For a U.S. consumer who paid directly with a credit card, the deadline to protect first is short: your written billing-error notice must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the charge was sent to you. That can apply when goods or services weren't delivered as agreed.

Contact the seller, but don't let a long email exchange carry you past the deadline. A chargeback isn't an automatic refund. The issuer and payment network review the facts, and the merchant may answer with shipping records, delivery confirmations, receipts, or messages with you.

Start with the payment method

The 60-day period is a federal credit-card billing-error deadline. It isn't a universal chargeback deadline for every card, payment app, or bank transfer.

If you don't recognize the charge at all, report it as a potentially unauthorized transaction. Don't describe an unauthorized payment as a delivery dispute.

The FTC's guidance on billing items you never received explains the federal credit-card process.

The credit-card rule

People often call this a chargeback. For a qualifying consumer credit-card purchase, the legal protection is a billing-error dispute. A charge for merchandise or services that weren't delivered as agreed can fall within that process.

To preserve the federal protections:

1. Write to the issuer at the billing-inquiries address on your statement or in its dispute instructions. Don't send the letter only to the address used for payments.
2. Make sure the issuer receives the notice within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent to you.
3. Identify the transaction and explain what was promised, what was missing, and what you want the issuer to investigate.
4. Attach copies of the relevant records and keep the letter, attachments, and proof of delivery.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days, unless it has already resolved the matter. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, but no later than 90 days after receiving your letter.

During the investigation, the FTC says you don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges. You do still have to pay the rest of the bill on time. Keep a record of the amount you disputed so you don't accidentally withhold the entire balance.

Some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. Ask about that possibility as soon as you see a problem, but don't treat an extension as granted unless the issuer confirms it. The FTC's credit-card dispute instructions include a sample letter and additional mailing guidance.

The 60-day clock is tied to the statement containing the error, not simply to the order date or the date you first complained to the seller. If the deadline is close, send the written notice even if the seller hasn't finished investigating.

Describe the problem precisely

Use the category that matches the facts. These disputes are easier to review when the complaint doesn't mix several different issues.

• Non-delivery: The order never arrived by the promised or agreed delivery date.
• Late delivery: The item arrived, but after the date the seller promised.
• Wrong or defective item: The package arrived, but its contents or condition didn't match the agreement.
• Unauthorized transaction: You didn't make or authorize the payment.
• Refund not received: The seller agreed to refund you, but the credit hasn't appeared.

A shipment that is merely late isn't the same as one that never arrived. State the promised date and the actual delivery date, if there was one. If the item arrives after you file, notify the issuer or payment provider. If you receive a full refund, update or close the dispute. Don't seek two recoveries for the same charge.

A carrier's "delivered" scan is evidence the merchant may submit, but it doesn't always establish that the parcel went to the address on your order. Check the destination, name, shipment number, and delivery date. Explain an address mismatch, a name mismatch, or a tracking record for a different package.

A parcel stolen after a confirmed delivery can be evaluated differently from a package that was never delivered. Check the seller's, carrier's, and marketplace's procedures before choosing the dispute description.

Build the evidence around a timeline

A short timeline usually tells the story better than a large folder of unexplained screenshots. Include:

• The order and payment dates
• The order number, merchant, and amount
• The promised delivery date or fulfillment terms
• The delivery address shown on the order
• Shipment and tracking updates, including the carrier, destination, scan history, and delivery date
• Any delivery photo, signature record, or proof-of-delivery information
• The date you first contacted the seller
• Your request for a refund, replacement, delivery trace, or other resolution
• The seller's response, refusal, or failure to respond
• A marketplace case number and decision, if applicable
• For digital goods, records showing that the promised download, activation, or account access was never provided

Put the documents in the same order as the timeline. Point out the fact the reviewer needs to see. For example:

The seller's tracking page shows delivery to a ZIP code different from the order address.

The seller promised delivery by May 8, but no shipment or account access was provided.

Redact information that isn't relevant. Leave enough of the statement and order record for the issuer to match the transaction, but don't send passwords, full account credentials, or unrelated financial records.

The Visa explanation of chargebacks says a merchant may challenge a dispute with shipping confirmations, receipts, and customer communications. Address the strongest evidence against your claim rather than submitting only records that support it.

File the dispute without losing time

1. Confirm where the charge was processed

Look at the statement and payment receipt. Was the card charged directly, or did PayPal, a marketplace, or another service process the payment? The answer affects both the deadline and the correct dispute channel.

A dispute sent to the wrong provider can waste the time you have left.

2. Contact the seller promptly

Ask the seller to investigate the missing order or issue a refund. Email or platform messaging gives you a dated record. Include the order number, promised delivery date, and the result you want.

Seller contact may resolve the problem faster, and some marketplace procedures require it. It isn't a reason to wait indefinitely. If the credit-card deadline is approaching, send the issuer your written notice even if the seller hasn't replied.

3. Prepare a one-page summary

List the order date, payment date, promised delivery date, tracking history, seller-contact dates, response, and amount still unpaid. Then attach the records that prove each point.

A reviewer shouldn't have to search through a long conversation to find the one message where the seller promised delivery or acknowledged the problem.

4. Send written notice to the credit-card issuer

You can use an issuer's online process to start quickly, but don't assume a phone call or online form alone provides the federal billing-error protections. Follow the issuer's instructions for written disputes and the billing-inquiries address.

You can adapt this wording:

[Date]

Billing Inquiries Department
[Issuer name and address from your statement]

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

I dispute a charge of $[amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. I ordered [item or service] under order number [number]. Delivery or access was promised by [date], but I did not receive it.

