The short answer
For a U.S. consumer credit card, move quickly when a charge is unauthorized, duplicated, wrong, or tied to goods or services you never got. If you want the federal billing-error process under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your written notice must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
Give the issuer the transaction date, amount, merchant name, reason for the dispute, and copies of supporting records. Keep paying the part of the bill you don't dispute. For a covered notice, the issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days unless it has already fixed the issue, then finish its investigation within two billing cycles and no more than 90 days. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on disputing credit card charges explains the basic process.
Chargeback or billing-error dispute?
People often call any card dispute a chargeback, but two different tracks can apply.
- A chargeback is an issuer-initiated reversal through Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, or another payment network. Network rules set categories, evidence, and timing.
- A billing-error dispute is the federal route for covered consumer credit-card accounts. Regulation Z controls the notice, investigation, and payment protections.
The 60-day federal window isn't a universal deadline for every card complaint. A network dispute may have a different deadline. If the problem looks like a billing error, though, don't wait for a network rule to rescue you. The written notice is what triggers the federal protections.
Charges that may qualify
Common billing-error categories include:
- Unauthorized use: You didn't make the transaction, and neither did an authorized user.
- Wrong amount: The statement shows more than the agreed price.
- Duplicate charge: One purchase appears more than once.
- Missing credit: A payment, refund, or return wasn't applied properly.
- Statement or math problem: The charge is unclear, mislabeled, or affected by an accounting mistake.
- Goods or services not delivered as agreed: You paid for something that wasn't provided as promised.
A dispute isn't the same as changing your mind. If the issue is quality or description, put the facts in order: what was promised, what happened, when you noticed the problem, and what you asked the merchant to fix. The issuer decides whether the facts fit a billing-error or network category.
Step 1: Confirm what posted
Start with the statement. A pending authorization can drop off or post under a different name, so note the date, amount, and description.
Check whether:
- an authorized user made the purchase;
- it's a subscription or trial you accepted;
- the merchant used a different legal or billing name;
- a refund is still processing.
If the charge looks fraudulent, call the issuer using the number on the back of the card or statement. Ask about blocking or replacing the card and report the transaction immediately. Don't wait for the merchant when the account may be exposed.
Step 2: Contact the merchant when it makes sense
For a missing refund, wrong amount, delivery problem, or service failure, ask the merchant to correct it if that's safe and practical. Use email, a support ticket, or another channel that leaves a record.
This can fix a simple mistake quickly and creates useful evidence. It doesn't pause your 60-day written-dispute deadline. You also don't have to sit through endless customer-service follow-ups.
For suspected fraud, contact the card issuer first. And don't label a legitimate purchase as fraud just to get around a return policy.
Step 3: Send a written billing-error notice
Use the billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address on your statement. It may not be the same address used for payments.
Your notice should include:
- your name and account number, or enough details to identify the account;
- the merchant, transaction date, and exact amount;
- the specific reason you dispute the charge;
- a short explanation of what happened;
- the correction or credit you want;
- copies of relevant records.
Send it so the issuer receives it within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent. Keep a copy and proof of delivery. You can also call or open a case in the issuer's app, but don't rely on a call or chat alone if you're using the federal written process.
The formal notice and investigation requirements are in Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.13.
Step 4: Attach evidence that answers the question
More pages don't automatically help. Send records that show why the charge is wrong.
| Dispute type | Useful evidence |
|---|---|
| Unauthorized charge | Statement entry, date you noticed it, account-security details, fraud report or issuer messages |
| Item or service not received | Order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking history, messages with the merchant |
| Incorrect or duplicate amount | Receipt, contract, statement, and proof that two entries relate to one purchase |
| Missing refund or credit | Cancellation or return confirmation, refund receipt, return tracking, date the merchant promised the credit |
| Goods or services not as agreed | Listing, contract, written description, photos, and your request for a correction |
Send copies, not originals you can't replace. Redact unrelated account numbers or sensitive details. A police report isn't automatically required for every fraud dispute, but the issuer may ask for more information.
Step 5: Track the investigation
Write down the date the issuer received your notice, the case number, representative names, and every document you sent.
For a covered billing-error notice:
- The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved it.
- It must resolve the dispute within two complete billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving the notice.
- You generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges while the investigation is pending.
- You should continue paying the undisputed balance by the due date.
A provisional credit may appear before the final decision. Treat it as temporary. If the issuer later denies the dispute, that credit can be reversed.
