If a U.S. credit card charge is unauthorized or the statement contains a billing error, contact the card issuer promptly. Under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) process, the issuer generally must receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent to you. The payment due date usually isn't the FCBA deadline.

A phone call or online form may open an issuer's investigation, but don't rely on it alone if you want the clearest federal protections. Send a letter to the billing-inquiries address listed on your statement, keep a copy, and use a delivery method that creates a record.

What you can dispute

The FCBA generally covers billing errors on open-end credit accounts such as credit cards. Examples include:

A defective product or a claim that an item was not as described may require the card issuer's network dispute process, the merchant's terms, or another legal route. It isn't automatically a billing error covered by every FCBA rule. Ask the issuer how it classifies the claim and provide evidence of the agreement and the problem.

An unfamiliar merchant name isn't necessarily fraud. Check the statement descriptor, digital-wallet history, household authorized users, subscriptions, and receipts before calling a transaction unauthorized.

The important credit card dispute deadlines

For the federal billing-error procedure, the key deadline is usually not the payment due date. The issuer must receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

Event General FCBA rule
Written billing-error notice Must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent
Written acknowledgment Within 30 days after the issuer receives the notice, unless it has already corrected the error
Investigation and decision Within two complete billing cycles, but no more than 90 days after receiving the notice

Some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. Card-network procedures can also use different deadlines based on the dispute reason, delivery date, or service date. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover do not have one universal consumer deadline for every transaction. Those procedures don't replace the safest step: send the FCBA letter within 60 days.

Send the letter to the address designated for billing disputes or billing inquiries, not necessarily the address used for payments. If the issuer sent the statement to the wrong address, the protection can depend on whether you gave the issuer written notice of your new address at least 20 days before the billing period ended.

How to dispute a credit card charge

1. Identify the transaction and start a timeline

Save the statement showing the charge. Record:

This timeline helps you calculate the deadline and gives the issuer a clear account of what happened.

2. Act immediately if the charge may be fraud

Call the number on the back of the card or use the issuer's secure app. Ask whether the card should be blocked or replaced, and review recent transactions for other unauthorized activity.

Federal law generally limits liability for unauthorized credit card use to $50, subject to the law's conditions. Many issuers also offer zero-liability protection under their own policies. Prompt reporting is still the safest approach, especially if your card or account information may have been exposed.

Don't wait for a merchant response before reporting a charge you genuinely believe is unauthorized.

3. Contact the merchant when the problem is a purchase error

For non-delivery, a missing refund, a duplicate charge, or a cancellation problem, contact the merchant if it is safe and practical. Request a refund or correction in writing and give the merchant a reasonable response deadline.

Contacting the merchant first can help, but it shouldn't cause you to miss the issuer's 60-day deadline. A promise to issue a refund isn't the same as a refund posted to your card.

4. Notify the issuer

Call the issuer or use its online dispute tool to ask about the process. Explain the problem briefly and accurately. Ask for:

If you file online or by phone, consider sending a written notice as well. The Federal Trade Commission's billing-error guidance recommends writing to the issuer to use the law's protections.

5. Send a clear dispute letter

Include your name, address, account number or last four digits, the charge details, the reason for the dispute, and copies of relevant evidence. Don't send original documents or your full card number unless the issuer specifically requests it through a secure channel.

Use this practical template:

[Your name]
[Your address]
[City, State, ZIP]
[Date]

[Issuer name]
[Billing-inquiries address]

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

Dear Billing Disputes Department:

I dispute a charge of [$amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. The first
statement showing this charge was sent to me on [date].

The charge is a billing error because [brief, factual explanation: "the goods
were not delivered," "the amount is incorrect," "the charge was not
authorized," or "the merchant issued a credit that has not appeared"].

Please investigate this billing error and correct my account. I have enclosed
copies of [list your evidence]. Please send written confirmation of your
investigation and decision.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Phone number or email]

Send the letter early enough for it to arrive within the deadline. Keep the letter, attachments, delivery confirmation, and every response from the issuer.

6. Pay the part of the bill you don't dispute

For a properly submitted FCBA billing-error notice, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges while the issuer investigates. You still need to pay any undisputed balance and follow the issuer's payment instructions.

Don't skip the entire minimum payment just because one transaction is under review. A missed payment on an undisputed amount can lead to fees, interest, and credit-reporting problems.

7. Track the investigation

Save the case number and check your statements and online account. The issuer may provide provisional credit while it investigates. That credit isn't necessarily final and can be reversed if the issuer decides the charge was valid.

The issuer should acknowledge a written dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved the matter. It generally must complete the investigation within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days.

Evidence that makes a dispute easier to evaluate

Match the evidence to the reason for the dispute:

A one-page chronology often helps more than a large collection of unexplained screenshots. Label each attachment and refer to it in the letter.

What happens after you file

The issuer may ask the merchant or its payment processor for transaction records. Depending on the issue, those records might include delivery information, a signed receipt, cancellation terms, transaction data, or communications with the customer.

