For a U.S. order that you authorized but never received, ask the seller for a refund while preparing the dispute through the payment provider that handled the charge. If you paid directly with a credit card, send a written billing-error notice to the issuer's billing inquiries address. It must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you.

That 60-day period applies to the federal credit card billing-error process. It isn't a universal deadline for debit cards, prepaid cards, PayPal, or marketplace protection programs. File promptly, even if a seller or carrier investigation is still open.

Which dispute route applies?

Direct credit card purchase

The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on billing errors identifies merchandise that wasn't delivered as a credit card billing problem.

For a timely written dispute, include:

• Your name and account information, such as the last four digits of the account.
• The disputed amount and transaction date.
• The merchant and order number.
• A clear statement that you authorized the purchase but did not receive the goods or services.
• The promised or expected delivery date.
• A request that the issuer investigate and correct the billing error.
• Copies of relevant records, rather than originals.

The notice must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Send it to the billing inquiries address shown on the statement. That address may be different from the address used for payments.

Call the number on the back of the card to report the problem, but follow up in writing. The FTC says the issuer generally must acknowledge a written dispute within 30 days unless it resolves the problem sooner. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving the letter.

During a properly submitted investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance or other charges. Continue paying the rest of the bill on time.

Debit or prepaid card

Don't assume that the federal credit card billing-error rule or its 60-day deadline applies to a debit or prepaid card non-delivery claim. The bank or card program may offer a merchandise-not-received dispute process, but its deadline, evidence requirements, and provisional-credit rules can differ.

Contact the bank or card program immediately and ask:

1. What dispute category applies to an order that was paid for but not received?
2. What is the filing deadline?
3. Is a phone report enough, or must you submit a written statement?
4. Where should you send supporting documents?

If you authorized the purchase but the goods never arrived, describe it as a non-delivery or merchandise-not-received problem. If you didn't authorize the charge, report it as fraud or an unauthorized transaction instead.

PayPal payment

PayPal has its own buyer-protection process. PayPal's U.S. Buyer Protection terms state that a dispute must be opened within the applicable period, including 30 days from delivery or fulfillment or 180 days from the payment date, whichever comes first. Eligibility can depend on the terms and the transaction details.

Open the dispute through PayPal's process, provide the order and delivery evidence, and follow the account instructions for escalating it if the seller doesn't resolve the matter. If PayPal was funded by a credit or debit card, tell the card issuer about the PayPal case and ask how an issuer dispute would interact with it. Don't seek or accept two refunds for the same loss.

Marketplace purchase

Amazon, Etsy, and other marketplaces may offer a separate buyer-protection or order-help process. Its filing window is separate from a card issuer's deadline. An open marketplace case doesn't automatically extend the federal 60-day period for a direct credit card dispute.

Save the marketplace case number, order-page messages, and the dates of each response. If the marketplace deadline or the card deadline is close, use the applicable dispute channel promptly rather than waiting for the other process to finish.

Contact the seller without losing the deadline

Contacting the seller can resolve the problem faster and creates useful evidence, but it generally isn't a prerequisite to a federal credit card billing-error dispute. Don't let a promised investigation or refund delay a timely notice to the card issuer.

Subject: Order [number] not received - refund request

I ordered [item] on [date], and the promised delivery date was [date]. I have not received it. The tracking number is [number], showing [status]. Please confirm the order's status and issue a refund of [$amount] to the original payment method. I contacted you on [previous contact dates] and have not received a resolution. Please reply with the next step and keep this message with the order record.

Save the sent message, the seller's reply, and any case number from the marketplace or payment platform. If the seller promises a refund, ask when it should post and check the original account for the credit.

Copy-and-paste credit card dispute letter

Use this template for a direct credit card purchase. Replace the bracketed text and attach copies, not originals. The FTC's sample dispute letter provides similar wording.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone number]
[Email address]
[Date]

Billing Inquiries Department
[Card issuer name]
[Address listed for billing disputes on your statement]

Re: Billing error for merchandise not received
Account ending in [last four digits]
Transaction date: [date]
Amount: [$amount]
Merchant: [merchant name]
Order number: [order number]

Dear Billing Inquiries Department:

I am writing to dispute a charge of [$amount] on my [credit card] account. I ordered [brief description of the goods or services] from [merchant] on [purchase date], but I have not received the order.

The merchant promised delivery by [promised delivery date]. The tracking number is [tracking number], and its current status is [status]. I contacted the merchant on [date or dates] by [email, phone, marketplace message, or other method] and requested a refund or delivery update. [Briefly state the response, or say that no response was received.]

Please investigate this billing error and correct my account. Please send me the written result of your investigation. I have enclosed copies of the transaction record, order confirmation, delivery information, and communications with the merchant.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Account ending in last four digits]

Enclosures:
- [Order confirmation or receipt]
- [Statement showing the charge]
- [Tracking history or carrier report]
- [Messages or emails with the merchant]
- [Other relevant evidence]

Send the letter using the billing-dispute address and submission method shown on your statement or provided by the issuer. Keep a copy and save the mailing, upload, or delivery confirmation.

Don't put a full card number in an ordinary email. If the issuer requests it, use the bank's secure form or the address and method shown on your statement.

Evidence that makes a non-delivery claim clearer

Build a dated record that connects the charge, the order, and the missing delivery. Include:

• The receipt, invoice, or order confirmation.
• The card or bank statement showing the charge.
• The merchant's advertised or promised delivery date.
• The complete tracking history, including delivery exceptions and the latest scan.
• Your refund or delivery requests and the seller's replies.
• A marketplace support case or resolution record, if applicable.
• A carrier investigation or trace number for a lost shipment.
• Delivery photos, signature records, or address details if tracking says "delivered."
• Access or activation records for digital goods.
• A short timeline listing the purchase, promised date, contacts, and current result.

