If a credit card charge is unauthorized, duplicated, incorrect, or tied to goods or services that weren't delivered as agreed, report it promptly. For an ordinary purchase problem, ask the merchant to fix it and keep the response. For suspected fraud, skip the merchant and contact the card issuer immediately.

In the U.S., the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) gives consumers a formal process for disputing certain credit card billing errors. To preserve that process, the issuer must receive your written notice within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the error. A phone call or online claim may open an issuer dispute, but it may not satisfy the FCBA's written-notice requirement.

A dispute doesn't guarantee a refund. Nor is a chargeback the same thing as a refund issued voluntarily by the merchant.

What to do first

1. Check the transaction details. Compare the merchant descriptor, amount, date, and order records. Ask authorized users whether they recognize it.
2. Report unauthorized use immediately. Call the number on the back of the card or use the issuer's secure fraud channel. Ask whether the card needs to be locked or replaced.
3. Contact the merchant for purchase problems. If the issue concerns delivery, cancellation, quality, or the wrong amount, request a correction in writing when practical.
4. Open a dispute with the issuer. Choose the reason that matches the facts, such as duplicate charge, merchandise not received, or credit not processed.
5. Send an FCBA billing-error letter when applicable. It must reach the billing-inquiries address within the 60-day period.
6. Keep the rest of the account current. Continue paying the undisputed balance while the claim is reviewed.

The Federal Trade Commission's credit card dispute guidance covers the federal written-notice procedure.

Refund, issuer dispute, and chargeback: what's the difference?

These routes overlap, but they aren't interchangeable.

Start with the merchant when it made an ordinary mistake or may still complete a promised refund. If the seller refuses to correct a genuine problem, never delivered the purchase, or can't be reached, take the records to the issuer.

Don't treat a chargeback as a way around a disclosed return policy. Changing your mind usually isn't a billing error. A no-refund policy, however, doesn't validate an unauthorized charge, duplicate transaction, or purchase that never existed.

Problems that may support a dispute

The dispute reason matters. An issuer will compare your explanation with the merchant's records, so use the closest accurate category.

An unfamiliar name on the statement isn't proof of fraud. A store may bill under a parent company or payment processor, and an authorized user may have made the purchase. Check those possibilities before reporting the transaction as unauthorized.

Quality disputes require particular care. The FCBA's billing-error rules can cover goods or services that weren't delivered as agreed, but a complaint that something was merely disappointing may not qualify. Separate federal rights involving claims against the card issuer can also have conditions related to the purchase amount and location. Chase's credit card dispute explanation discusses those limits. Card-network procedures may still provide another review route, depending on the transaction and the issuer's rules.

How to dispute the charge

Check whether the charge has posted

Download the statement or take a secure screenshot of the account activity. Note the:

• Merchant name and billing descriptor
• Posted date and amount
• Order, booking, or transaction number
• Authorized users on the account
• Status as pending or posted

Many issuers won't open a standard purchase dispute until a charge posts. Pending authorizations sometimes disappear or settle for a different amount. Suspected fraud is different: report it right away rather than waiting for the pending transaction to change.

If the charge wasn't authorized, use the issuer's fraud department rather than a general merchant-dispute form. Ask whether the account should be locked, the card replaced, or related digital-wallet access removed. Preserve any login warnings or fraud alerts, and change passwords on affected shopping or payment accounts.

Ask the merchant to correct purchase problems

For non-delivery, cancellation, a missing credit, defective goods, or an incorrect amount, send a brief written request. Identify the transaction and say exactly what needs to be corrected.

Keep the merchant's reply along with:

• Emails, chats, and submitted contact forms
• Call dates and the names of representatives
• Return or cancellation instructions
• Shipping and return tracking
• The date by which a refund was promised

A written record is more useful than a vague statement that you "called several times." If the transaction is clearly unauthorized, don't risk further contact with the suspected fraudster. Report it to the issuer instead.

Open the issuer's dispute

Use the issuer's app, secure website, or the number printed on the card. Describe the actual problem rather than asking generally for a chargeback.

