To dispute a U.S. credit-card charge, contact the card issuer promptly. For a covered billing error, send written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you. If you authorized the purchase but the goods or services were not delivered, were defective, or were charged incorrectly, contact the merchant as well. Do not wait for the merchant if you suspect fraud.

Your issuer, not Visa or Mastercard, is normally the first place to report the problem. The issuer reviews your claim and exchanges information with the merchant's bank through the applicable network process. It decides whether any temporary credit will remain. A chargeback is an investigation, not a guaranteed refund, and a merchant's refusal to refund you doesn't automatically end the dispute.

Scope: This guide focuses on U.S. credit-card disputes. Debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH transfers, wire transfers, payment apps, and buy-now-pay-later accounts can have different rules and deadlines. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

Chargeback vs. refund

A refund is a credit the merchant voluntarily sends back to your card. A chargeback is the issuer-led process for asking that a card transaction be investigated and, if appropriate, reversed.

For an authorized purchase that arrived damaged, was never delivered, or was charged incorrectly, contacting the merchant first can be quicker and creates a useful paper trail. It shouldn't delay reporting a transaction you genuinely didn't authorize.

When can a chargeback help?

An issuer may review a transaction when the facts involve:

• A transaction you didn't authorize
• Merchandise or services that were never provided
• An incorrect amount, duplicate charge, or charge for a canceled order
• A return or promised credit that never appeared
• A recurring charge after you canceled, when the facts support the claim
• Goods or services that materially differed from what was described

The reason matters because the issuer and merchant will look for different evidence. A dispute based only on changing your mind or disliking a purchase may not qualify as a billing error. The merchant's return policy, sales description, delivery records, and communications can all affect the result.

The 60-day federal procedure discussed below applies to covered U.S. credit-card billing errors, not automatically to every reason in this list. The FTC's guidance on billing errors gives examples including items that weren't delivered, overcharges, returned merchandise, and purchases you didn't make.

How to file a credit-card chargeback

1. Check the transaction details

Review the statement, receipt, and merchant descriptor before reporting the charge. A billing descriptor can differ from the store or website name, and a household member or subscription may explain an unfamiliar transaction.

Check whether the charge has posted or is still pending. Ask the issuer how it handles a pending authorization. A pending hold isn't always a completed charge that can be disputed.

2. Report suspected fraud immediately

If you don't recognize the transaction and believe it is unauthorized:

1. Call the number on the back of the card or use the issuer's fraud-reporting option.
2. Ask whether the card should be locked or replaced.
3. Review recent transactions for other unfamiliar charges.
4. Change passwords if the card or shopping account may have been compromised.
5. Follow up in writing if the issuer requires written notice for the dispute.

Don't wait for the merchant to respond before reporting suspected fraud. Describe only what you know, and don't label a purchase as fraud simply because the merchant refused a refund.

3. Contact the merchant when the purchase was authorized

For non-delivery, defective goods, cancellation, or an incorrect amount, send the merchant a clear request. Include the order number, the problem, and the resolution you want.

Ask for return instructions before sending merchandise back. If you return an item, use a trackable service and keep the receipt. Save the merchant's response, including an explanation that the request was denied or ignored.

Contacting the merchant can help, but it shouldn't cause you to miss the issuer's deadline.

4. Notify the card issuer in writing

Call the issuer to open the dispute and ask where to send supporting documents. For a covered credit-card billing error, written notice is the notice needed for the federal 60-day billing-error procedure. An online form may be accepted, but save the submission confirmation and copies of any uploaded files.

Include:

• Your name and the account number or last four digits
• The transaction date, merchant name, and exact amount
• A short explanation of why the charge is incorrect
• The date you contacted the merchant and the response, if any
• A list of the documents you are enclosing
• The correction or credit you are requesting

Use the issuer's billing-dispute address or online dispute channel, not an address intended only for payments, unless the issuer tells you otherwise. The FTC sample dispute letter shows the basic format.

5. Send organized evidence

Send copies and keep the originals. Label each file with the transaction date and a short description of what it proves. Avoid unrelated documents and don't send a full card number unless the issuer specifically requires it through a secure channel.

A one-page timeline is often more useful than a long narrative:

6. Pay the undisputed balance

For a covered credit-card billing error, the FTC says you don't need to pay the disputed amount or related finance or other charges while the issuer investigates after receiving your notice. Continue paying amounts that aren't part of the dispute and follow the issuer's instructions.

A temporary credit isn't necessarily final. The issuer may reverse it if the merchant provides evidence supporting the charge.

7. Watch for the decision

Read every letter, email, and statement from the issuer. A request for more information may have a short response period. If the issuer denies the dispute, identify the precise reason instead of sending the same explanation again.

Credit-card dispute deadlines

Online deadline charts often mix federal law, card-network rules, and individual bank procedures. Those timelines aren't interchangeable.

The 60-day period is generally measured from the date the statement containing the error was sent, not simply from the purchase date. Report the problem as soon as you discover it. The FTC also notes that some issuers may extend the period when a shipment is delayed, so ask your issuer rather than assuming an extension applies.

Some network or issuer procedures use different timing. Missing the federal written-notice period can affect your rights under the billing-error process. Don't rely on a generic "Visa deadline" or "Mastercard deadline" table when your issuer has given you a specific date. Network rules govern how banks and merchants exchange information; they don't replace the instructions on your dispute notice.

