If a credit card statement shows an unauthorized purchase, duplicate charge, wrong amount, uncredited payment or refund, or goods or services that weren't delivered as agreed, write to the card issuer. The federal Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) process, implemented by Regulation Z, 12 CFR section 1026.13, starts with a written billing-error notice.

Your notice must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first periodic statement showing the error was sent to you. The clock starts with that statement, not necessarily the purchase date. A phone call or app dispute can help secure your account, but don't rely on either as a substitute for written notice.

Quick answer: how to dispute a credit card charge

  1. Find the first statement showing the error. Note its date, the transaction date, merchant name, amount, and the deadline 60 days later.
  2. Call the issuer promptly if fraud is possible. Ask whether the card should be blocked or replaced and whether other transactions need review.
  3. Save your records. Keep receipts, order confirmations, delivery details, cancellation notices, refund records, and messages with the merchant.
  4. Contact the merchant when it may solve the problem faster. Ask for a refund or correction in writing, but don't wait if the FCBA deadline is close.
  5. Send a written notice to the billing-inquiries address. That address may be different from the payment address on the statement.
  6. Pay the part of the balance you aren't disputing. A qualifying dispute generally lets you withhold the disputed amount and related finance or other charges during the investigation.
  7. Watch for the issuer's response. It generally must acknowledge the notice within 30 days and resolve it within two complete billing cycles, but no later than 90 days after receiving it.

These rules apply to U.S. credit card billing errors. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and payment apps use different procedures.

Which charges can qualify as billing errors?

The FCBA covers specific types of errors, including:

An unfamiliar merchant name isn't automatically fraud. Check the receipt, email order history, digital-wallet records, and the merchant descriptor on the statement. If the transaction still isn't yours, say clearly in your notice that you didn't authorize it.

The FCBA isn't a general money-back guarantee for a disappointing purchase. A product that arrived but wasn't what you expected may require a merchant refund, a card-network process, or another remedy. A subscription charge posted after a documented cancellation may support a dispute, but the issuer will assess the facts and the applicable account or card-network rules.

A merchant's promise to issue a refund also isn't the same as a refund that has already been issued. Keep proof of the promise, but identify the actual refund date and reference number when the merchant provides them.

The 60-day deadline and the correct address

Count from the first periodic statement that showed the alleged error. The notice must reach the issuer no later than 60 days after that statement was sent to you. Because delivery time counts, don't wait until the last day.

Look on the statement for an address marked:

Use the disclosed billing-inquiries address, not automatically the address where you send payments. Mail the notice early enough for it to arrive within the deadline. A trackable delivery method can provide useful proof; keep the receipt, delivery confirmation, letter, and attachments.

An online or app dispute may be part of the issuer's process, and it can be useful for getting a case number quickly. Save screenshots and confirmation numbers. Unless the issuer clearly confirms that the online submission satisfies its billing-error notice instructions, send the written notice to the disclosed address as well.

Some issuers may extend the dispute period when a shipment is delayed. That possibility isn't a reason to wait. Send the notice as soon as you know there is a problem.

Credit card billing-error letter template

Replace the bracketed information with your details. Send copies rather than original documents.

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

[Credit card issuer]
Billing Inquiries or Billing Disputes
[Address shown on your statement]

Re: Billing-error notice for account ending in [last four digits]
Statement date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Transaction date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Merchant: [Merchant name]
Disputed amount: [$0.00]

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to dispute a billing error under the Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z. A charge of [$0.00] from [merchant name] appeared on my statement dated [date].

The charge is an error because [briefly state the facts. For example: “I did not authorize this transaction,” “I was charged twice for one purchase,” “the amount on the statement is different from the agreed price,” or “the goods were not delivered as agreed.”].

Please investigate the charge, correct the account, and remove any related finance or other charges as required. If you determine that no billing error occurred, please send me a written explanation of your decision.

I have enclosed copies of:
- [Credit card statement with the charge marked]
- [Receipt, order confirmation, or agreed price]
- [Merchant correspondence]
- [Tracking, return, or cancellation records]

I will continue paying the portion of the balance that is not in dispute. Please send written confirmation of your investigation and result.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Account identifier requested by the issuer]

The notice should identify the particular transaction and explain what went wrong. A few factual sentences are more useful than a long accusation or a page of legal terminology.

Sample wording for common disputes

Unauthorized transaction

“I did not authorize or make the [$amount] transaction from [merchant name] shown on my statement dated [date]. I did not give anyone permission to use this account. Please investigate it as an unauthorized charge and correct my account.”

Call the issuer even if you still have the physical card. Ask about replacing it, securing related online accounts, and checking for other unauthorized activity. Federal law generally limits liability for unauthorized credit card use to $50, and many issuers have broader zero-liability policies. Those policies can have conditions, so report the charge quickly and follow the issuer's instructions.

If an authorized user made the purchase, it may not qualify as unauthorized use simply because you disagree with the purchase.

Duplicate charge or incorrect amount

“The statement lists two charges of [$amount] from [merchant] on [date], but I made only one purchase. I have enclosed the receipt and a copy of the statement showing both entries.”

For an overcharge, state the amount that was agreed and the difference between that amount and the amount posted. Include the receipt, invoice, order confirmation, or other record that shows the price.