A short chronology usually works better than a long argument:

1. The transaction posted on a stated date and for a stated amount.
2. The merchant promised a particular product, service, delivery, cancellation, or refund.
3. The specific failure occurred.
4. You contacted the merchant on a particular date, if appropriate.
5. The merchant refused, failed to respond, or promised a correction that never appeared.
6. You want the charge removed or corrected.

Save the claim number and copies of everything uploaded. If the issuer asks for more information, answer through the requested secure channel before its deadline.

Send written notice for FCBA protection

An app claim or telephone call may be enough for the issuer's internal workflow. It shouldn't be assumed to replace the written notice required to invoke the FCBA billing-error process.

Your letter must reach the issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement containing the error. Use the billing-inquiries address printed on the statement; that may not be the address used for card payments.

Include:

• Your name and billing address
• The last four digits of the account number
• The charge amount, merchant, and posting date
• A clear explanation of the billing error
• Copies of the most relevant supporting records

Keep a copy of the complete packet and proof that it arrived. Don't put a full card number, security code, password, or unrelated personal information in the letter.

Match the evidence to the claim

A larger file isn't necessarily a stronger one. Submit records that answer the disputed point.

For example, a non-delivery claim should show the promised delivery date and tracking history. A cancellation dispute needs the applicable terms and a timestamped cancellation confirmation. If a refund is missing, include the merchant's approval and a statement showing that the credit still hasn't posted.

Depending on the dispute, the useful documents may include:

• The relevant statement page
• Receipt, invoice, or order confirmation
• Product description, contract, or booking terms
• Delivery or return tracking
• Photographs of damage or a material mismatch
• Cancellation confirmation
• Refund authorization
• A dated summary of merchant contacts

Use the issuer's secure upload system when available. Don't send sensitive records through ordinary email unless the issuer specifically directs you to do so.

What happens to your bill during the investigation?

For a qualifying written FCBA dispute, you generally may withhold the disputed amount and related finance charges while the issuer investigates. You must still pay the rest of the bill on time.

Don't stop paying the entire account because one transaction is disputed. That can cause a separate late-payment problem. If autopay is scheduled, ask the issuer how it will handle the disputed amount without interrupting payment of the undisputed balance.

An issuer may place a temporary or provisional credit on the account. That isn't a final refund. The credit can be removed if the issuer rejects the claim or accepts evidence supplied by the merchant.

Deadlines and investigation timing

The federal timeline isn't the same as every issuer or card-network deadline.

The 60-day rule is not a universal deadline for every possible chargeback. An issuer or network may apply a different operational window, but you shouldn't rely on the possibility of extra time. File as soon as the problem becomes clear.

If the issuer decides that the charge is valid, read its explanation before sending more material. A useful response addresses the stated reason for denial rather than reopening the same transaction under an inaccurate category.

Sample FCBA dispute letter

Use the current billing-inquiries address on your statement and keep a copy of the signed letter and attachments.

[Date]

Billing Inquiries
[Issuer name]
[Address shown on your statement]

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

I dispute a charge of $[amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. The charge is
incorrect because [unauthorized, duplicated, charged in the wrong amount, goods
not received, promised credit not posted, or another accurate explanation].

[If applicable: I contacted the merchant on [date]. The merchant responded
[brief summary], or I received no response.]

Please investigate and correct this billing error. I have enclosed copies of
the following supporting records: [document list].

Please send the result of the investigation in writing.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Billing address]
[Phone number or other secure contact information]

Stick to dates, amounts, and events you can document. Unsupported accusations make the underlying billing issue harder to evaluate.

Chase, American Express, and Citi procedures

Your issuer controls the account-level filing process, even when the card carries a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express brand. Follow the instructions in the current app, website, statement, or secure message rather than relying on an old phone number or a third-party deadline.

