If a U.S. credit card statement shows a charge you didn't make, a duplicate, a wrong amount, a missing payment credit, or an order not delivered as agreed, find the statement first. The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) process generally uses the first statement that showed the error, not the purchase date.
Call the issuer promptly if fraud or account security is the concern. Then send written notice to the billing-error address. A phone call can start an investigation, but it may not preserve your formal FCBA rights or guarantee an automatic refund.
This guidance covers personal consumer credit cards in the United States. Debit cards, business accounts, prepaid cards, and payment apps can follow different rules.
Start by naming the problem
The label matters. The federal billing-error rule is 12 C.F.R. 1026.13, part of Regulation Z, and it lists the categories covered by the notice and investigation process.
Describe what happened rather than choosing the most dramatic label. A purchase that went wrong is not automatically fraud.
| Problem | When it may fit | First move |
|---|---|---|
| Unauthorized charge | The extension of credit was not made by you or someone authorized to use the account | Call the issuer and secure the account |
| Wrong amount or duplicate charge | The statement may contain a computational or similar accounting error | Compare the statement with your receipt or order |
| Payment or credit missing | The creditor failed to credit a payment or other credit properly | Gather the payment confirmation and statement |
| Charge you cannot identify | The transaction may not be properly identified on the statement | Check the merchant name, then ask the issuer to investigate |
| Goods or services not delivered as agreed | The goods or services were not accepted or were not delivered according to the agreement, a listed billing-error category | Contact the merchant in writing and save the response |
| Purchase you simply regret | A change of mind, without another billing error, generally is not enough | Check the merchant's return or cancellation terms |
Fraud and merchant disputes are different. If you authorized the purchase but the order went wrong, describe the delivery, cancellation, duplicate, or amount problem instead.
The FCBA deadlines that matter
Mark the date on the first statement showing the error. The main written-notice deadline generally runs for 60 days after the issuer sent that statement.
| Step | Federal timing | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Written billing-error notice | Within 60 days | The issuer must receive it at the billing-error address on the statement |
| Written acknowledgment | Within 30 days | The issuer must acknowledge the notice unless it resolves the matter sooner |
| Investigation and decision | Within two complete billing cycles, and no later than 90 days | The issuer must correct the error or explain why it found no error |
| Payment during review | By each due date | Pay the part of the balance you are not disputing |
The FCBA does not require an automatic seven-day or 10-business-day temporary credit. An issuer may provide provisional credit under its own procedures and later reverse it if the claim is denied.
Thing is, waiting for temporary credit does not pause the 60-day clock. Send the notice on time.
How to file a credit card billing dispute
Use the phone system for urgent account protection, then handle the formal dispute in writing. Short, specific records usually help more than a long phone conversation.
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Find the statement. Record its date, the transaction date, merchant name, amount, and precise reason for the dispute. Check whether an authorized user made the purchase.
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Call the issuer promptly. Report suspected fraud, ask whether the card should be locked or replaced, and write down the case number. Treat the call as a first step, not as your FCBA notice.
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Write to the merchant about an order problem. Ask for a refund or correction if an item was not delivered, a service was canceled, or the amount is wrong. Save the reply.
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Use the correct issuer address. Send the notice to the billing-inquiries or billing-error address printed on the statement. That may not be the address used for payments.
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Explain the disputed charge clearly. Include your account number, disputed amount, statement date, transaction details, and the reason you believe a billing error occurred.
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Attach focused evidence. Include the relevant statement page, receipt, order confirmation, cancellation record, delivery information, or merchant messages. Keep the originals.
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Pay what you do not dispute. You can withhold the disputed amount while the issuer investigates. Keep paying the rest by each due date.
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Track everything. Save the letter, delivery proof, upload confirmation, call dates, case number, and issuer responses. Keep the file even if the issuer gives temporary credit.
An app or online dispute may begin an investigation, and some issuers accept electronic notices. If you want to rely on the FCBA procedure, follow the statement's written-notice instructions.
A billing-error letter you can adapt
Keep the letter factual. Identify the statement, charge, and exact problem.
[Date]
[Issuer name]
Billing error inquiries
[Address printed on your statement]
Re: Account ending in [last four digits]
Billing error for [merchant], [transaction date], [$ amount]
I am writing to notify you of a billing error under the Fair Credit Billing Act and
12 C.F.R. 1026.13.
The statement dated [statement date] shows a charge of [$ amount] from [merchant].
I dispute this charge because [brief, specific explanation].
I [did not make or authorize this charge / was charged twice / was charged the wrong
amount / did not receive the goods or services as agreed / made a payment that was
not credited].
I contacted the merchant on [date] by [method]. The response was [brief result], or
I was unable to resolve the matter with the merchant.
Please investigate and correct the account. If you conclude that no billing error
occurred, please provide the written explanation and the documents supporting that
conclusion.
