If a scam website charged you, contact the card issuer, bank, or payment service through a verified channel today. Open the provider's fraud or dispute case first, then send the written notice or secure-message submission it requires. A message to the website may create a useful record, but it doesn't replace the payment provider's process.

The instructions below are for U.S. consumers. The 60-day notice deadline and 90-day investigation limit apply to qualifying credit-card billing errors; they aren't universal chargeback deadlines. Debit cards, transfers, wires, payment apps, and PayPal follow different procedures. The PayPal timing described here comes from PayPal's U.S. Purchase Protection terms.

Identify the problem accurately

A dishonest website doesn't by itself make a payment unauthorized. Use a description that matches what happened:

What happened Accurate description
Someone used your card or account without your permission Unauthorized transaction
You placed an order, but nothing arrived Merchandise not received
The product was materially different from the listing Not as described
A subscription charge continued after you canceled Recurring charge after cancellation
You approved payment after being deceived Explain what the site promised, what happened, and ask which dispute process applies

If you entered the card details or approved the payment yourself, don't call that transaction unauthorized merely because the website lied. You can still report non-delivery, misrepresentation, or a recurring charge after cancellation when those facts apply.

Choose the process for your payment method

Credit card

The Fair Credit Billing Act process can cover qualifying billing errors, including some charges for goods or services you never received. The FTC's credit-card dispute guidance says your written notice must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you.

Send the notice to the billing-inquiries address on the statement, not automatically to the address used for payments. A phone call can alert the issuer, but written notice is the safer way to preserve the protections of the billing-error process.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days, unless it has already resolved the issue. It generally must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the notice. During a qualifying investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges, but you should pay the rest of the bill on time.

Some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. Don't rely on an extension; send the notice as soon as you can.

Debit card

Call your bank immediately and ask which process applies. A debit-card problem may involve an unauthorized electronic transfer, a merchant dispute, or another type of claim. The credit-card 60-day written billing-error deadline is not an automatic deadline for debit cards.

Ask the bank:

The FDIC's overview of credit and debit card billing issues is a useful starting point, but the bank's instructions and the transaction facts control your next steps.

PayPal

Open the dispute through PayPal's Resolution Center or another logged-in, official PayPal support channel. Don't use an email address or refund link supplied by the website or by a message claiming to be PayPal.

PayPal's current U.S. Purchase Protection terms state that a dispute must be opened by the earlier of:

Check the current terms and the transaction-specific options shown in your account before waiting for a seller response. A dispute may also need to be escalated to a claim under the deadline shown in your account. See PayPal's U.S. Purchase Protection terms.

PayPal's terms also say that you can't pursue a Purchase Protection claim at the same time as a claim with your card issuer or another available claim, and you can't recover twice for the same loss. If PayPal was funded by a credit card, ask PayPal or the card issuer which route to use before pursuing both.

Bank transfers, wires, and payment apps

Contact the provider immediately using a verified phone number or the provider's official app. A payment you authorized after being deceived may be handled differently from a payment made after someone took over your account.

Tell the provider whether you approved the payment, whether someone accessed your account without permission, and what the recipient or website represented. Ask whether the transfer can be recalled or flagged, but don't assume recovery is available.

Never send more money to unlock a refund or pay a supposed recovery agent. That is a common second-stage scam.

Gather evidence before sending the dispute

Create a short timeline and keep copies of everything. Useful records include:

Save original emails and files where possible. Redact full card numbers, bank account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and security codes before uploading evidence. The provider usually needs the last four digits, transaction details, and merchant name, not your complete credentials.

If you entered card details on the site, ask the issuer whether the card should be replaced. Change any password you reused on the website and monitor your statements for additional activity.

Credit-card written dispute template

Use this as a letter to the billing-inquiries address on your statement. You can adapt it for a secure message or email, but ask the issuer whether that channel satisfies its written-notice procedure.

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

[Card issuer name]
Billing Inquiries or Dispute Department
[Address shown on your billing statement]

Subject: Written billing-error notice for [amount] charged on [date]

Account: Credit card ending in [last four digits]
Merchant and statement descriptor: [merchant name]
Disputed amount: [$ amount]
Transaction date: [date]

I am writing to dispute the charge listed above as a billing error.

[Choose one accurate statement and delete the others:
I did not authorize this transaction.
I placed an order through [website address], but the goods were never delivered.
The goods I received were materially different from the description.
I canceled the recurring charge on [date], but I was charged again.]

The website represented that [briefly state what was promised, if applicable]. The relevant facts are [brief timeline]. I contacted the merchant on [date] through [method], but [no response was received / the response did not resolve the problem]. If I did not contact the merchant, the reason is [brief explanation].

Please investigate this billing error and correct the account. Please send written acknowledgment of this notice and the result of your investigation. I have enclosed or attached copies of the statement, order records, communications, screenshots, and other evidence supporting the dispute.

I am not providing my full account number by email or in an unsecured attachment. Please contact me at [phone number] or [email address] if you need additional information.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Send the letter early enough for the issuer to receive it within the 60-day period. Keep a copy of the letter, the mailing or submission confirmation, and the delivery date.

Debit-card dispute or fraud-report template

Call the bank first, especially if the transaction was unauthorized or your card details may still be exposed. Then use the bank's secure-message system or its required written form.

Subject: Urgent debit-card transaction report - [amount] on [date]

Hello,

I am reporting a debit-card transaction of [amount] dated [date], shown as [statement descriptor], from [merchant name].

