Have you spotted an unfamiliar charge, a duplicate amount, or a refund that never appeared? For a U.S. credit card, send a written billing-error dispute so the issuer receives it within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you. A merchant conversation can help, but a promise to investigate or refund doesn't pause that clock.

These steps are for U.S. consumers disputing credit card charges. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and peer-to-peer payments have different procedures and deadlines.

The deadline that controls a credit card billing dispute

People often use “chargeback” for any disputed card payment. You generally start with the card issuer, not Visa or Mastercard. The issuer handles the initial dispute and may obtain information from the merchant or other payment parties.

For a qualifying credit card billing error, the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on disputing credit card charges gives these time limits:

The key date is the statement's sent date, not simply the purchase date. Write down the transaction date and the date of the first statement showing the error. Keep that statement with your records.

There is also an address condition. If the issuer sent a statement to an old address, FTC guidance says you must have sent your address change to the issuer in writing, and the issuer must have received it at least 20 days before the billing period ended, to use the law's billing-error protections. If that situation applies, update your address in writing now and keep proof while asking the issuer how it wants the dispute submitted.

Merchant deadlines are not the same as your deadline

Seven-, 30-, or 120-day periods mentioned in online chargeback advice often refer to a merchant, processor, acquiring bank, or card-network response window. They aren't one universal consumer filing deadline.

Follow any instructions in the issuer's notice, but don't wait for a merchant's internal investigation if the 60-day written-notice period is close to expiring.

Match the dispute reason to what happened

An authorized order with a delivery problem is not an unauthorized transaction. Describe the problem accurately; the evidence and the issuer's review depend on that distinction.

For a delivery problem, the FTC's guidance on goods or products you never received is a useful starting point.

Credit card dispute checklist

1. Confirm the card type and statement date

Start with the account record, not the merchant's name in your memory.

• Confirm that the payment was made with a credit card. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and other payment methods don't use the credit card billing-error deadline as a guarantee.
• Copy the merchant name or statement descriptor exactly as it appears on the statement. It may differ from the store or website name.
• Record the transaction date, posting date, amount, and date the first statement containing the charge was sent.
• Check whether the transaction is still pending. The issuer may require it to post before opening a formal billing dispute.
• Read the issuer's instructions and identify the billing-dispute address or submission channel.

If the payment was made with a debit card, call the bank promptly and ask for its debit-card error or unauthorized-transaction procedure.

2. Secure the account when fraud is possible

For an unfamiliar charge, contact the issuer before trying to settle the matter with the merchant. Ask whether it should:

• Freeze or replace the card.
• Review other recent transactions.
• Add a fraud alert to the account.
• Change account credentials or take other security steps.

Look through recent statements and account notifications for additional unfamiliar charges. Save the case number and note the date, time, and substance of each call.

3. Contact the merchant for an authorized-purchase problem

A merchant may be able to correct a duplicate charge, explain a delivery delay, or post a refund without a lengthy issuer investigation. Contact the merchant in writing when the purchase itself was authorized.

Include:

• What you bought and when.
• The exact problem.
• The remedy you want.
• The date by which you need a response.

Keep the email, chat transcript, cancellation confirmation, return receipt, and any promised refund date. A merchant's promise to investigate or refund doesn't extend the issuer's deadline.

You don't have to contact the merchant first in every situation. For an unauthorized charge, contact the issuer immediately. For other problems, a written attempt to resolve the matter creates a useful record of what happened.

4. Put the dates in a short timeline

A one-page timeline can keep the dispute from turning into a collection of disconnected screenshots. List:

• Purchase date and amount.
• Date the item or service was due.
• Date you contacted the merchant.
• What the merchant said or promised.
• Date of a return, cancellation, delivery attempt, or refund.
• Date the charge appeared on the first statement.

Match each important event to a supporting document. Keep the explanation factual and chronological.

5. Send written notice to the issuer

Use the billing-inquiries or billing-dispute address on your statement. It may not be the address used for payments. If you can't find the correct address, ask the issuer before sending the letter.

Your notice should contain:

• Your name and mailing address.
• The account number or last four digits, following the issuer's instructions.
• The disputed amount and transaction date.
• The date the first statement containing the error was sent.
• A plain-language explanation of the billing error.
• The steps you took with the merchant, if applicable.
• Copies of the records that support your explanation.
• A request for an investigation and a written outcome.

A phone call may open a case, but don't assume a call alone satisfies the written-notice requirement for a qualifying billing error. Mail the letter early enough for it to reach the issuer before the 60-day deadline. Keep a copy and proof of delivery.

If the issuer expressly accepts a secure online submission for this type of dispute, save the confirmation and a copy of every file you uploaded. Don't send a full card number through ordinary email.

