If a seller advertised an item as authentic and you received a counterfeit, you can ask your U.S. credit-card issuer to review the purchase as counterfeit merchandise or as merchandise that was materially not as described. A refund isn't guaranteed, but your position is usually stronger when you preserve the item, save the original listing, ask the seller for a refund in writing, and contact the issuer before a deadline expires.

The purchase must be treated as an authorized transaction if you made it yourself. A counterfeit-goods dispute is different from reporting a stolen card or an unauthorized charge.

This information is for U.S. consumers, mainly those who paid with a credit card. Debit cards, PayPal, wire transfers, gift cards, and peer-to-peer payment apps use different procedures.

When the dispute fits

A claim has more useful evidence when the records show all three of these points:

• The listing promised an authentic, genuine, or otherwise branded product.
• The item has specific discrepancies, such as incorrect logos, labels, materials, packaging, stitching, or serial-number details.
• You gave the seller or marketplace a chance to correct the problem and the matter wasn't resolved.

A written assessment from the brand, a qualified authenticator, or another credible expert can help, particularly for an expensive watch, handbag, piece of jewelry, electronic device, or pair of sneakers. It isn't the only possible evidence.

A low price, poor workmanship, or general disappointment doesn't by itself establish that an item is counterfeit. If the listing clearly disclosed that the item was a replica, an authenticity-based dispute is weak. You could still have a dispute if what arrived differed from the replica that was actually advertised.

Describe what you can prove. A card dispute asks a payment provider to review a transaction; it isn't a criminal finding that the seller committed fraud.

Preserve your evidence before it disappears

Keep the item and packaging

Stop using the item, especially if it might be unsafe. Don't clean, repair, alter, or destroy it. Keep the box, tags, inserts, labels, shipping materials, and any authenticity documents.

Take clear photographs of:

• The whole item and its packaging
• Logos, labels, stitching, serial numbers, and other identifying details
• The features that differ from the listing
• The shipping label and the condition of the package

Keep the original image files. If you add arrows or notes, work from a copy so the unedited photographs remain available.

Save the listing

Product pages can change or vanish after a dispute starts. Save the page, seller name, order page, item description, photographs, price, shipping terms, authenticity promises, and return policy. A screenshot should include the page address and, if possible, the date. Also retain the order confirmation, invoice, payment record, and tracking details.

Preserve the exact wording if the seller used terms such as "authentic," "genuine," "brand new," or the brand's name and model number.

Request a refund in writing

Use the marketplace messaging system or the seller's documented support channel. Keep the message short and include:

• The order number and amount paid
• What the listing promised
• What arrived
• The specific reasons you believe it isn't genuine
• The refund you want
• A reasonable deadline for a response

Open the marketplace's buyer-protection or order-dispute case promptly. Deadlines differ by platform, order, and policy, so don't rely on a general statement that every marketplace allows 60 or 180 days.

Don't close a marketplace case or card dispute just because the seller promises a refund. Withdraw or close a case only as instructed after the refund has actually posted. If you do receive money back, tell the card issuer so you don't recover the same amount twice.

Return it only with clear instructions

The seller or marketplace may require a return. Before mailing anything, confirm the return address, shipping method, deadline, and proof of return that it requires. Use tracking when a return is authorized and keep the receipt.

Don't send the item to an unrelated address provided only in a private message. Also, don't return it before you understand how the return could affect the marketplace or card dispute.

File the credit-card dispute

Contact the issuer

Call the number on the back of the card or use the issuer's secure website. Ask to dispute the charge because the merchandise was counterfeit or materially not as described.

Say plainly that you authorized the transaction. Don't choose an "unauthorized" or "card stolen" category unless you genuinely didn't make the purchase. The issuer may ask whether you contacted the seller, whether you returned the item, and what supports your authenticity claim. Answer each question accurately.

Meet the federal written-dispute deadline

For a qualifying credit-card billing error, your written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you. The clock is tied to that statement, not necessarily to the purchase date or the day you opened the package.

Send the notice to the billing-disputes or billing-inquiries address shown on the statement. That address may be different from the address used for payments. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on disputing credit-card billing errors explains what to include and where to send the letter.

Some issuers may allow more time when a shipment was delayed, but don't assume an extension applies. If you're close to the 60-day period, send the notice rather than waiting for the seller or marketplace to finish its review. Network and issuer procedures can also have additional deadlines.

Put the dispute in writing

A phone call or online report may start the issuer's process, but a written notice is important if you want to use the federal billing-error procedure. Include:

• Your name, address, and account number or the last four digits of the card
• The merchant name and transaction date
• The exact amount in dispute
• What the listing said and what arrived
• The date you contacted the seller and the response
• The refund you are requesting
• Copies of the relevant evidence

A concise explanation could read:

I authorized this transaction. The listing represented the item as an authentic [brand and model], but the merchandise I received has these discrepancies: [list specific facts]. I contacted the seller on [date] and requested a refund, but the issue was not resolved. I am disputing the charge of $[amount] because the merchandise was counterfeit or materially not as described.

Keep a copy of the letter and every attachment. Send it by a method that gives you proof it was received. If you submit it online, save the confirmation number and a copy of what you uploaded.

Pay the undisputed part of the bill

If the issuer treats your notice as a qualifying billing-error dispute, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges while it investigates. Continue paying charges you don't dispute and follow the issuer's instructions.

