Start the dispute with the bank or card issuer that processed the payment. Visa and Mastercard generally don't take consumer chargebacks directly from cardholders; they set dispute categories and deadlines that issuers apply. PayPal has its own Resolution Center. The right first step depends on how you paid.

For U.S. consumers, the payment method controls the deadline.

Identify the payment method first

For a U.S. credit card, the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on disputing charges says written notice should reach the issuer within 60 days after the bill with the error was sent. The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days, unless it has already corrected the problem.

That 60-day period runs from the statement or mailing date described by the issuer, not the purchase date. It also doesn't set the deadline for every card-network claim, debit-card dispute, or PayPal case.

When a chargeback may be appropriate

A dispute is strongest when the transaction fits a recognized billing or payment problem and your evidence supports the facts. Common examples include:

• An unauthorized transaction you didn't make or approve.
• A duplicate charge or an amount that differs from what you agreed to pay.
• Goods that were never delivered.
• A service or event that wasn't provided.
• A returned item for which the merchant promised a refund but didn't issue one.
• A recurring charge made after you clearly canceled the subscription.
• Goods that are materially different from the description or defective, after you've given the merchant a reasonable opportunity to address the issue.

A chargeback isn't a general dissatisfaction or buyer's-remorse remedy. A change of mind, a disclosed cancellation fee, or a delivery that's still within the promised time may not support a successful dispute. Don't describe an authorized purchase as fraud simply because the merchant refused a refund. Choose the factual reason that best matches what occurred.

The issuer, card network, PayPal, or applicable law may impose additional conditions. Your card agreement and the instructions for your particular transaction control.

Checks to make before filing

1. Confirm the transaction details

Look at the statement, receipt, and merchant descriptor. Some businesses bill under a parent company or payment processor name. Check with other authorized users on the account before reporting a charge as unauthorized.

For a subscription, compare the cancellation date with the disputed renewal. For an online purchase, compare the promised delivery date with the tracking history.

2. Contact the merchant when it's safe and practical

Ask the merchant to correct the problem or issue a refund, and keep a record of the request. The FTC says contacting the seller may help with problems such as non-delivery, overcharging, returns, and unauthorized purchases.

Merchant contact isn't a universal substitute for notifying your issuer. If you're relying on the U.S. credit-card billing-error procedure, don't wait for the merchant's response until the 60-day notice period has passed. For suspected fraud, contact the issuer's fraud department first rather than sharing information with an untrusted seller.

3. Preserve your records

Save the original statement, order confirmation, terms shown at checkout, cancellation confirmation, emails, chat transcripts, delivery records, return tracking, and photographs. Take screenshots that show the date and the full page where possible.

Keep your originals. Send copies through the issuer's secure upload or the address it provides.

4. Put the deadline on your calendar

Record:

• The date the charge first appeared on your statement.
• The date you contacted the merchant.
• The issuer's deadline for written notice.
• The dispute reference number.
• Any date by which the issuer requests more information.

Evidence that fits the reason for the dispute

A short timeline is often more useful than a large folder of unrelated screenshots:

1. You ordered or authorized the transaction on a specific date.
2. The goods or service were supposed to arrive or occur on a specific date.
3. The problem occurred.
4. You contacted the merchant and explained what happened.
5. The merchant failed to correct the problem, or the response didn't match the agreement.
6. You're asking the issuer to correct the specific charge.

How to file a credit-card dispute

1. Call the issuer promptly

Use the phone number on the back of the card or the issuer's official app. Explain whether the issue is fraud, non-delivery, a duplicate charge, a missing refund, or another billing error.

Ask:

• Whether the issuer wants the dispute submitted online, by mail, or both.
• Where written billing-error notices must be sent.
• What evidence is needed.
• Whether there is a separate fraud process.
• When you should expect an acknowledgment or request for more information.

A phone report is useful for speed, but it may not replace the written notice required for federal credit-card billing-error protections.

2. Send a clear written notice

For a U.S. credit-card billing error, send the notice so it reaches the issuer within the applicable 60-day period. Use the billing-inquiries address on your statement, which may differ from the address used for payments.