6. Track the investigation

After sending the dispute:

• Save the dispute or case number.
• Check mail, account messages, and the online account for requests for more information.
• Meet any response deadline in the issuer's request.
• Continue paying the portion of the bill you aren't disputing.
• Keep temporary credit separate in your records; it may not be the final result.
• Tell the issuer if the merchant later issues a refund so the account isn't credited twice.

Unless the problem has already been resolved, the issuer should acknowledge a written dispute within 30 days. It should resolve the billing-error investigation within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the dispute.

What to include in the evidence file

Send copies, not irreplaceable originals. Relevant records may include:

• The statement page showing the charge.
• A receipt, invoice, order confirmation, or contract.
• The product description, service terms, or promised delivery date.
• Shipping, tracking, or delivery records.
• A return receipt or cancellation confirmation.
• Emails, chats, texts, or notes from calls with the merchant.
• Proof of a refund promise or credit that never appeared.
• Photos showing the relevant condition of an item, when applicable.
• The timeline linking each document to a date and event.

Attach the records that prove the specific error. A focused file is easier to review than a long set of unrelated screenshots. For security, use the issuer's secure portal or the account details requested in its instructions.

Written chargeback dispute template

Replace the bracketed text and attach copies of your supporting records.

[Your name]
[Mailing address]
[City, state, ZIP code]
[Date]

[Card issuer name]
Billing inquiries address
[Issuer address]

Re: Billing-error dispute for [amount] charged on [date]

Dear [issuer or billing-dispute department]:

I am writing to dispute a charge of [$amount] posted to my account ending in [last four digits]. The charge appears on the statement sent on [statement date].

This charge is a billing error because [briefly explain: I did not authorize it; I was charged the wrong amount; the goods or services were not delivered as agreed; a credit was not posted; or another specific reason].

I contacted [merchant name] on [date] by [email, phone, chat, or other method]. The result was [brief description, or state that the merchant did not resolve the issue].

Please investigate this dispute and correct my account. Please send me written confirmation of the outcome.

Enclosed are copies of [list the most relevant documents].

You can reach me at [phone number] or [email address].

Sincerely,
[Your name]

If the issuer denies the dispute

Read the written outcome before sending another explanation. Identify the reason for the denial and compare it with your records, paying particular attention to the amount, dates, delivery history, cancellation, and refund history.

If the issuer did not provide the information it relied on, ask what documents or facts it used. If the issuer offers an appeal or reconsideration process, follow that process and its stated deadline. Respond point by point with any missing or new evidence rather than repeating the original narrative.

Continue paying undisputed amounts and keep the complete file. If the issuer misses the acknowledgment or resolution timing, record the date it received your letter, the dates of its responses, and your follow-ups. You can ask for a supervisor or the issuer's formal complaint channel and describe the missed step clearly.

The issuer's decision on the card dispute doesn't settle a separate contract dispute with the merchant. If the issue involves the quality of goods, a return policy, or a service agreement, keep those records and check the options available under the contract and applicable state law.

Common mistakes

• Waiting for a merchant's promise while the 60-day period runs out.
• Sending the notice to the payment address instead of the billing-inquiries address.
• Relying only on a phone call when written notice is required.
• Calling an authorized purchase fraud.
• Leaving out the date the first statement was sent.
• Submitting a long narrative without receipts, messages, or delivery records.
• Sending original documents that can't be replaced.
• Stopping payment on the entire bill instead of paying undisputed amounts.
• Treating temporary credit as a final decision.
• Using the credit card deadline for a debit card claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 60-day chargeback deadline based on the purchase date?

For the federal credit card billing-error process, the written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. The deadline isn't simply 60 days from the purchase date.

Do I have to contact the merchant before filing?

Not in every situation. For an authorized purchase problem, such as a missing refund or undelivered order, contacting the merchant is sensible and creates a record. For an unauthorized charge, contact the issuer immediately. Either way, don't let the merchant discussion delay written notice to the issuer.

Can I use this checklist for a debit card charge?

Use the evidence and timeline practices, but not the credit card deadline as a guarantee. Debit-card protections and bank procedures differ. Contact the bank as soon as you notice the problem and ask for its written requirements.

Does filing a chargeback guarantee a refund?

No. The issuer investigates the claim, and the merchant may provide information about the transaction. A refund or account credit depends on the facts, the evidence, the applicable billing-error rules, and the issuer's decision.

What if more than 60 days have passed?

Contact the issuer immediately and explain the circumstances. Ask whether its card agreement or internal policy provides another dispute route, but don't assume the federal billing-error process will still apply. Some issuers may extend the period for a delayed shipment, but that is not something to assume. Give the issuer every relevant date, including the shipment, promised delivery, merchant-contact, and statement dates.

Write down the date of the first statement showing the error. If the 60-day deadline is close, send a concise written notice to the billing-inquiries address and keep proof that the issuer received it.