Goods or services not delivered

“I paid [$amount] for [item or service], with delivery or performance promised by [date]. It has not arrived or been provided. I contacted the merchant on [dates], but I have not received the item or a refund.”

Attach the order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking information, and messages with the merchant. The FTC's guidance on undelivered goods and billing errors covers this type of dispute.

Recurring charge after cancellation

“I canceled [membership or subscription] through [cancellation method] on [date] and received a confirmation. A recurring charge of [$amount] then posted on [date].”

Include the cancellation confirmation, the relevant terms if they matter, and the statement showing the later charge. Ask the merchant to stop future recurring charges too. The date, method, and confirmation make the account easier to investigate.

Refund or payment missing from the statement

“The merchant issued a refund of [$amount] on [date], but the credit does not appear on my statement dated [date]. I have enclosed the merchant's refund confirmation and reference number.”

If the missing credit is a payment made to the card issuer rather than a merchant refund, attach the payment confirmation and state when and how the payment was made.

How to prepare and submit the notice

Check the transaction

Record the statement date, transaction date, merchant descriptor, amount, and the date you first noticed the problem. Also check whether the transaction is pending or posted. Issuers may handle pending transactions differently from posted charges, and a billing-error notice normally concerns an entry reflected on a periodic statement.

Secure the account when fraud is possible

Use the issuer's fraud number or secure app. Ask about a replacement card, account monitoring, and related transactions. If the charge may be connected to a compromised online account, change a reused password there as well.

Give the merchant a chance to fix an ordinary mistake

A merchant may correct a duplicate charge or process a refund faster than an issuer can investigate. Ask for the outcome in writing and keep the case number. Contacting the merchant first isn't required for every FCBA dispute, and it mustn't cause you to miss the 60-day deadline.

Assemble an evidence packet

Useful documents include:

Mark the relevant transaction and remove unrelated personal information where practical. Don't send original documents, your PIN, or a card security code.

Send and document the notice

Put the account identifier, disputed amount, transaction date, statement date, and reason for the dispute near the top. Keep the complete letter and every attachment. Save proof of delivery and any online confirmation separately.

Keep paying the undisputed balance

During a qualifying investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges. You still need to pay the undisputed part of the bill by its due date. Stopping payment on the entire balance can create a separate late-payment problem.

An issuer may provide a temporary credit and later reverse it. Check the issuer's written decision and the next statement to see what amount remains due.

What happens after the issuer receives the letter?

These are the general federal time limits for a qualifying written notice:

Event General timing Your next move
Billing-error notice reaches the issuer No later than 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent Keep delivery proof
Written acknowledgment Within 30 days of receipt, unless the problem was already resolved Save the acknowledgment and case number
Investigation and decision Within two complete billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receipt Continue paying undisputed amounts
Result The issuer corrects the account or sends a written explanation Check the next statement and compare it with the decision

The issuer must investigate and either correct the account or explain in writing why it found no billing error. The process doesn't guarantee a refund. The result depends on the transaction, the records, and whether the problem fits a covered category.

If the issuer says no billing error occurred and you still refuse to pay the disputed amount, you can send a written notice within 10 days after receiving that explanation stating that you still refuse to pay it. This is a narrow follow-up procedure. It isn't permission to stop paying the rest of the account.

If the issuer ignores the letter or rejects the dispute

First send a written follow-up that lists:

If the issuer still doesn't address the dispute, submit a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint portal. Attach the dispute letter, delivery confirmation, statements, issuer responses, and a short timeline.

A CFPB complaint is an escalation route. It doesn't replace the original 60-day notice and doesn't guarantee a particular result. For a merchant problem, continue preserving refund, delivery, return, and cancellation records. A large or complicated claim may justify advice from a qualified consumer-law professional in your state.

Credit card, debit card, and PayPal disputes are different

This process covers purchases billed to a U.S. credit card account. The rules can change when:

A wallet or payment app may have its own dispute process and deadline. When the transaction also appears on your credit card statement, review the card issuer's billing-error instructions too. Don't assume that a wallet submission replaces notice to the issuer, or accept duplicate reimbursement without telling both providers.

Common mistakes to avoid

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a credit card charge by phone?

Call immediately when fraud is suspected or when you need instructions. For the FCBA billing-error protections, send written notice that reaches the issuer within the 60-day period.

Can I dispute a charge after 60 days?

Contact the issuer and merchant immediately. Another issuer or card-network process may still be available, but the federal FCBA billing-error procedure may not apply after its deadline.

Will a dispute automatically produce a refund?

No. The issuer must follow the investigation process for a qualifying notice, but it may reject the dispute if the records show the charge was valid or the issue doesn't fit a covered billing-error category.

Does the FCBA apply to a debit card?

No. Debit-card transactions generally fall under different electronic-transfer rules. Tell the bank about an unauthorized debit as soon as possible and follow its instructions.

What should I do today?

Find the first statement showing the charge and calculate the 60-day deadline. Call the issuer if the account may be compromised, collect your records, and send the written notice to the billing-inquiries address on the statement. The FTC's guide to using credit cards and disputing charges and the official Regulation Z billing-error rule can help you check the federal process.