Include your name, account information requested by the issuer, the disputed amount, the transaction date, the merchant, the reason for the dispute, and the correction you want. The FTC sample letter for disputing card charges provides a useful structure.

3. Attach focused evidence

Label each attachment and refer to it in the letter. For example, use Attachment 1 for the order confirmation, Attachment 2 for tracking showing no delivery, and Attachment 3 for an email sent to the merchant.

Don't send your only copy. Don't include a full card number in an ordinary email. Use the secure method or mailing instructions provided by the issuer.

4. Save proof of submission

Keep a copy of the letter, attachments, delivery confirmation, upload receipt, call dates, employee names if available, and dispute number. If the issuer says it didn't receive the notice, these records help establish when and how you submitted it.

5. Respond to follow-up requests

An issuer may ask for more information or send the merchant's response for review. Answer by the stated deadline and correct any factual mistake. Keep the response limited to the disputed transaction.

A temporary credit, if provided, isn't necessarily the final result. Monitor the account until the issuer confirms the decision.

6. Review the decision

If the issuer denies the dispute or removes a temporary credit, ask for the reason in writing and the next deadline. Check whether the issue was late notice, insufficient evidence, a merchant refund, or a finding that the transaction didn't meet the applicable dispute category.

If the issuer permits reconsideration, submit targeted evidence that addresses that reason rather than repeating the original complaint.

Simple dispute-letter structure

Adapt the following to the issuer's instructions:

Subject: Billing dispute for [amount] charged by [merchant] on [date]

Dear Billing Inquiries Department:

I am writing to dispute a charge of [amount] to my [credit card] account. The charge from [merchant] appeared on my statement dated [statement date].

Reason for dispute: [goods not received, duplicate charge, unauthorized transaction, refund not received, or other accurate description].

Timeline:

• Transaction or order date: [date]
• Expected delivery or service date: [date]
• Contact with merchant: [dates and results]

I am requesting that the issuer correct this billing error. I have attached copies of [list of documents].

Please send written confirmation of this dispute to [mailing address or secure account address].

Sincerely, [name] [account details requested by the issuer]

For suspected fraud, use the issuer's designated fraud form or secure channel if it requires one. Don't add a police report unless the issuer requests it or it is relevant to the circumstances.

What happens after you file

The usual sequence is:

1. The issuer records and reviews your dispute.
2. It may request more information or provide a temporary credit.
3. The issuer or its processing bank asks the merchant for transaction records.
4. The merchant may accept the dispute or submit a response.
5. The issuer evaluates the evidence and applies the relevant card or account rules.
6. The issuer communicates the outcome and adjusts any temporary credit.

The merchant's response may include delivery confirmation, an authorization record, cancellation terms, proof of a refund, or communications with you. A merchant response doesn't automatically win the case, just as filing a dispute doesn't automatically win yours.

Visa and Mastercard network procedures use transaction-specific categories and deadlines. There isn't one universal 120-day rule that applies identically to every dispute. Your issuer should tell you which deadline and documents apply to your transaction.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and PayPal differences

Visa and Mastercard

Begin with the issuer, not the card network. You generally don't submit a consumer chargeback directly to Visa or Mastercard. Describe the problem in plain language and let the issuer assign the applicable category.

Ask whether the issuer needs a written billing-error notice, a fraud affidavit, merchant-contact records, or other documents. Don't guess at a network reason code or choose fraud when the purchase was authorized.

American Express

American Express accepts disputes through its online or app-based tools and may request detailed supporting information. Its U.S. dispute guidance says the issuer may take 30 days to confirm receipt and may use up to two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days, to resolve certain disputes.

Keep cancellation emails and other records showing what you told the merchant. The exact process can depend on the type of charge and the account terms.

PayPal

A PayPal dispute is separate from a bank or card-issuer chargeback. For an eligible PayPal transaction, start in the Resolution Center and follow the deadline in the transaction's terms. PayPal's Buyer Protection policy states that a dispute must generally be opened within 180 days of payment and, for some orders, within 30 days of delivery or fulfillment, whichever is sooner.