• Chase: Chase publishes instructions for starting a credit card dispute online. The number on the back of the card is another starting point. Send the separate written notice if you're relying on the FCBA procedure.
• American Express: American Express's chargeback explainer says cardholders can typically dispute billing errors in writing, by phone, or online within 60 days of receiving the statement with the mistake. It also recommends contacting the merchant first when appropriate.
• Citi: Check the instructions for your specific U.S. card rather than assuming one deadline applies to every Citi account. For an FCBA claim, use the billing-inquiries address shown on the statement.

An online confirmation or claim number is worth saving, but it doesn't replace your copies of statements, letters, merchant correspondence, and uploaded evidence.

Common situations

Unauthorized charges

Tell the issuer plainly that you didn't authorize the transaction. Use its fraud channel and ask whether the card or account credentials need to be replaced.

A merchant's refusal to provide a refund doesn't turn an authorized purchase into fraud. If you made the purchase but the item didn't arrive, the amount was wrong, or a refund wasn't posted, choose the corresponding merchant-dispute reason.

Airline, hotel, and other travel charges

First identify which business charged the card. A trip may involve an airline, hotel, and online travel agency, each with separate records and cancellation terms.

Save the booking confirmation, cancellation policy, cancellation timestamp, no-show terms, and any notice that the provider canceled or failed to supply the service. A disappointing trip or missed reservation isn't automatically a billing error. The case is clearer when the provider accepted a cancellation under its terms, didn't deliver the booked service, or approved a refund that never appeared.

Online orders

Keep the product description, promised shipping date, tracking history, and seller messages. For an item that is defective or materially different from the listing, photograph the problem and follow reasonable return instructions. Save return tracking instead of relying on a verbal promise that the package was received.

Recurring subscriptions

Record exactly how and when you canceled. Keep the confirmation page, email, and terms in effect at the time. A charge after confirmed cancellation is easier to document than a renewal that occurred while the subscription was still active.

Debit cards and payment apps

The FCBA process discussed here concerns U.S. credit card billing disputes. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, peer-to-peer payments, remittances, and wire transfers operate under different rules. Tell the financial institution which payment method was actually used so the claim goes through the correct process.

Why a dispute may be denied

Common problems include:

• The notice arrived after the applicable deadline
• The transaction was authorized, but the claim was labeled as fraud
• Merchant records show delivery or completed service
• The cardholder didn't follow disclosed cancellation or return terms
• The documents don't establish the claimed error
• The transaction used a different payment method
• The merchant already posted the credit
• The cardholder used the service but hasn't identified a billing problem

After a denial, compare the decision with the evidence you sent. Ask the issuer how to request reconsideration or provide missing documents. Don't submit the same charge under a different reason unless the first reason was genuinely mistaken.

If the issuer appears not to have followed the FCBA timeline for a qualifying written claim, preserve the original letter, delivery record, statements, claim number, and final response. You'll need that file for any regulatory complaint or consultation with a qualified consumer-law professional.

Frequently asked questions

Must I contact the merchant before disputing a charge?

Not in every case. Contacting the merchant is usually useful for delivery, cancellation, quality, and ordinary billing problems. For an unauthorized transaction, go directly to the issuer's fraud department.

Can I dispute a charge after 60 days?

Contact the issuer anyway. Its internal or card-network process may use a different deadline. However, if the written notice wasn't received within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent, you may lose the FCBA's formal billing-error protections.

Is provisional credit permanent?

No. It remains conditional until the issuer issues its final decision and can be reversed if the claim is denied.

Can I dispute a purchase because I changed my mind?

Usually not on that basis alone. Check the merchant's return and cancellation policy. A billing dispute is better suited to an unauthorized or duplicate charge, an incorrect amount, non-delivery, a missing promised credit, or goods and services not provided as agreed.

What if the issuer requests more documents?

Respond through the secure channel identified in the request and meet the stated deadline. Send a short timeline and only the documents that support the dispute reason. Keep the upload receipt, screenshot, or other submission confirmation.

This is general information for U.S. consumers, not legal advice. If the first statement showing the error was sent less than 60 days ago, locate its billing-inquiries address now, prepare the written notice, and retain proof of delivery.