

These terms describe different steps, not interchangeable outcomes. If your issuer gives you temporary credit, treat it as provisional. The issuer may remove it after reviewing the merchant's response.

Template 1: Credit-card billing-error dispute

Use this for an accurate claim such as an unauthorized charge, an incorrect amount, a returned purchase that was still charged, or goods that weren't delivered as agreed. Use only the reason that fits your situation.

The FTC recommends sending a written dispute to the issuer. Use the billing-inquiries address on your statement if it differs from the payment address. If you use a secure online form, save the confirmation number. Don't assume an ordinary customer-service email preserves the same rights as the issuer's designated written-dispute process.

Date: [Month Day, Year]

To: [Card issuer billing-dispute department]
Re: Billing error dispute for account ending in [last four digits]

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

Merchant: [Merchant name]
Transaction date: [Date]
Statement date: [Date]
Amount: [$XX.XX]
Account: Ending in [last four digits]

I dispute this charge because [choose and explain the accurate reason]:

- I did not authorize the transaction.
- The amount charged was incorrect. The correct amount was [$XX.XX].
- I returned the merchandise on [date], but the charge remains.
- The goods or services were not delivered as agreed.
- [Briefly describe another specific billing error.]

Please investigate this billing error and correct my account. I have enclosed copies of relevant documents, including [list receipts, cancellation records, return tracking, correspondence, or other evidence]. I am keeping the originals.

Please send me written confirmation of the investigation and its result. I will continue paying the undisputed portion of my account.

Sincerely,

[Full name]
[Mailing address]
[Phone or email]
[Signature, if mailed]

Enclosures:
- [Document 1]
- [Document 2]
- [Document 3]

Keep the explanation factual. “The merchant is dishonest” is less useful than “I canceled the subscription on May 4, received confirmation, and was charged again on May 18.”

The FTC's guidance on disputing credit-card charges and its sample dispute letter list the basic information to include.

Template 2: Message to the merchant

Contacting the seller may resolve the problem faster. Keep a copy of your message, attachments, and any reply.

Subject: Request to correct charge for order [Order ID]

Hello [Merchant or support team],

I am contacting you about this transaction:

Order number: [Order ID]
Purchase date: [Date]
Amount: [$XX.XX]
Payment method: [Credit card ending in XXXX]

The problem is: [state exactly what happened, such as the item was not delivered, the amount was wrong, the order was canceled, or the returned item was still charged].

I am asking you to [issue a refund of $XX.XX, correct the amount, cancel the recurring charge, or provide the missing item]. Supporting documents are attached.

Please confirm in writing what action you will take and when the correction or refund will be submitted.

Thank you,

[Name]
[Contact information]

If you've already opened an issuer dispute, you can still contact the merchant. Don't withdraw the issuer case just because the merchant promises to refund you. Wait for the credit to appear, then tell the issuer the matter was resolved. A refund and a chargeback for the same amount can create a separate account problem.

Template 3: Response to a merchant rebuttal

Send this through the card issuer's secure case page when the issuer asks for a response. Don't send sensitive information to an unfamiliar address supplied in a merchant email.

Subject: Additional information for dispute [Case ID]

Hello [Issuer dispute team],

I am responding to the merchant's information regarding dispute [Case ID] for the charge of [$XX.XX] on [date].

The merchant states: "[Briefly summarize the merchant's position]."

That response does not resolve the issue because [explain the specific contradiction or missing fact]. The relevant timeline is:

- [Date]: [What happened]
- [Date]: [What you told the merchant or issuer]
- [Date]: [Refund, return, delivery, cancellation, or other event]
- [Date]: [The charge or follow-up charge appeared]

I have attached copies of [identify the evidence]. Please add this information to my dispute file and review the charge based on the complete record.

Please confirm whether you need anything else from me and provide any response deadline or next decision date.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Dispute case ID]
[Contact information]

Address the merchant's actual evidence. A delivery scan may address a claim that an item never arrived, but it may not answer a complaint about a returned item, duplicate charge, or materially different product.

Template 4: Unauthorized debit-card or electronic-transfer report

A debit-card transaction can involve an electronic fund transfer, so don't automatically use the credit-card 60-day letter. Contact your bank or credit union immediately through the number on the back of the card or its official website. Ask whether you must provide written confirmation after a phone report.

Use the following as a written follow-up only if your bank accepts email or secure messages for this purpose.

Subject: Unauthorized electronic transfer report - account ending [last four]

Hello [Bank or credit union dispute department],

I am reporting an electronic transfer that I did not authorize:

Account: Ending in [last four digits]
Date of transfer: [Date]
Amount: [$XX.XX]
Merchant or recipient: [Name]
Date I discovered the transaction: [Date]

I did not authorize this transfer, and [I still have the card or access device, or briefly explain what happened]. I first reported the matter by phone on [date and time], under confirmation number [number], if applicable.

