If a charge or transfer isn't yours, call the bank or card issuer now using the number on the back of the card or an official statement. Ask about locking or replacing the access device, stopping additional transfers, and protecting linked accounts. Then send a clear dispute with the transaction details, a dated timeline, and proof of your notice.

The payment method controls the process. Credit card billing errors and electronic fund transfers such as debit card, ATM, and many ACH debits have different U.S. rules. A wire transfer or a payment you personally sent after being deceived may follow a different recovery process.

Your evidence packet doesn't need to be huge. A statement, transaction details, a factual timeline, relevant security records, and proof of communication are usually more useful than speculative IP data or edited screenshots. No document guarantees a refund.

This guidance is for U.S. consumer accounts. Business accounts, wire transfers, and transactions you personally authorized after being deceived may follow different rules.

First identify the payment method

Transaction type Main process Key timing point
Credit card purchase Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) billing-error process Written notice generally must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent
Debit card, ATM withdrawal, or many ACH debits Regulation E error-resolution process Notify the institution promptly. The 60-day statement rule can affect liability, and reporting a lost or stolen access device within two business days can affect potential liability
Wire transfer or bank transfer you personally sent after a scam Bank recovery, fraud, or contract process Call the bank immediately and ask about a recall or other available recovery action
Person-to-person payment Depends on how the transfer was initiated and the provider's terms Report it to the provider and your bank without delay. Deception alone doesn't necessarily make a payment legally unauthorized

Regulation E generally concerns electronic fund transfers from consumer accounts, not ordinary business accounts. The Regulation E rules in 12 CFR Part 1005 explain the scope and liability framework.

An unfamiliar merchant name isn't automatically fraud. Check whether the descriptor belongs to a parent company, subscription, household member, or recent purchase. If the transaction is pending, ask whether it can be disputed now or only after posting. Don't delay a genuine fraud report while checking the description.

Evidence that helps with an unauthorized transaction complaint

The rules focus on giving enough information to identify the account, transaction, amount, and reason for the alleged error. They don't specify one standard packet of screenshots, IP data, witness statements, or police reports. Collect records that accurately explain what happened.

1. Transaction records

Save:

Download the original statement as a PDF when possible. Highlight or annotate a copy, but keep an untouched original.

2. A precise timeline

Write down:

Use the actual date and time. Include the time zone if the transaction was online or occurred while traveling. Keep the account of events short and factual, and label estimates as estimates.

3. Account-security records

Keep copies of relevant:

These records can support an account-takeover explanation, but they don't automatically establish who made a transaction. A successful login, device match, PIN entry, or multifactor authentication event may be considered along with the rest of the account history.

4. Communications

Save every contact with:

Record the date, phone number or secure-message channel, representative's name if available, case number, and promised next step. After a phone call, send a short secure message or letter confirming what you reported if the institution provides a suitable channel.

5. Supporting documents

Depending on the facts, useful attachments may include:

A witness who only says you were somewhere else may not prove that an online transaction wasn't made remotely. Use witness statements when the person has direct, relevant knowledge.

How to gather and submit the evidence

1. Stop additional losses

Call the number on the back of the card or on an official statement, not a number from a suspicious text or email. Ask about:

Change compromised passwords from a trusted device and don't reuse them. Never give a caller your password, one-time verification code, or full security answers.

A stop-payment request may prevent a future debit, but it doesn't necessarily reverse a debit that has already posted. Ask the bank which action applies to the transaction you are reporting.

2. Capture the transaction before it changes

Save the statement and transaction details before a pending charge disappears or an app updates. Include enough information for the institution to locate the item, but redact unrelated account numbers, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive information from copies you upload.

Don't alter the original files. Name copies clearly, such as 01_statement.pdf or 02_transaction_details.png, and keep a backup in a secure location.

3. Report the error promptly

Tell the institution clearly that you are reporting an unauthorized transaction or an error. If you personally initiated a transfer after being deceived, describe that fact instead of calling it unauthorized. The correct description helps the institution route the claim to the right process.

Provide:

For a credit card, use the billing-inquiries or billing-dispute address shown on the statement. That address may be different from the address used for payments. The FTC provides a sample letter for disputing credit and debit card charges.

For a debit card or ACH debit, a phone call may start the process, but follow up in writing through the bank's secure-message system or another channel the bank identifies. Regulation E can permit oral notice, although the institution may request written confirmation. Written follow-up creates a useful record of the date and details of your complaint.

Don't wait for a police report, a merchant response, or perfect digital evidence before giving notice.

4. Assemble a numbered evidence packet

Put the material in an order that answers the investigator's basic questions:

  1. A one-page summary and timeline
  2. The statement with the transaction identified
  3. Transaction details or receipts
  4. Relevant alerts, emails, and account-access records
  5. Merchant or payment-provider communications
  6. Police or other reports, if relevant

Add a short description to each attachment. For example: "Attachment 3 shows the password-reset alert received at 8:14 p.m. on May 4." Send copies, not irreplaceable originals.

5. Track the investigation

Keep the case number and check the account for provisional credits, reversals, additional disputed items, or requests for information. Answer questions consistently and correct any mistake as soon as you notice it.

If the institution asks you to complete a form or provide written confirmation after an oral report, send it by the requested deadline. Keep a copy of what you send and how you sent it.