I contacted the seller on [dates] and requested [a refund, delivery investigation, or other resolution]. The result was [brief description].

Please investigate this billing error. I have enclosed copies of the order confirmation, statement entry, tracking information, and communications with the seller. I am disputing only this charge and related finance charges.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Address]
[Phone or email]

Don't send original documents. Keep the letter, attachments, mailing proof, and any online submission confirmation.

5. Track the issuer's response

Save the acknowledgment and answer requests for information by the stated deadline. A temporary credit can be reversed, so don't treat it as a final result while the investigation is open.

If the issuer denies the claim, ask for the written reason and the evidence it relied on. If the merchant produced proof of delivery, respond to the precise problem in that record. "The package is missing" may not be enough if the tracking shows delivery; explain why the scan doesn't match your order.

6. Pay the undisputed balance

A dispute over one charge doesn't let you stop paying the entire credit-card bill. Pay undisputed charges and required amounts on time, and retain records showing which amount was under dispute.

PayPal, Amazon, eBay, and other marketplaces

PayPal

PayPal has its own Purchase Protection process. Its U.S. terms state that an eligible dispute generally must be opened within 180 days of the payment. Other eligibility and timing conditions can apply, so check the current terms and the instructions in the Resolution Center.

PayPal's terms also say that, when available, you must choose between pursuing a PayPal claim and pursuing a claim with the card issuer. You can't pursue both at the same time or keep duplicate recoveries.

If PayPal was funded by a credit card and the card's 60-day period is close, don't let a PayPal conversation make the card deadline pass. Ask the providers which route applies, while preserving the written notice required for the card dispute if you need that protection.

Amazon

For an Amazon Marketplace order, begin from the order page and follow the current U.S. instructions for contacting the seller or requesting an A-to-z Guarantee review when the transaction qualifies.

Amazon's marketplace protection is separate from a credit-card billing dispute. Eligibility can depend on the estimated delivery date, seller contact, and the claim window shown for the transaction. Save the order page, seller messages, tracking history, and any case decision.

Don't copy a deadline from an Amazon help page for another country. Check the terms attached to your U.S. transaction. An Amazon request shouldn't be assumed to extend the credit-card billing-error deadline.

eBay and other marketplaces

Use the transaction's current buyer-protection or case process. Save the case number, messages, tracking information, and decision. These deadlines can differ from both PayPal's rules and the card issuer's rules.

If you later dispute the charge with the issuer, report the marketplace outcome accurately. Say whether the platform refunded the money, denied the case, or didn't respond. Avoid overlapping claims unless you understand the provider rules, and never claim the same loss twice.

Common reasons for a denial

A non-delivery dispute may be denied when:

• The written credit-card notice reached the issuer after the 60-day federal period.
• The claim was sent to the wrong payment provider or put in the wrong dispute category.
• The records don't show the promised delivery date, order address, or amount in question.
• Tracking shows delivery to the correct address and the response doesn't address that record.
• The seller already issued a full refund.
• The customer didn't answer the issuer's requests for information.
• The item arrived but the dispute was described as "never delivered" even though the real issue was a defect or mismatch.
• PayPal, a marketplace, and the card issuer were all asked to recover the same money.

Dated records are more useful than a general accusation that the seller was dishonest. Show what was promised, what the tracking says, what you asked the seller to do, and what happened next. No source can guarantee that an issuer will accept one side's account.

If the issuer denies the claim

Read the denial for the actual reason. It may concern timing, eligibility, delivery confirmation, missing evidence, or the description of the transaction.

Then:

1. Ask whether the issuer offers an appeal or reconsideration and what deadline applies.
2. Submit focused new information, such as an address mismatch, a carrier investigation result, or a seller message acknowledging non-delivery.
3. Answer contradictions in the merchant's evidence with dates and documents.
4. If the issuer missed the acknowledgment or resolution timetable, mention that in writing and keep a copy. A timing failure doesn't automatically decide the underlying facts.
5. Update every open case if the order arrives or the seller later issues a refund.

For a debit card, payment app, transfer, or other payment route, the issuer may still review the transaction under internal or card-network rules, but those protections can differ from the Fair Credit Billing Act. Ask which rule the provider is applying instead of assuming the 60-day process covers it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I win if the seller has proof of delivery?

Possibly, but proof of delivery is significant evidence. Check whether the tracking record matches the address, name, shipment, and delivery date on your order. A parcel stolen after correct delivery may be treated differently from one delivered to the wrong location.

Is the deadline 60 days or 120 days?

For the federal credit-card billing-error protection discussed here, use 60 days from the date the first statement containing the error was sent to you. Network or issuer procedures may use different windows, but there is no universal 120-day period to rely on. Ask the issuer immediately whether a delayed shipment qualifies for an extension.

Does this rule apply to debit cards?

Not automatically. The Fair Credit Billing Act process described above concerns qualifying credit-card billing errors. Debit, prepaid, bank-transfer, and payment-app disputes follow different rules and provider procedures. Contact the provider as soon as you discover the non-delivery.

Should I file with PayPal or the credit-card issuer?

Check both sets of terms and the payment route shown on your records. PayPal's U.S. terms warn against pursuing its claim and a card-issuer claim at the same time or receiving duplicate recovery. If the credit-card deadline is near, don't wait for one provider to decide before protecting a deadline that applies to another.

What if the order arrives after I file?

Tell the issuer, PayPal, or marketplace promptly. The dispute may no longer be appropriate once you receive the goods or a full refund. Keep the delivery and refund records in case the provider asks you to update the claim.

If a credit-card deadline is approaching, send the written billing-error notice to the issuer today, then continue the seller or marketplace investigation with the tracking and order records attached.