Please investigate this transaction and tell me the required next steps, including whether you need a signed statement or additional documents. Please also explain any account-security measures you recommend.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone]

The FDIC's Electronic Fund Transfer Act guidance and the NCUA's Regulation E guide explain that electronic-fund-transfer protections can cover transactions such as point-of-sale and ACH transfers. The applicable rule depends on the transaction, account, and date you discovered the problem.

Template 5: PayPal or marketplace case message

A PayPal or marketplace dispute usually belongs in the platform's official case workflow, not an unsolicited email. Use the case number, upload documents through your account, and follow the deadline shown on the case page.

Subject: Evidence for case [Case ID] - payment [Transaction ID]

Hello [Platform dispute team],

I am submitting information for case [Case ID].

Transaction ID: [ID]
Date: [Date]
Amount: [$XX.XX]
Seller: [Name]
Issue: [not received, materially different from the listing, unauthorized payment, duplicate charge, or another accurate description]

Timeline:
- [Date]: [Order or payment made]
- [Date]: [Expected delivery, cancellation, return, or contact]
- [Date]: [Message or response from seller]
- [Date]: [Case opened]

I have attached [tracking, listing screenshots, return records, seller messages, or account alerts]. Please review the case under the platform's applicable dispute process and let me know if further information is required.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Case ID]

If PayPal was only the checkout method and your underlying funding source was a credit card, ask both PayPal and the card issuer which process applies. A platform deadline doesn't automatically replace the issuer's written-notice deadline.

Deadlines that matter

Credit-card billing errors

The FTC says the issuer should receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Identify the account, charge, amount, and reason for the dispute.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It generally must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days, according to the FTC guidance linked above.

Those timeframes apply to the federal credit-card billing-error process. They don't automatically describe every card-network, merchant, bank, or platform case.

Debit cards and electronic transfers

Report an unauthorized debit-card transaction or electronic transfer to your bank as soon as possible. Regulation E and the bank's procedures may impose different notice requirements depending on the type of transfer and when you discovered it. The credit-card template and its 60-day statement deadline are not universal debit-card rules.

PayPal and other platforms

Use the date displayed in the platform's dispute center. Eligibility, evidence rules, and response periods can vary by transaction, account, and country. A merchant's requested deadline isn't necessarily the same as the deadline imposed by your bank or card issuer.

Evidence checklist

Send clear copies, not originals. Redact information that isn't needed, and use the issuer's or platform's secure upload method when available.

Never include your full card number, security code, online-banking password, or a copy of an identity document in ordinary email. Provide an identity document only through a secure channel when the bank specifically requests it.

If a merchant says the payment was authorized

A merchant may submit evidence such as a delivery scan, billing-address match, device information, or 3-D Secure authentication. That evidence may be relevant, but it doesn't automatically resolve every type of complaint.

Respond to the exact issue:

Avoid exaggeration. A precise timeline is easier for an issuer to evaluate than a long account of the dispute.

If your dispute is denied

Read the issuer's decision carefully. It should say whether the charge was upheld, whether temporary credit was removed, and whether more information is requested.

Then:

  1. Save the decision, case number, and date.
  2. Ask the issuer what reconsideration or complaint process is available.
  3. Submit new or clarifying evidence organized around the reason for denial.
  4. Ask for the next deadline in writing.
  5. If the merchant later refunds you, notify the issuer promptly.
  6. If a platform handled the payment, check that platform case separately rather than assuming the issuer's decision changed it.

Keep one timeline with every call, message, document, and promised action. It will make a second review easier if you need to explain what happened.

Common mistakes to avoid

Frequently asked questions

Can I send a chargeback dispute by email?

Only use ordinary email if your issuer or bank expressly accepts it for disputes. The FTC describes a written notice for credit-card billing errors, so use the billing-dispute address on your statement or the issuer's secure dispute channel. Keep a copy and proof of submission.

Should I contact the merchant before my card issuer?

You can contact the merchant because it may resolve the problem faster, but don't delay a time-sensitive issuer notice. Include the merchant's response in your evidence if the problem remains unresolved.

Does a merchant's chargeback email mean I lost?

No. It may be a merchant response or request for information, not the issuer's final decision. Read the official notice from your issuer and respond through its verified channel by the stated date.

What if I paid with a debit card?

Contact the bank or credit union immediately. Debit-card and other electronic-transfer protections can differ from credit-card billing-error procedures, so ask the bank which notice and documentation it requires.

What if the merchant already promised a refund?

Ask for the refund amount and expected posting date in writing. Monitor the account. If the credit doesn't appear or your issuer deadline is near, notify the issuer rather than relying on the promise alone.