If "Stripe" appears on your card statement, first identify the seller and the payment type. Stripe may be the payment processor, not the business you bought from. For a U.S. credit card, a written billing-error notice generally must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Debit cards, prepaid accounts, and ACH transfers follow different rules, so report those transactions promptly.

What a Stripe charge means

Check the exact statement descriptor, amount, and date. Then look for:

• An order confirmation or receipt
• A subscription or free-trial account
• Emails from the seller
• A purchase made by a family member or authorized user
• A refund, cancellation, or return confirmation

If the charge still doesn't look familiar, call the number on the back of the card. Tell the issuer that you may have an unauthorized transaction and ask whether the card should be blocked or replaced.

Stripe's dispute category documentation is written for merchants responding to card disputes. It explains labels such as "product not received," but consumers normally start a formal dispute with the card issuer rather than submitting evidence through a merchant's Stripe Dashboard.

Choose the right dispute route

The payment rail matters more than the word "Stripe." A credit-card purchase uses a different dispute process from a debit transaction drawn directly from a checking account.

Gather evidence before contacting the issuer

Create a folder showing what happened and when. Include whichever records apply:

• The statement page showing the charge and when it first appeared
• The exact amount and statement descriptor
• The receipt, order confirmation, or contract
• The product description, service terms, or promised delivery date
• Emails, chats, and notes from calls with the seller
• A cancellation request and confirmation
• Return-shipping records or a refund promise
• Tracking information if the seller says an item was delivered
• Screenshots showing an account cancellation or disputed subscription renewal

For an unauthorized charge, write down why you say you didn't authorize it and whether anyone else had access to the card or account. Don't send a full card number, password, or unnecessary identity documents by ordinary email. Use the issuer's secure channel.

For a non-delivery claim, compare the promised delivery date with the tracking record. If tracking shows delivery to the wrong address or a date after the promised period, save that information.

Ask the merchant for a refund when appropriate

A written request can resolve an ordinary delivery or billing mistake without a formal dispute. Identify the order, amount, and remedy you want:

I am requesting a refund for order [number], charged [amount] on [date]. The issue is [item was not delivered / the charge was duplicated / I canceled before renewal]. Please confirm the resolution in writing.

Keep the seller's response, including any promise to issue a refund. If the seller stops responding, denies the problem, or promises a refund that never appears, give those records to the issuer.

A merchant request does not replace a credit-card billing-error notice. According to the FTC, the issuer must receive the written dispute within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent. Don't wait indefinitely for the seller, especially if that deadline is approaching.

When the charge is completely unauthorized, contact the issuer first. You can notify the merchant as well, but account security and timely reporting come before a refund request.

How to dispute a credit-card charge

1. Contact the issuer promptly

Call the card issuer using the number on the back of the card. Ask how to submit a billing-error dispute and where to send the written notice and supporting records. The issuer may open a case by phone, but the federal credit-card process described in the FTC's credit-card guidance depends on written notice.

2. Send a clear written notice

Include the account's last four digits, the transaction details, the reason for the dispute, and copies of relevant records. For example:

I am writing to dispute a charge on my credit-card account ending in [last four digits]. The charge from [statement descriptor] for [amount] appeared on the statement sent on [date]. I believe it is a billing error because [the charge was unauthorized / the goods or services were not received / the amount is incorrect]. I contacted the seller on [date], with this result: [summary]. Please investigate and send me the written result. I have enclosed copies of [evidence].

Follow the issuer's delivery instructions. Keep the letter, attachments, and proof that the issuer received them. The FTC also explains how to address items that never arrived or unordered products.

3. Track the investigation

For a covered credit-card billing error, the issuer generally must acknowledge the written complaint within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving the notice.

During the investigation, the FTC says you don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges. Continue paying the rest of the bill and follow the issuer's instructions so an undisputed balance doesn't become delinquent.

4. Read the written decision

If the issuer removes the charge, check a later statement to make sure the credit remains. If it denies the dispute, ask for the written explanation, the information considered, and the procedure for submitting additional evidence or requesting reconsideration.

A dispute isn't a guaranteed refund. The issuer reviews the transaction, the seller's response, and the records supporting both sides.

What types of problems can qualify?

The FTC lists credit-card billing errors that include:

• An unauthorized charge
• Goods or services that were not delivered
• A payment or credit posted incorrectly
• An amount that doesn't match the agreed transaction
• An error in the issuer's billing calculation

For a subscription, provide the cancellation date, cancellation method, and any confirmation number. For a product or service that differed materially from what was promised, include the original listing, agreement, or description and identify the specific difference.

Use concrete facts. "I didn't like the purchase" gives the issuer little to investigate. "The seller promised delivery by May 5, but the order was never delivered, and the seller did not respond to my May 12 refund request" identifies the relevant dates and problem.

Debit cards, prepaid accounts, and ACH transfers

Money taken directly from a checking account isn't handled under the same credit-card billing-error process. The Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E cover electronic transfers such as point-of-sale debit transactions and ACH transfers. The NCUA's Regulation E overview describes covered transfers, while the Regulation E text contains the governing rules.

Notify your bank, credit union, or prepaid-account provider promptly if a debit, ACH, or prepaid-account transaction is unauthorized. Ask whether it is being treated as an unauthorized electronic fund transfer or another type of error, what written notice is required, and which deadline applies. Don't rely on the 60-day credit-card rule.

If you used a debit card but selected "credit" at checkout, the transaction may still have come from your deposit account. Check the account statement and ask the bank which protections apply.

When Stripe, the merchant, or the issuer sends you elsewhere

The parties have different roles:

• The merchant can explain the order, cancel a subscription, or issue a refund.
• Stripe may provide payment-processing services and merchant dispute tools.
• The card issuer or bank handles the consumer's formal transaction dispute.

If the merchant says Stripe must refund you, ask the merchant to identify the seller's refund process in writing. If the transaction is unauthorized or the merchant hasn't fixed a specific billing error, contact the issuer directly.

If the issuer doesn't give a clear answer, request:

1. The dispute or claim number
2. The date it received your written notice
3. The documents it considered
4. The reason for any denial
5. The process for submitting more evidence or requesting reconsideration

Keep a timeline of calls, letters, uploads, and responses. If you believe the issuer failed to follow the applicable process, use its formal complaint channel and then check the regulator for the relevant payment type. Describe the account and transaction accurately because credit-card rules and Regulation E are separate systems.

These deadlines and agencies apply to U.S. consumers. If the card was issued outside the United States, local rules and the applicable payment network may control.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a Stripe charge directly with Stripe?

Ask the seller for a refund and contact your card issuer for a formal credit-card or debit-account dispute. Stripe's merchant documentation doesn't replace the consumer dispute process handled by the issuer.

How long do I have to dispute a Stripe charge?

For a U.S. credit-card billing error, written notice generally must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Debit cards, prepaid accounts, and ACH transfers follow different procedures, so report them promptly.

What evidence should I submit?

Provide the statement details, receipt, order or subscription records, seller communications, cancellation or refund proof, and delivery information where relevant. Send copies rather than originals unless the issuer specifically asks for an original.

Should I contact the merchant before my card issuer?

For a normal refund or delivery problem, you can contact the merchant first if doing so won't risk the issuer's deadline. For an unrecognized charge, notify the issuer immediately and don't wait for the merchant's response.