Don't stop paying the entire credit-card bill. An unpaid undisputed balance can create a separate delinquency problem. A temporary credit, if the issuer gives one, may not be the final decision.

Watch the investigation

The issuer generally must acknowledge a written billing-error complaint within 30 days unless it resolves the matter sooner. Under the FTC's description of the federal process, it must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the complaint.

Read every notice. If the issuer asks for clarification, more documents, or an appeal, respond by the stated deadline.

Evidence that helps a counterfeit-item dispute

Put the clearest evidence first. A one-page timeline can help the reviewer follow the sequence from purchase to delivery to your refund request. Label photographs and reports so each one connects to a particular discrepancy.

Delivery confirmation proves that a package reached its destination. It doesn't necessarily show that the contents were authentic or matched the listing. If the merchant relies on delivery proof, make that distinction directly.

Don't submit edited images presented as originals, invented messages, or documents you can't verify. Before paying for an authentication service, ask the issuer whether it accepts that type of report and whether an inspection must come from a particular provider.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and other payment routes

Consumers normally don't select the card-network reason code. The issuer reviews the facts and assigns the category it considers appropriate. You don't need to argue about internal labels; describe the transaction accurately and provide the records that support your account.

• Visa, Mastercard, and American Express: Begin with the issuer and follow its current instructions. The network review process is separate from the federal 60-day written billing-error deadline.
• PayPal: PayPal has its own dispute process and policy deadlines. Open a case through the transaction in your account promptly and check the current requirements. If a credit card funded the PayPal payment, tell both providers about the case and any refund. Don't seek duplicate reimbursement.
• Debit card: The Fair Credit Billing Act process described above applies to credit cards, not debit cards. Contact your bank immediately and ask about its debit-card merchandise-dispute procedure.
• Wire transfer, gift card, or peer-to-peer payment: There isn't an ordinary credit-card chargeback route for these payments. Contact the bank or payment provider as soon as possible, but don't assume the same protections or deadlines apply.

Purchases from AliExpress or another overseas marketplace

An overseas seller doesn't automatically stop you from asking a U.S. credit-card issuer to review an eligible charge. Communication, returns, currency conversion, and enforcement can be more complicated, and the payment provider still decides whether the evidence supports the dispute.

For AliExpress or a similar marketplace:

1. Save the listing and seller communications immediately.
2. Open the current order-dispute process before its deadline.
3. Keep the marketplace case number and decision.
4. Contact the card issuer before its own deadline, even if the marketplace case is pending.
5. Follow approved return instructions and preserve tracking.
6. Tell both providers if a refund arrives.

Don't rely on a seller's claim that a card dispute is impossible because the seller is outside the United States. Ask the issuer to review the payment under the applicable card and merchandise-dispute procedures.

If the issuer denies the dispute

Read the denial notice first. It should tell you why the claim was rejected and whether there is a deadline for reconsideration or appeal. Common explanations include:

• The evidence didn't establish that the item was counterfeit.
• The merchant showed delivery but didn't address authenticity.
• The listing disclosed that the item was a replica.
• The dispute was placed in a category that didn't fit the facts.
• The issuer considered the claim late or said a return requirement wasn't followed.

Answer the stated reason rather than sending the same explanation again. If the merchant supplied delivery confirmation, explain that you received the package but dispute whether its contents matched the advertised authentic product. Attach the exact listing language, side-by-side photographs, seller correspondence, and any written expert conclusion.

Ask the issuer whether it can provide the merchant's response or identify what evidence was missing. Submit the appeal before the stated deadline and keep proof that it was received.

If you believe the issuer mishandled a written billing-error dispute, ask for a supervisor and use its formal complaint or reconsideration channel. For a substantial amount, a consumer-law clinic or attorney can explain options under the law that applies in your state.

Reduce the risk of buying counterfeit goods

• Use a credit card when practical instead of a wire transfer or peer-to-peer payment.
• Save the product page and authenticity claims before ordering.
• Check the seller's return address, contact details, transaction history, and marketplace protections.
• Treat a branded item priced far below the usual market price as a warning sign, not proof of authenticity.
• Authenticate a high-value purchase before the marketplace or card-dispute window closes.
• Keep communications on the platform or in email.
• Don't resell an item you believe is counterfeit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a counterfeit item if I authorized the purchase?

Yes. Ask the issuer to review it as counterfeit merchandise or as merchandise not as described. State that you authorized the transaction; don't report it as unauthorized.

Does delivery proof defeat a counterfeit-goods dispute?

No. Delivery confirmation usually addresses whether a package arrived. It doesn't necessarily establish that the item inside was genuine or matched the listing.

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

No. For the federal credit-card billing-error procedure, the written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you. Other issuer or network procedures may have additional deadlines.

Do I need an authentication certificate?

Not always. Listing comparisons, photographs, seller communications, and a precise explanation may be enough for the issuer to evaluate the claim. A credible written assessment can strengthen a high-value dispute. Ask what the issuer accepts before paying for an inspection.

Can I charge back an AliExpress purchase?

You can ask your credit-card issuer to review an eligible transaction, and you should also use the marketplace's current dispute process. The outcome depends on the payment method, evidence, issuer procedures, and applicable deadlines.

What should I do after a denial?

Check the reason and appeal deadline. Then submit a focused response with the original listing, specific authenticity discrepancies, seller correspondence, and any expert evidence that answers the issuer's stated concern.

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission: Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
• Federal Trade Commission: What To Do if You're Billed for Things You Never Got, or You Get Unordered Products