I will pay the undisputed portion of my account by the required due dates.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Mailing address]
[Phone or email]
[Signature, if mailing]Send the notice in a way that leaves delivery evidence. Keep the exact letter, tracking record or upload confirmation, and statement page together.
Dates matter. Keep the originals.
What happens while the issuer investigates
The disputed amount and the rest of the account are handled separately. You may withhold the amount in dispute while continuing to pay amounts you are not challenging.
| Situation | Practical response |
|---|---|
| The issuer gives temporary credit | Treat it as provisional; the issuer may reverse it after a denial |
| The issuer asks for more information | Reply by the stated deadline and keep a copy |
| The merchant issues a refund | Tell the issuer so the account is not credited twice |
| The due date arrives | Pay the undisputed amount on time |
| The issuer reports the disputed amount as delinquent | Contact the issuer promptly and preserve the dispute records |
After receiving a qualifying billing-error notice, the creditor generally may not try to collect the disputed amount or report it as delinquent because you did not pay that amount while the matter is unresolved. That protection does not cover undisputed amounts.
A dispute alone is not a credit-score event. A late payment on the rest of the bill can still cause trouble.
Fraud claims need quick action
An unfamiliar merchant name is not proof of an unauthorized charge. Check subscriptions, household users, receipts, and the merchant's parent company before reporting fraud.
Turns out, the result can depend on what happened, when you reported it, and whether the physical card was lost or stolen. Federal rules can limit liability for unauthorized credit card use, and an issuer may offer stronger zero-liability protection.
For a lost or stolen card, the FTC's guidance on lost or stolen cards recommends contacting the issuer promptly and sending written details. Include the account number, when you noticed the card was missing, and when you first reported the loss.
Debit-card timing is different. Do not import a debit-card rule into a credit-card claim.
If you authorized the purchase but disliked the product, use the delivery, cancellation, duplicate-charge, or wrong-amount facts instead of calling it fraud.
If the issuer denies the dispute
A denial is not the end of the file. Read the explanation and answer the specific point the issuer made.
| What to check | What to do next |
|---|---|
| The 60-day deadline or receipt date | Compare the first statement date with your delivery proof |
| The merchant's evidence | Ask the issuer for the supporting documents and respond to the specific evidence |
| Authorization | Explain who had access to the account and provide relevant account records |
| Delivery, cancellation, or amount | Send the receipt, cancellation confirmation, delivery record, or payment proof that addresses the weakness |
| The closed case | Ask how to appeal or reopen it, and include the original case number |
The FCBA process lets you request, in writing, the documents the issuer relied on in deciding that no error occurred. Use the issuer's correspondence address and keep a copy of the request.
You can submit a credit card complaint through the CFPB complaint portal if the issuer mishandled the process. Companies generally respond within 15 days, but a complaint does not guarantee a refund or extend the FCBA deadline.
To be honest, an appeal works best when it fixes a factual gap. Repeating the original request usually adds little.
Refunds, chargebacks, and FCBA notices are different
A merchant refund, a card-network chargeback, and an FCBA notice are separate routes. They can overlap, but they do not have the same source of authority.
| Route | Controlled by | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| FCBA billing-error notice | Federal law and Regulation Z | Written notice is generally due within 60 days of the first statement showing the error |
| Network chargeback | Card-network rules and the issuer's procedures | The issuer may use a separate process with its own requirements and timing |
| Merchant refund | Merchant policy, order terms, or contract | Ask the merchant directly and keep proof of the request |
| CFPB complaint | Federal consumer complaint process | It can prompt a company response but is not an automatic charge reversal |
Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards do not create three different federal FCBA deadlines for qualifying personal credit card billing errors. An issuer may also use a network chargeback process, so ask which route, deadline, and evidence requirements apply to your case.
Questions readers often have
Is a phone call enough to dispute a credit card charge?
Not if you want to rely on the FCBA's formal written-notice process. Call immediately for fraud or account security, then write to the billing-inquiries address on the statement.
Do I have to contact the merchant first?
For a delivery or service problem, contacting the merchant is sensible and creates useful evidence. Do not let an unanswered merchant request push you beyond the issuer's 60-day notice deadline.
Does the issuer have to give provisional credit?
No automatic FCBA provisional-credit deadline applies to every dispute. An issuer may give temporary credit under its own procedures and later remove it after a denial.
What if I missed the 60-day deadline?
Contact the issuer anyway and report the problem immediately. Ask whether it can investigate under its own policy or a network process, but understand that missing the deadline can weaken your federal billing-error protections.
Can I use this process for a debit card?
No. Debit cards generally fall under electronic fund transfer rules, not the credit card billing-error process described here. Start with the bank or credit union and identify the payment type before relying on a deadline.
Find the statement that first showed the charge, mark its date, and locate the billing-error address. Then send a focused written notice before the 60-day window closes.