If a U.S. credit card charge is unauthorized, incorrect, duplicated, or tied to goods or services you never received, contact the card issuer about a billing dispute. For the federal Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) process, the issuer generally must receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

That deadline is not the same as a generic “120-day chargeback” deadline. A separate card-network or issuer procedure may use a different window, depending on the payment, the reason for the claim, and the issuer's rules. This article covers U.S. credit card billing disputes and is general information, not legal advice.

What actually controls the dispute?

A merchant refund is a credit the seller agrees to issue. A billing dispute asks the card issuer to investigate a charge and decide whether the account should be corrected. The merchant can provide records, but the issuer makes the decision under its applicable procedures.

The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on using credit cards and disputing charges lists billing-error examples such as:

A disappointing purchase isn't automatically a billing error. If the seller delivered what you ordered and the problem is that you changed your mind, check the return, cancellation, or warranty policy first. Explain the specific problem accurately instead of calling every merchant disagreement fraud.

This process doesn't automatically apply to debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH transfers, wires, or payment apps. Those payment methods can have different error-resolution rules and deadlines. Identify the payment rail before relying on credit card guidance.

The credit card dispute deadline

The purchase date usually isn't the date that starts the federal billing-error clock. For a covered error, the issuer should receive your written dispute within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the error.

Part of the process General timing
Written dispute The issuer should receive it within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent
Written acknowledgment Within 30 days after the issuer receives the complaint, unless the problem has already been resolved
Investigation and decision Within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days after the issuer receives the complaint

Send the notice as soon as you spot the problem. A merchant's promise to “look into it” or issue a refund doesn't pause the issuer's deadline.

There are limited circumstances involving delayed shipments in which an issuer may extend the 60-day period. Don't assume that exception applies without asking the issuer. Address changes can also affect certain protections: the FTC says the issuer must have received your change of address in writing at least 20 days before the billing period ended. If a statement went to an old address, explain that promptly when you contact the issuer.

How to dispute a credit card charge

1. Identify the transaction

Start with the statement. Check the amount, posting date, and merchant name. The name shown may be a parent company, payment processor, or a different name used by the store.

Before reporting fraud, consider whether the transaction came from:

If the charge still isn't familiar, call the number on the back of the card. Ask the issuer to secure the account, investigate the transaction, and tell you whether it needs to replace the card or obtain a fraud affidavit. Don't send your full card number or security code through ordinary email.

2. Contact the merchant for an ordinary transaction problem

For a missing order, incorrect amount, or promised refund, contacting the merchant first can be the quickest route when it's safe and practical. Use email, a support ticket, or another channel that leaves a record. Include the order or transaction number, what went wrong, the correction you want, and a reasonable date for a response.

Keep the issuer's deadline in view. Merchant communications may solve the problem, but they don't automatically extend the 60-day period.

An unrecognized charge is different. Report possible fraud to the issuer promptly; you don't have to negotiate with a merchant you don't recognize before doing so.

3. Build a short record

The issuer doesn't need every screenshot in your possession. It needs enough relevant material to understand what was promised, what happened, and why the charge is still wrong.

Useful records include:

Keep the originals. Send copies, mark the disputed amount and date, and avoid attaching unrelated material.

A simple timeline can be more useful than a long narrative:

  1. When the transaction occurred
  2. What the merchant promised
  3. What actually happened
  4. When you contacted the merchant
  5. What the merchant said or failed to do
  6. Why the charge remains incorrect

4. Send the written dispute to the correct address

To use the FCBA billing-error protections, write to the issuer. Use the billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address on your statement or in the issuer's instructions. It may not be the same address used for payments.

Include:

A phone call or app submission may open the issuer's internal case, but don't assume it replaces the written notice described by the FTC. If you also submit the dispute online, save the confirmation page and case number. Keep the letter, attachments, mailing receipt, delivery confirmation, and every response from the issuer.

5. Pay the undisputed part of the bill

During the investigation, the FTC says you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges. You still need to pay amounts you don't dispute by the due date.

For example, if the statement is $900 and the disputed charge is $200, continue paying the remaining $700 and any other amount the issuer identifies as undisputed. The account may still display a balance while the case is open, so read the issuer's notices rather than assuming the entire bill is on hold.

Evidence for common dispute types

Problem Records that may help Point to explain
Unauthorized transaction Statement, fraud-report details, account-security records, and information about possible authorized users Why you didn't authorize the charge and when you noticed it
Order never received Order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking history, and messages to the seller What you bought and how the delivery failed
Wrong amount or duplicate Receipt, invoice, checkout total, and statement The correct amount and how the posted charge differs
Refund missing Return receipt, cancellation confirmation, written refund promise, and later statements When the refund was promised and that it hasn't appeared
Subscription charge Subscription terms, cancellation request, cancellation confirmation, and renewal notice When you canceled and why the later charge is disputed
Goods or services not delivered as agreed Contract, advertisement, appointment record, correspondence, and relevant photos What was promised, what occurred, and the correction you want

Send documents that relate to this transaction. A focused packet is easier to assess than a folder of unrelated screenshots.