The issuer reviews that information and sends a decision. If it finds an error, it should correct the account and remove related charges as required. If it finds no error, it should explain the basis for the decision and tell you what amount is due.

A merchant's response is evidence, not automatically the final answer. If the merchant supplies proof that doesn't address your claim, point that out in writing. For example, proof that an order was shipped may not answer a dispute about a cancellation.

If your credit card dispute is denied

A denial may result from a late notice, incomplete evidence, the merchant's records, the issuer's view that you authorized the transaction, or a mismatch between your reason and the type of dispute filed.

Take these steps:

  1. Read the denial and identify the exact reason.
  2. Ask the issuer for the documents or explanation supporting its decision.
  3. Send a written reconsideration with new evidence and a dated timeline.
  4. Follow the response deadline in the denial letter. Some issuers request an appeal within 10 days, but that isn't one identical deadline for every card.
  5. Continue paying any undisputed balance while the matter is reviewed.
  6. Keep copies of every submission and response.

If the issuer failed to acknowledge a timely written dispute, missed the investigation deadline, tried to collect the disputed amount while the required process was pending, or otherwise mishandled the account, you can submit a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint portal. Explain what happened, attach the timeline, and identify the resolution you requested.

A complaint may help address the issuer's handling of the account, but it doesn't guarantee that the merchant or issuer will approve a refund. For a large claim or a possible violation of federal law, consider obtaining advice from a qualified consumer-law professional.

Special situations

Recurring charges and subscriptions

Cancel with the merchant according to the contract and save confirmation. If charges continue, dispute each affected transaction with the issuer and include the cancellation date and proof.

Replacing a card may not by itself cancel a subscription agreement. Ask the issuer how it handles future recurring charges, and contact the merchant separately about cancellation.

A refund that never appeared

Ask the merchant for written confirmation showing the refund amount and processing date. Then give that document to the issuer. A refund that was promised but never credited is different from a request to return an item that the merchant has not yet approved.

Goods that were never delivered

Start with the order confirmation and promised delivery date. Keep tracking records and messages showing that you tried to resolve the issue. The FTC's guidance on goods you never received describes the written billing-error process and its 60-day deadline.

If the expected delivery date is later than the statement date, contact the issuer promptly and ask whether its rules provide an extension for delayed delivery.

Airline, hotel, and travel charges

A credit card dispute isn't automatic travel insurance and doesn't cancel a contract's refund terms. Gather the booking terms, cancellation policy, cancellation confirmation, disruption notices, and any promise of a credit or refund.

If the merchant's policy allows no refund, the issuer may not treat a change of plans as a billing error. A separate card travel benefit or insurance policy may have different eligibility rules.

Cryptocurrency and other digital assets

An unauthorized card charge or a documented failure to provide a purchased service can be reported to the issuer. A price decline, investment loss, or authorized transaction you regret isn't automatically a billing error.

Keep the exchange's order records, identity-verification messages, wallet or account details, and all support correspondence. Recovery can be difficult if the transaction was authorized or the service's terms clearly describe the risk.

Foreign merchants and travel abroad

This article describes the U.S. FCBA process for U.S. credit card accounts. A foreign transaction may also involve card-network procedures, merchant terms, and local laws. Ask your issuer which rules apply rather than assuming that a generic 120-day network deadline controls the case.

Debit, prepaid, and payment-app transactions

Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and peer-to-peer payment apps generally follow different rules from credit card billing disputes. Don't assume the FCBA's 60-day process applies. Contact the provider immediately and follow the procedure for that payment method.

Credit card dispute FAQ

Can I dispute a charge after 60 days?

Report it anyway, especially if it may be fraud or involves delayed delivery. The issuer may have a separate network or company procedure, but the federal FCBA written-notice deadline may be difficult to use after 60 days. Explain the timing and ask for a written decision.

Do I have to contact the merchant first?

No. Contacting the merchant is sensible for delivery, refunds, and subscription problems, but it isn't a reason to delay reporting fraud or sending a timely letter to the issuer.

Will disputing a charge hurt my credit score?

A dispute itself isn't a missed payment. However, failing to pay an undisputed balance or required minimum can result in fees and credit consequences. Keep paying the portion that isn't under dispute.

How long does a credit card dispute take?

The FCBA generally requires written acknowledgment within 30 days and resolution within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days. Online cases may show status updates sooner, and network procedures can have separate stages.

Can I dispute a purchase just because I changed my mind?

Usually not. Start with the merchant's return or cancellation policy. A dispute is for an unauthorized transaction, billing error, non-delivery, missing credit, or another supported reason, not simply buyer's remorse.

Should I dispute through Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover?

Start with the card issuer, not the network. The issuer decides how to process the claim under applicable federal, network, and company rules. Ask for the issuer's exact evidence and deadline requirements.

What should I do after a final denial?

Request the reason and supporting records, then send a focused written appeal before the issuer's deadline. If the problem is the issuer's handling of a valid billing-error notice, document it and consider a CFPB complaint. If the dispute is mainly a contract disagreement with the merchant, other consumer remedies may be more appropriate.

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