Step 6: Respond if the merchant contests the charge
A merchant may answer through its acquiring bank with proof of delivery, a receipt, accepted terms, refund records, or transaction-authentication data.
If the issuer asks for clarification, reply by the deadline. Answer the merchant's evidence point by point instead of repeating your original complaint. If the merchant refunds you directly after the dispute starts, tell the issuer and provide proof so the account isn't credited twice.
The merchant's response window comes from the issuer, processor, acquirer, network, and dispute type. It isn't the same as your 60-day consumer notice period.
Step 7: Review a denial before escalating
If the issuer denies the dispute, ask for the decision in writing. Check:
- the reason it gave;
- the evidence it considered;
- whether it treated the issue as fraud, a billing error, or another network dispute;
- the deadline for reconsideration or appeal.
Send new, relevant evidence rather than resubmitting the same file. If the issuer missed the acknowledgment or resolution deadline for a written billing-error notice, document the dates and use its formal complaint or escalation process.
If a fake merchant, payment scam, or chargeback-recovery service targeted you, report it through the FTC's contact and fraud-reporting information. Reporting doesn't replace timely notice to your card issuer.
Key deadlines
| Event | General timing |
|---|---|
| Written billing-error notice | Must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent |
| Issuer acknowledgment | Within 30 days of receiving the notice, unless already resolved |
| Billing-error resolution | Within two complete billing cycles, and no later than 90 days |
| Network or issuer chargeback process | Varies by network, issuer, transaction type, and dispute reason |
The 60-day period is measured from the statement containing the error, not necessarily the purchase date. If you changed addresses, the billing-error process can depend on whether you sent the issuer a written address change at least 20 days before the end of the billing period.
Delayed shipments can also muddy the timeline. Some issuers may extend the dispute period when an order is delayed, but don't assume an extension exists. Get the issuer's instructions in writing if possible.
What about a 120-day deadline?
You may see articles claiming a universal 120-day chargeback deadline. That isn't a single federal rule covering every Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover transaction. Network procedures may count from shipment, delivery, or another event, and some issuer or network windows may be longer than 60 days in particular cases.
If the issue may be a billing error, the safer move is still the written 60-day notice. File as soon as you identify the problem.
Visa and Mastercard: what changes for consumers?
You don't file directly with Visa or Mastercard. You file through the bank or credit union that issued the card.
The network can affect the dispute category, evidence, and later response stages. It doesn't erase the federal 60-day written-notice rule for a covered consumer billing error. Your issuer's instructions and the notices it sends are more useful than a generic reason-code chart.
If you're the merchant
A merchant usually learns about a cardholder dispute through its acquirer, processor, or card network, not by receiving the consumer's billing-error letter. The response window depends on the network and processor, so check the case instructions promptly. Records should answer the specific dispute reason: proof of delivery or service, receipts, accepted terms, refund confirmations, or transaction-authentication data. If you refund the cardholder after a dispute opens, keep a record and include the confirmation in your response so the account isn't credited twice.
Limits and common mistakes
- Credit isn't debit. Debit, prepaid, bank-transfer, and payment-app transactions follow different rules and deadlines.
- Return policies and billing-error rights aren't the same. A merchant's return policy doesn't automatically defeat a valid billing error, but an ordinary return request isn't automatically a billing error either.
- There's no reliable universal success rate. Outcomes depend on the reason, timing, records, and merchant response.
- A merchant refund and a chargeback are different credits. Tell the issuer if the merchant refunds you directly.
- Be wary of third-party "chargeback experts" promising a guaranteed win. Start with the phone number, website, or app provided by your issuer. Never share your PIN, password, or one-time security code with an unsolicited caller.
Frequently asked questions
Can I dispute a charge after 60 days?
Contact the issuer anyway. A network or issuer procedure may still accept the dispute, but a late notice can cost you the federal written billing-error protections. Explain the delay and ask which route remains available.
Do I have to contact the merchant first?
For a non-fraud issue, contacting the merchant is usually sensible and creates a paper trail. It isn't a substitute for timely written notice to the issuer, and you shouldn't delay a fraud report while waiting for customer service.
What if the issuer gives temporary credit?
Keep paying the undisputed balance and save the issuer's notices. Temporary credit can be removed if the issuer concludes the charge was valid.
Does this work for debit cards?
No. Debit cards, prepaid cards, electronic transfers, and payment apps use different consumer-protection rules. Contact the provider quickly and follow the process for that payment method.
This information applies to U.S. consumer credit-card accounts and isn't legal advice. If your charge fits a billing-error category, send the written notice now and keep proof that the issuer received it.