A credit card dispute letter template

You can adapt the FTC's sample-letter approach to the facts of your case:

Subject: Billing error dispute for account ending in [last four digits]

I am writing to dispute a charge of [$ amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. The charge is a billing error because [brief, factual explanation].

I contacted [merchant] on [date] and [describe the response, refund promise, or lack of response]. I have enclosed copies of [list the key documents].

Please investigate this transaction and correct my account by removing the disputed amount and any related charges that should not apply. Please send written confirmation of your findings.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address]
[Date]

Don't send irreplaceable originals. Keep a complete copy of the submission and proof that the issuer received it.

Mistakes that can hurt a dispute

Waiting for the merchant. A merchant may promise to investigate or issue a refund. That promise doesn't protect you from missing the issuer's deadline. Mark the 60-day date when you first see the error.

Relying on a phone call alone. A call can be useful, especially for suspected fraud, but follow up in writing if you want to use the federal billing-error process. Save the case number from the call.

Using vague wording. “Bad service” doesn't identify the error. Say whether the order never arrived, the amount was duplicated, the refund wasn't credited, or the transaction wasn't authorized.

Mailing the dispute to the payment address. Check the statement for the billing-inquiries address before sending the letter.

Stopping payment on the whole balance. Pay the portion that isn't disputed and follow the issuer's written instructions. Withholding the full balance can create separate account problems.

Treating a refund promise as a posted credit. A promised refund, a pending credit, and a credit that appears on a statement are different events. Check a later statement and tell the issuer if the credit eventually posts.

Using the credit card process for another payment method. A credit card dispute letter isn't a universal remedy for a debit card, ACH transfer, wire, or payment-app transaction. Ask the bank or provider for the procedure that applies to that payment.

Overstating the facts. The issuer may compare your account with merchant records. State what you know, identify anything uncertain, and support the particular error you are claiming.

Should you ask for a refund or file a dispute?

The best first step depends on what happened:

Situation Practical first step
You don't recognize the charge Contact the issuer promptly and secure the account
The order is late or missing Contact the merchant, save delivery records, and track the dispute deadline
The merchant agrees to a refund Get the promise in writing and verify the credit on a later statement
The amount is wrong or duplicated Ask the merchant to correct it, then send a written dispute if it remains unresolved
You changed your mind about a properly delivered purchase Review the merchant's return policy rather than describing it as a billing error

A chargeback or billing dispute isn't a guaranteed refund, and it doesn't replace an ordinary return process. It is most appropriate when there is a genuine billing error and the records show what went wrong.

If the issuer denies the dispute

Read the denial notice closely. It may say that the evidence was incomplete, that the merchant supplied contrary records, or that the claim didn't fit the billing-error category.

Work from the reason given:

  1. Compare the denial with your original letter and attachments.
  2. Ask for a written explanation if the reason isn't clear.
  3. Check whether the issuer offers reconsideration or an internal appeal.
  4. Send a brief supplement addressing the specific reason for denial.
  5. Add any relevant delivery record, cancellation confirmation, refund record, or merchant communication.
  6. Observe the response deadline in the issuer's notice.
  7. Continue paying amounts the issuer says are due.

Keep the statement, dispute letter, proof of delivery, acknowledgment, and denial. Use the issuer's formal complaint channel first if you believe a timely written dispute wasn't handled correctly. For a substantial loss or a dispute affecting your credit, consider advice from a qualified consumer-protection professional.

Frequently asked questions

Is the deadline 60 days or 120 days?

For a covered U.S. credit card billing error, the FCBA written-dispute process uses a 60-day deadline measured from the first statement containing the error. A 120-day period may belong to a separate card-network or issuer procedure. It shouldn't replace the 60-day written notice.

Can I use these steps for a debit card charge?

Not necessarily. Debit, prepaid, ACH, wire, and payment-app transactions can follow different rules. Contact the bank or provider that handled the payment and ask for its error-resolution instructions.

Do I have to contact the merchant before the issuer?

For a delivery problem or ordinary merchant mistake, contacting the seller may resolve the issue faster. For an unauthorized charge, contact the issuer promptly. Either way, don't allow merchant discussions to carry you past the written-dispute deadline.

What happens while the issuer investigates?

The issuer should acknowledge a written complaint within 30 days unless it resolves the matter sooner. It should resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no more than 90 days after receiving the complaint. Pay undisputed amounts and respond to reasonable requests for information.

Where is the official sample letter?

The FTC's credit card dispute guidance explains the written-notice process and includes a sample letter. The FTC also provides guidance on charges for goods you never received or unordered products.

Check the first statement that showed the error, note the 60-day date, and send a focused written notice to the billing-inquiries address before that date.