Dispute letter template

You can adapt this format for a written credit-card billing dispute:

[Date]

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Issuer's billing-dispute address]

Re: Dispute of a $[amount] charge from [merchant] posted on [date]

Account ending in: [last four digits]

I am writing to dispute the $[amount] charge from [merchant] that appears on my statement dated [statement date]. This charge is incorrect because [explain briefly: I did not authorize it, the goods were not delivered, the amount was wrong, I returned the goods, or another specific reason].

I contacted the merchant on [date]. The response was [summarize the response or state that there was no response].

Please investigate the charge and correct my account. I have enclosed copies of [list receipts, tracking records, emails, cancellation confirmation, photographs, or other evidence].

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Enclosures: [list documents]

Keep a copy of the letter, attachments, and proof that the issuer received them. The FTC recommends holding on to your originals.

Evidence that fits the dispute reason

No single item guarantees a favorable decision. Delivery tracking may address non-delivery, for example, but it may not answer a claim that the wrong product was sent. Match the evidence to the actual problem.

What happens on the merchant side?

The merchant normally receives the dispute through its acquiring bank or payment processor. The notice identifies the response deadline and the reason for the dispute. The merchant can submit a representment package, which is a response asking that the charge be upheld.

A useful response addresses the specific allegation with transaction-level records, such as:

• Order details and the product or service description
• Delivery confirmation and the delivery address
• Customer communications and support records
• The cancellation, return, and refund history
• Authorization, authentication, or checkout records when relevant

A merchant's general terms and conditions aren't a substitute for proof that this particular transaction was authorized and fulfilled. Likewise, an IP address or login record alone doesn't automatically disprove a fraud claim.

If you're the customer, submit a focused reply when the issuer gives you that opportunity. Point out exactly what the merchant's evidence does not establish, such as delivery to a different address, a cancellation made before billing, or a refund that was promised but never posted.

Reason codes: describe the facts, not just the label

Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express use different reason-code systems, and processors may display those codes differently. Online lists can become outdated or confuse a network code with a bank's internal category.

You usually don't need to choose a network code yourself. Tell the issuer what happened in plain terms:

• "I did not authorize this transaction."
• "The order was not delivered by the promised date."
• "The merchant charged me twice."
• "I canceled before the recurring charge."
• "I returned the goods, but the promised credit is missing."

The issuer maps the facts to the appropriate process. If you're responding as a merchant, use the exact reason code and deadline in the notice you received.

PayPal, Stripe, Square, and other payment routes

The name shown on a receipt or statement doesn't always identify the party that decides a dispute.

• A card payment made directly to a merchant: Contact the merchant for an ordinary refund and the card issuer for a billing dispute.
• A card-funded payment through PayPal or a marketplace: Check the platform's dispute process and contact the card issuer promptly if you intend to use the card's billing-dispute process. Platform deadlines can be different.
• A payment processed by Stripe or Square: These companies commonly provide payment infrastructure to the merchant. They generally aren't the consumer's card issuer, so contact the seller and the bank that issued your card.
• A debit, prepaid, ACH, wire, or peer-to-peer payment: Ask the bank or payment service for its specific error and fraud procedure. Don't assume the credit-card 60-day process applies.

Don't seek duplicate recovery without telling the relevant companies. If one channel has already issued a credit, disclose that when opening another review.

If the issuer denies the dispute

A denial isn't the end of the conversation, but the next step depends on the reason.

1. Read the denial notice and note the response or reconsideration deadline.
2. Ask the issuer what evidence it relied on and whether the decision is final.
3. Send a short, point-by-point response with new or clearer evidence.
4. Explain any mismatch between the merchant's evidence and your actual claim.
5. Keep paying undisputed amounts and monitor whether a temporary credit is reversed.
6. If the problem is the bank's handling of the dispute, use the issuer's formal complaint channel or consider filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about the financial company.

A regulator complaint concerns the financial company's conduct. It isn't a replacement for timely notice and doesn't automatically decide that the merchant owes you money.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to contact the merchant before filing?

For an authorized purchase problem, contacting the merchant is usually sensible and creates a paper trail. It isn't a reason to delay reporting a transaction you believe was unauthorized. Send the issuer's dispute notice within the applicable deadline even if the merchant hasn't replied.

Does every chargeback have a 60-day deadline?

No. The 60-day period described here applies to written disputes of covered U.S. credit-card billing errors under the federal process. Debit cards, payment apps, and network procedures can use different rules. Ask the issuer for the deadline that applies to your transaction.

How long does a credit-card dispute take?

For a covered billing error, the issuer generally must acknowledge a written dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, with a maximum of 90 days. A bank's internal review or a different payment method may follow another timeline.

Can I dispute a charge after 60 days?

Contact the issuer immediately anyway. The issuer may have another process or a different deadline for the transaction, but you shouldn't assume that the federal billing-error protections remain available after the 60-day notice period.

Can I contact Visa or Mastercard directly?

Consumers normally start with the bank or credit union that issued the card. The issuer communicates with the merchant's bank through the applicable card-network process.

Is a temporary credit a final refund?

No. A temporary credit can be reversed after the merchant responds or the issuer completes its review. Keep the dispute records until the issuer confirms the final result.

Are there reliable chargeback win-rate percentages?

There is no universal customer or merchant win rate that predicts an individual case. The outcome depends on the dispute reason, deadline, payment method, transaction records, and evidence submitted. Ignore promises of a guaranteed result and focus on a clear timeline and relevant documents.

Before sending anything, record the statement date, charge amount, and issuer's deadline. Then submit the written notice with copies of the relevant evidence, keep proof of delivery, and continue paying the undisputed balance while you wait.