PayPal describes an initial dispute period, usually 20 days, before a dispute can be escalated to a claim. If it becomes a claim, the seller generally has 10 days to respond, and PayPal says a decision often takes about 30 days, although complex cases can take longer. The PayPal explanation of disputes, claims, and chargebacks describes that process.

If you paid PayPal with a credit card, ask both PayPal and the card issuer which route applies before opening overlapping cases. Tell each provider about any refund or temporary credit you receive.

Tips for common dispute scenarios

Online orders and non-delivery

Save the promised delivery date, tracking history, seller messages, and the product page. A package marked delivered may require additional explanation, such as an incorrect address or carrier investigation. Don't claim non-delivery while the promised delivery window is still open unless the seller has already confirmed a problem.

Recurring subscriptions

Save the cancellation method, date, confirmation email, and account settings page. A renewal you forgot about isn't automatically an unauthorized transaction. Your evidence should show the cancellation or a charge that continued after the merchant confirmed cancellation.

Travel bookings

Keep the booking confirmation, cancellation policy, provider notices, refund promise, and records of the scheduled travel date. A chargeback doesn't automatically override a disclosed fare, hotel, or event policy. Focus on a canceled service, a promised refund that wasn't delivered, or a material failure to provide the purchased service.

Defective or misrepresented goods

Photograph the item and preserve the listing, invoice, warranty terms, and messages with the merchant. Explain the specific difference or defect and document any return, repair, or replacement attempt.

Digital products and cryptocurrency

For digital goods, save the invoice, download or access error, account messages, and the provider's response. For a cryptocurrency purchase, preserve the platform record and transaction hash, but understand that a card dispute addresses the card payment, not later movement on a blockchain. Contact the card issuer or platform promptly and describe whether the card payment itself was unauthorized or not delivered as agreed.

Avoid chargeback scams and preventable mistakes

Be cautious of anyone who promises a guaranteed win, asks for an upfront fee to unlock a refund, or wants your card login, one-time passcode, or remote access. No outside service can change the issuer's evidence requirements or guarantee an outcome.

Common mistakes include:

• Waiting for a merchant response until the applicable deadline expires.
• Sending only a phone complaint when written notice is required.
• Selecting fraud for a recognized purchase.
• Submitting a long, disorganized evidence file with no timeline.
• Ignoring an issuer's request for information.
• Treating a temporary credit as permanent.
• Filing duplicate claims without telling the providers involved.
• Sharing full card details through an ordinary email or an unsolicited message.

Use the number on the card or the official app. If you were targeted by a scam or illegal business practice, the FTC's contact guidance directs consumers to its fraud-reporting resources.

Common questions

Is contacting the merchant required before a chargeback?

There isn't one universal requirement for every payment method and dispute type. Contacting the merchant can produce a quick refund and creates useful evidence, and the FTC says it may help. For a formal credit-card billing-error dispute, don't delay written notice while waiting for the merchant.

Does every card dispute have a 120-day deadline?

No. Deadlines vary by payment method, account terms, transaction category, and the applicable network process. For U.S. credit-card billing-error protections, the FTC describes a 60-day written-notice period measured from the statement showing the error. PayPal has separate policy deadlines.

How long does a chargeback take?

A credit-card issuer generally must acknowledge a qualifying written billing-error complaint within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days under the FTC-described process. Actual card-network handling can vary. PayPal says its claim process often takes about 30 days, with complex cases taking longer.

What if my dispute is denied?

Ask for the decision and reason in writing, check the issuer's reconsideration deadline, and submit focused evidence addressing the stated problem. Keep all records. If the issue involves fraud or a scam, report it through the issuer's official fraud channel and the FTC's reporting resources.

Start with the record that controls the deadline

Find the statement or transaction record that shows the charge. Write down the statement date, transaction date, amount, merchant descriptor, and payment method. If the 60-day credit-card billing-error period may apply, calendar that date before you wait for the merchant.