Put the documents in a logical order and label each screenshot with its date. Redact unrelated account numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information.

Tracking that says "in transit" may show a delay without proving that the shipment is permanently lost. Tracking that says "delivered" creates a different evidence problem. State exactly what happened: no one at your address received the parcel, the delivery photo shows a different location, the carrier used the wrong address, or a carrier investigation is still open.

How to submit and follow up

1. Confirm how you paid

Look at the statement or PayPal transaction, not just the seller's checkout page. Identify whether the payment was:

• A direct credit card transaction.
• A debit or prepaid card transaction.
• A payment funded through PayPal.
• A payment through a marketplace or another wallet.

This determines the dispute channel and the deadline that matter.

2. Ask the seller for a refund

Use email, the seller's message system, or the marketplace's order-help process. Keep the request factual and save the response. A seller's promise doesn't automatically stop a credit card dispute deadline. If the 60-day period is approaching, submit the written dispute and explain that a refund is still pending.

3. Submit the dispute through the correct provider

• Direct credit card purchase: Send the written notice to the billing inquiries address. An online dispute or phone call may start the issuer's workflow, but use the written process when relying on the federal billing-error protections.
• Debit or prepaid card: Ask the bank or card program for its merchandise-not-received category, deadline, required form, and document-submission method.
• PayPal: Open the case through PayPal within the applicable Buyer Protection period and follow the instructions for escalating it if needed.
• Marketplace purchase: Use the order page or marketplace protection process and keep its case number.

Describe an authorized purchase that was not received as non-delivery. Don't choose a fraud or unauthorized-transaction category unless that is what happened.

4. Keep proof of submission

Save:

• A copy of the letter and attachments.
• The date you submitted the dispute.
• Mailing or upload confirmation.
• The dispute reference number.
• Every notice or secure message from the provider.

5. Monitor the investigation

Read each letter or secure message. The issuer or platform may ask for a clearer delivery timeline, proof that the charge matches the order, or a response to the merchant's evidence.

A temporary credit, if provided, isn't necessarily the final decision. Keep the money available until the provider confirms that the investigation is complete.

6. Respond to delivery evidence or a denial

If the merchant says the package was delivered, explain the specific discrepancy instead of repeating only that it didn't arrive. Attach evidence such as:

• A statement that no one in your household signed for it.
• A delivery photo that doesn't show your property.
• Proof that the carrier used the wrong address.
• A record showing that the package was returned to sender.
• A carrier trace or loss confirmation.
• Evidence that the merchant hasn't tied the delivery record to your order or address.

If the merchant says it issued a refund, provide the refund reference and check whether the credit actually posted. If it did post, tell the issuer or platform so the account isn't credited twice.

Read the denial reason before sending more documents. Address that reason directly:

• Late filing: Show when the statement was sent, or explain the shipment delay and ask whether an extension or other policy applies.
• Proof of delivery: Provide the carrier investigation, delivery-photo discrepancy, or statement from the household member who checked.
• Merchant says the order was fulfilled: Show the missing access link, failed activation, returned shipment, or other specific failure.
• No seller contact: Attach your messages and the seller's response, or explain that the seller couldn't be reached.
• Wrong dispute category: Ask the provider to review the facts under its merchandise-not-received or services-not-provided category.

If an issuer failed to acknowledge or resolve a timely written credit card dispute, ask for a written explanation and the issuer's billing-dispute or compliance review process. You can also consider a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or another applicable regulator.

Special cases

Lost USPS, FedEx, or other carrier shipment

Ask the carrier for a trace or investigation number and ask the seller to confirm whether it will reship or refund. Include the last scan, delivery exception, promised date, and carrier response in the dispute.

Don't claim that the package was never shipped if tracking shows that it was shipped. The relevant facts may be that it was lost, returned to sender, delivered to the wrong address, or never received despite a delivery scan.

Digital goods and services

For a course, software license, subscription, ticket, or download, replace package tracking with proof of non-fulfillment:

• The order confirmation and promised access date.
• The missing activation or download email.
• Screenshots showing that the account has no access.
• Login or support records.
• Messages in which the provider acknowledges the problem.
• Cancellation or refund requests.

A disagreement about quality isn't automatically a non-delivery claim. Describe whether access was never provided, only part of the service was provided, or the service was materially different.

A delayed order

The Georgia consumer guidance on undelivered merchandise summarizes that a merchant unable to ship within the promised time should notify the customer of a revised shipping date. Keep that notice and any choice the seller gives you.

Shipping protections and a card billing dispute are separate issues. A revised delivery date doesn't let you misstate what happened, and you shouldn't assume that contacting the seller or accepting a new date extends the issuer's deadline.

Deadlines at a glance

Some issuers may extend the credit card deadline when a shipment is delayed, but the FTC advises filing promptly. Treat the earliest possible deadline as the one that controls unless the issuer confirms another deadline in writing.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for the seller for weeks without checking the credit card deadline.
• Treating a debit card as if it had the same federal process as a credit card.
• Relying only on a phone complaint for a credit card billing-error dispute.
• Choosing "fraud" when you authorized the purchase but never received the goods.
• Calling a package "not shipped" when tracking shows it was lost or marked delivered.
• Sending only a tracking screenshot without the order number and charge.
• Uploading full card numbers or unnecessary personal information.
• Filing duplicate claims with PayPal and the card issuer without disclosing the other claim.
• Assuming a provisional credit is permanent.
• Exaggerating or omitting facts that could conflict with the tracking record.

Before sending the dispute, compare the statement date with the applicable deadline, address a credit card letter to the billing inquiries department, save proof of submission, and keep paying the undisputed balance while you monitor the response.