If a credit card charge is unauthorized, duplicated, for the wrong amount, or tied to goods or services that never arrived, contact the card issuer promptly. For a qualifying billing error under the U.S. Fair Credit Billing Act, written notice generally must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

A phone call or in-app dispute can open the file. It does not replace the written notice those federal billing-error protections require. The Federal Trade Commission's guide to disputing credit card charges covers the basic procedure.

The rules below are for U.S. consumer credit cards. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and payment apps can follow different processes and deadlines.

What a chargeback dispute covers

A chargeback is an issuer-led review of a card transaction. You ask the bank or card issuer to investigate. The issuer may contact the seller and then decide whether a credit or reversal is appropriate. You don't file the claim with Visa or Mastercard.

A dispute may be appropriate when:

• You did not make or authorize the transaction.
• The merchant charged the wrong amount or billed you twice.
• An item or service was never delivered.
• You returned an item, but the promised credit never posted.
• The goods were damaged or materially different from the description, and you couldn't resolve it with the seller.

U.S. Bank lists those as examples of situations in which a card dispute may be appropriate.

A chargeback is not a substitute for a store return policy. A change of mind, or dissatisfaction alone, does not guarantee a reversal. The issuer will weigh the facts, the transaction type, your account agreement, and the seller's response.

A merchant refund and a chargeback are also different. A refund is issued by the seller through the original payment method. A chargeback runs through the issuer. If the seller later refunds the same transaction, tell the issuer so the file can be closed without duplicate credits.

Credit card and debit card rules are different

The federal deadlines below apply to the written billing-error process for qualifying U.S. credit-card disputes:

That 60-day clock is tied to the first statement containing the error, not the day you noticed it. If you're close to the deadline, send the written notice first and keep collecting documents afterward.

Visa and Mastercard rules can govern how the issuer and merchant handle a chargeback. Merchant response windows are not your consumer deadline. Start with the issuer listed on the back of your card.

How to dispute a credit card charge

1. Check the transaction before calling it fraud

Look at the merchant name, amount, date, and receipt. Billing descriptors often use a company name that doesn't match the storefront or website. Check whether another authorized user made the purchase, or whether the charge is a recurring subscription you already know about.

If it still looks unauthorized, call the number on the back of the card. Ask the issuer to secure the account and tell you what it needs for an unauthorized-transaction report. Don't wait until every document is in hand.

2. Contact the seller when it makes sense

The FTC's sample dispute letter recommends contacting the seller about problems such as non-delivery, overcharges, returned goods, or a purchase you didn't make.

A seller can sometimes post a refund faster than an issuer can complete a dispute. Ask for a specific remedy and keep a record of:

• The date and method of contact
• The representative's name or case number
• What the seller promised
• Any return, cancellation, or refund confirmation
• The date a credit was supposed to appear

Don't delay a fraud report while you wait for the merchant. If contacting the seller is unsafe or the seller is unreachable, say that clearly to the issuer.

3. Notify the card issuer promptly

Call the issuer or use its official app to open a dispute. Give the exact transaction details and explain why the charge is incorrect.

Ask:

1. Is this being handled as a billing error, an unauthorized transaction, or another type of card dispute?
2. What is the deadline?
3. Where is the billing-inquiries address for written notices?
4. What documents are required?
5. What is the case number?

Write the answers down. A phone call is useful for speed and account security. For the federal credit-card billing-error process, you still need written notice.

4. Send a written dispute notice

Address the letter to the issuer's billing-inquiries department, using the dispute address on your statement or in the issuer's instructions. If the statement lists a separate payment address, don't treat that as the billing-error destination.

The issuer must receive the notice within the applicable 60-day period. Keep a copy of the letter, the attachments, and proof you sent it. Send copies, not irreplaceable originals.

Credit card dispute letter template

Subject: Billing-error dispute for [amount] on [date]

I am writing to dispute a charge on my [credit card] account.

Account: [account number or last four digits, as requested by the issuer]
Merchant: [merchant name]
Transaction date: [date]
Amount: [$amount]

I believe this charge is an error because [brief, factual explanation]. For example: I did not authorize the transaction; the item was not delivered; I was charged twice; or I returned the item and did not receive the promised credit.

I contacted the merchant on [date] by [phone, email, or other method]. The result was [brief description], or I could not reach the merchant.

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

Enclosures: [list receipts, statements, correspondence, delivery records, return records, or other documents]

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Mailing address]
[Phone or email]

The FTC's sample letter uses the same core pieces: the disputed amount, card account, transaction date, explanation, and supporting documents.

5. Send focused evidence

Give the issuer a timeline it can follow. Include only records tied to the disputed charge, such as:

• The statement page showing the transaction
• The order confirmation, receipt, invoice, or contract
• Messages with the seller
• Delivery or tracking information
• Return receipts and refund confirmations
• Photos showing damage or a material difference from the description
• A cancellation confirmation for a returned or canceled transaction
• The issuer's case number and notes from phone calls

For an unauthorized charge, say when you noticed it and when you reported it. For non-delivery, show the expected delivery date and any tracking result. For a missing refund, show both the return or cancellation record and the seller's promise to credit the account.

A short chronology usually beats a large, unsorted file. Keep the originals. Redact extra personal information from copies when you can.

6. Pay the undisputed part of the bill

Keep watching the account and follow the issuer's instructions while the investigation is open. Pay amounts that aren't part of the dispute. Filing a dispute does not, by itself, pause the rest of the bill or the minimum payment.

Ask how the disputed amount will appear during the review. Save each statement until the matter is closed.

7. Track the response

For a qualifying written credit-card billing-error notice, the issuer generally must:

• Acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days, unless it resolves the issue sooner
• Complete the investigation and resolve the dispute within 90 days of receiving the complaint

If no acknowledgment arrives, contact the issuer and refer to the date it received your letter. Keep copies of every response.

What happens if the dispute is denied?

A denial is not the last word. Read the explanation and identify the stated reason. Ask what documents or transaction information the issuer relied on, then compare that with what you already sent.

If something was missing, such as a return receipt or a written refund promise, send it. Ask whether the issuer has an appeal, reconsideration, supervisor review, or formal complaint process, and keep a timeline of contacts and submissions.

If the issuer says the claim does not qualify as a federal billing error, ask whether it was reviewed under another card-dispute procedure and what deadline applies. If you believe a timely written notice was ignored, or important evidence was skipped, request a formal escalation and keep the paper trail. For a high-value or unusually complex matter, consider advice from a qualified consumer-law professional.

Mistakes that can weaken a card dispute

Waiting for months after the error appears on a statement is the most common problem. Relying only on a phone call is another, if you need the federal credit-card billing-error process. Use the billing-inquiries address the issuer actually supplies, not the payment address.

State what happened, when it happened, and what correction you want. Before you label a familiar merchant name as fraud, check receipts, authorized users, and recurring payments. Send a short chronology and relevant evidence, not a huge unrelated file, and keep original documents.

Don't assume debit and credit cards have identical protections; ask the bank which process and deadline apply. If the seller later posts a refund, tell the issuer.

The next step

Pull the statement that first showed the charge, confirm the merchant name, date, and amount, and contact the issuer today. If this is a U.S. credit card billing error, prepare written notice for the billing-inquiries address and make sure it arrives within 60 days of that statement being sent.

This is general U.S. consumer information, not legal advice. Your card agreement, account type, and transaction details may affect the available process.