[Choose the accurate description:
I did not authorize this transaction.
I authorized a purchase from this merchant, but the goods were not delivered.
I received goods that were materially different from what the website promised.]

The website address was [website address]. The order number was [number]. I contacted the merchant on [date] through [method], with this result: [result]. If I did not contact the merchant, the reason is [brief explanation].

Please open the appropriate claim, tell me which deadline and documents apply, and provide a case number. [If applicable: My card details may have been exposed. Please tell me whether the card or account should be secured or replaced.]

I have attached redacted copies of the transaction record and supporting evidence. Please contact me at [phone number] or [secure email address].

Thank you,

[Your name]
[Last four digits of card or account]

If you personally approved the payment, don't describe it as unauthorized. State that you were deceived, the goods were not received, or the goods were not as described.

PayPal dispute template

Paste a concise version into the Resolution Center and upload evidence there. Replace the bracketed reason with the option that matches your situation.

Subject: Dispute for PayPal transaction [transaction ID]

I am opening a dispute for PayPal transaction [transaction ID], paid on [date] for [amount] to [seller name].

Issue: [item not received / significantly not as described / unauthorized transaction]

The seller's website was [website address]. The site promised [brief description]. The actual problem is [short factual explanation]. I contacted the seller on [date] through [method], but [no response was received / the response did not resolve the issue]. If I did not contact the seller, the reason is [brief explanation].

I have uploaded the order confirmation, transaction record, screenshots, communications, and delivery information. Please confirm that the dispute is open and tell me the deadline and steps for escalating it to a claim, if necessary.

Name: [your name]
PayPal email: [email associated with the account]

Sign in to PayPal directly to open the dispute, even if you also send the seller a message. A message alone may not start PayPal's formal review.

Merchant refund request template

Contact the merchant only through contact information you independently verify. Don't delay a bank or PayPal deadline while waiting for a response.

Subject: Refund request for order [order number]

Hello [merchant name],

I paid [amount] on [date] for [product or service] under order [order number]. The website represented that [brief promise].

The problem is [the order was never delivered / the item was materially different from the description / I canceled the recurring charge on [date] but was charged again]. I contacted you on [date], but [brief result].

Please refund the full amount to the original payment method and confirm your decision by [date]. I am preserving my payment-provider dispute deadline and may provide this correspondence and the attached records to the provider if the matter isn't resolved.

Attached are copies of the order confirmation, transaction record, relevant listing, delivery information, and prior communications. I have not included my full card or bank account number.

Please reply to [email address].

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Order number]
[Safe contact information]

There is no general U.S. rule requiring every merchant to issue a refund within 14 days. Use a response date as a practical request, not as an invented legal deadline.

Track the dispute and escalate when needed

Keep a simple log:

Step Record
Initial call or submission Date, time, channel, representative, and case number
Evidence sent File names and submission confirmation
Merchant contact Date and response
Provider decision Approval, partial credit, denial, or request for more information
Next deadline The date shown in the provider's instructions

For a credit-card dispute, monitor the 30-day acknowledgment and 90-day maximum investigation timeline described by the FTC. Continue paying undisputed charges by their due dates. If the provider requests more information, send it by the stated deadline and keep proof of submission.

If the provider denies the claim:

  1. Ask for the decision and reason in writing.
  2. Request the evidence or merchant response relied on, if available.
  3. Send a short, organized reply addressing each reason for denial.
  4. Follow the provider's reconsideration or appeal deadline.
  5. Keep the original dispute proof and all later correspondence.

If a bank or card issuer doesn't properly handle the issue, you can submit a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint page. If the institution is a national bank or federal savings association, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency complaint route may also be relevant. A complaint does not extend the payment provider's dispute deadline.

Report the scam website to the FTC through its official fraud-reporting service. You can also send the site's details to the domain registrar's abuse channel. These reports are separate from a payment dispute and don't guarantee a refund.

Use this short summary for an official reporting form or registrar abuse contact:

Website and address: [website address]
Seller name and contact information: [details]
Date and amount paid: [date and amount]
Payment method: [credit card, debit card, PayPal, or other]
What the site promised: [brief description]
What happened: [non-delivery, misrepresentation, unauthorized use, or other facts]
Steps already taken: [merchant, bank, or PayPal contacts]
Evidence available: [order records, screenshots, statements, and messages]

Mistakes that can weaken a scam website dispute

A short timeline, the correct dispute category, and proof that you acted within the applicable deadline are more useful than an aggressive email.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 60-day credit-card deadline measured from the purchase date?

Usually, the relevant billing-error period runs from when the first statement containing the error was sent to you, not simply from the purchase date. Your written notice should reach the issuer within that period. Some issuers may extend the period for a delayed shipment, but don't depend on an extension.

Is an email enough to dispute a credit-card charge?

An email or phone call may alert the issuer, but the FTC says to write to the issuer for the billing-error process. Use the address and submission method on your statement, and ask whether a secure message or upload satisfies the issuer's written-notice procedure.

What if the scam website disappeared?

Don't wait for the site to return. Save the URL, screenshots, order records, and payment evidence, then contact the card issuer, bank, or PayPal through its official channel. Report the domain separately.

Can I use PayPal and my card issuer at the same time?

PayPal's U.S. terms say a Purchase Protection claim can't be pursued at the same time as a claim with the card issuer or another available claim. Check the applicable terms and ask the providers which route to use before pursuing both.

Does reporting the website guarantee a refund?

No. The payment provider decides the dispute under its rules and the facts you submit. Reporting the website is a separate step, so start the payment dispute immediately, keep the case number, and preserve the website and transaction records.