How digital evidence should be used

Screenshots can preserve information that may later disappear, but a screenshot's creation time isn't necessarily the time the transaction occurred. Keep the full screen when possible, including the account, transaction status, date, and merchant details.

IP addresses and location data are supporting evidence, not conclusive proof. An IP address may reflect a VPN, mobile network, shared connection, or approximate location. A consumer usually can't establish a person's identity from an IP address alone, and a WHOIS lookup doesn't show who controlled the device.

Multifactor-authentication records can help show whether an alert, code, or device was familiar to you. They don't create an automatic right to reimbursement. The institution's own authentication and transaction records may be more useful than an informal IP search.

Deadlines and investigation procedures

Debit card and ACH disputes under Regulation E

For a Regulation E notice of error, the institution generally needs enough information to identify your name and account, explain why you believe an error occurred, and state the dollar amount. The official Regulation E error-resolution rule allows oral notice in some circumstances, but the institution may request written confirmation of an oral notice.

The general procedure is:

The notice generally must reach the institution no later than 60 days after it sends the periodic statement or other required account documentation showing the error for the first time.

If a card or other access device was lost or stolen, reporting the loss within two business days of learning about it can be important. Regulation E may limit liability to $50 when notice is given within that period. Later notice can expose the consumer to a higher amount under the circumstances. Failing to report within the statement period can affect liability for later transfers.

These are federal standards for covered consumer electronic fund transfers. A bank's voluntary zero-liability policy may offer broader protection, but it doesn't remove the need to report quickly.

Credit card billing errors

The federal billing-error procedure applies to covered credit card accounts, not ordinary debit card transactions. Send a written dispute so that the issuer receives it within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent. Include the account number, transaction details, amount, and a clear explanation.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It must generally resolve the issue within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days. During the investigation, pay the part of the bill that isn't disputed. The FTC's credit card dispute guidance explains the written-notice process and payment protections.

A chargeback is an issuer and card-network process, not a single federal deadline that applies to every card. Network time limits and evidence requirements can vary by reason code and issuer. Ask the issuer for its deadline, but don't let a merchant refund conversation delay your written billing dispute.

Sample complaint letter

Use only facts that are true. For a credit card, send the letter to the billing-dispute address on the statement. For a bank account, use the institution's designated error-resolution address or secure-message channel.

If you initiated a transfer after being deceived, don't use the statement that you didn't authorize it. Instead, explain that you initiated the transfer after a scam and ask what recovery process applies.

[Date]

[Bank or card issuer]
[Dispute or billing-inquiries address]

Subject: Notice of unauthorized transaction - account ending [last four digits]

I am disputing the following transaction:

Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Amount: $[amount]
Merchant, originator, or ATM: [name]
Transaction or reference number: [number, if available]

I did not make or authorize this transaction. I first noticed it on [date]. [Add a brief, accurate explanation of any lost card, account takeover, unfamiliar device, or other relevant fact.]

Please investigate this transaction under the applicable error-resolution or billing-error procedure, correct the account if an error occurred, and send me written results. Please tell me promptly if you need additional information or written confirmation.

Enclosures:
1. Statement showing the transaction
2. Transaction details
3. Timeline
4. Relevant alerts or account records
5. Communications or other supporting documents

Please send correspondence to:
[Mailing address]
[Secure contact method]

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Phone number]

Keep a copy of the letter and proof of delivery. Don't put a full account number in ordinary email unless the issuer specifically provides a secure method.

If the bank or issuer denies the claim

Ask for the decision in writing. Then review whether the institution:

Send a concise supplemental response rather than repeating the same accusation. Identify the specific point you believe was missed and attach only new or clearly labeled supporting material.

Contacting the merchant can help clarify a descriptor, cancel future billing, or obtain a written statement. It doesn't replace notice to your bank or card issuer.

If the provider fails to address the complaint or you believe it mishandled the required process, you can submit copies through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint portal. A CFPB complaint is an escalation route, not a guarantee that the agency will order a refund.

For identity theft, impersonation, or a broader scam, report the incident through ReportFraud.ftc.gov. An FTC report can help document a pattern, but the FTC doesn't act as your card issuer and doesn't replace the transaction dispute.

Mistakes that weaken a fraud complaint

Frequently asked questions

Is a screenshot enough to prove an unauthorized transaction?

Usually not by itself. A screenshot shows what appeared in an app at a particular time, but it doesn't prove who authorized the transaction. Pair it with the statement, a timeline, alerts, and your written notice.

Do I need a police report?

There is no universal requirement that every U.S. unauthorized-transaction complaint include one. A report may help document identity theft or account takeover, and an institution may ask about one during its investigation. Don't delay notice to the bank or issuer while waiting for a report.

What if the bank says my PIN, device, or two-factor authentication was used?

Ask for a written explanation and identify any facts the records don't address, such as possession of the card, an unfamiliar device, a replacement SIM, or a security alert. Authentication data is relevant, but it should be considered alongside the full account history and your explanation.

Should I contact the merchant before the bank?

You can contact the merchant to clarify a descriptor or stop future billing, but notify the bank or card issuer first when you believe the transaction is unauthorized. Merchant contact doesn't preserve every legal deadline.

Can the FTC get my money back?

The FTC accepts fraud reports and uses them for enforcement and consumer education. It isn't a substitute for disputing the transaction with the financial institution, and a report doesn't guarantee an individual refund.

If you've just noticed the transaction, use the official number on your card or statement today, secure the account, and send the required notice before gathering additional evidence.