If a credit card charge is wrong, unauthorized, or for something you did not receive as agreed, call the card company now and send a written billing-error notice within 60 calendar days after the charge first appeared on your statement. Start by saving the statement, receipt, order details, and messages with the seller; then contact the seller if the problem is a purchase issue.
A dispute asks your card issuer to investigate a charge. It is not a shortcut for changing your mind about a purchase, but it can be important when the charge is genuinely wrong or the seller will not fix a qualifying problem.
When can you dispute a credit card charge?
The Federal Trade Commission says credit-card billing errors include an unauthorized charge, a wrong amount, duplicate-type billing mistakes, and charges for items you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed.
| Problem | What to keep |
|---|---|
| You do not recognize the charge | The statement entry, date, amount, and anything showing it was not authorized |
| The amount is wrong or charged twice | Receipt, order confirmation, and statement entries |
| Your order never arrived or was not delivered as agreed | Order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking, and seller messages |
| A seller will not correct a purchase problem | Your request for a refund and the seller’s response |
A quality dispute is specific. A dispute about item quality is not automatically a Fair Credit Billing Act billing error, so describe the actual issue and keep the documents that show it.
What should you do first?
- Check the charge. Match the date and amount against receipts, subscriptions, and authorized-user purchases.
- Contact the seller for a purchase problem. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says to ask the company to refund the money or undo the charge first.
- Call the card issuer promptly. Tell it the date, amount, merchant, and reason.
- Send written notice. Send it to the billing-disputes, errors, or inquiries address—not the payment address—within 60 days after the first statement showing the error.
- Keep copies and dates. Save your letter, attachments, confirmation, and notes from every call.
If an online order never arrived, the FTC says you can dispute it with the card company and should also send the written notice to protect your rights. For more record-keeping detail, use this credit dispute record checklist.
What should you say in a dispute?
Keep it brief and factual. You can say: “I am disputing the charge of [amount] from [merchant] that appeared on my [statement date]. The problem is [unauthorized / wrong amount / duplicate / item not received as agreed]. I contacted the seller on [date] and [result]. I am enclosing [list of documents]. Please investigate and correct the billing error.”
Do not exaggerate or label a charge unauthorized if you or an authorized user made it. A credit-card dispute is not automatically a felony, but your notice should be truthful and match your records.
What evidence helps most?
Use documents that let the issuer compare the transaction with what you agreed to buy. That can include:
- The statement with the disputed charge marked
- Order confirmation, receipt, cancellation, or return record
- Delivery promise, tracking information, or proof of non-delivery
- Emails, chats, or letters with the seller
- A timeline with dates, names, and what happened
For an online purchase, the FTC specifically recommends keeping order confirmations, receipts, tracking numbers, shipping promises, and communications with the seller. If the problem involves an online health-product purchase, this online purchase returns guide can help you organize the refund and chargeback steps.
What happens after you send the letter?
The CFPB says the issuer generally must acknowledge your written dispute within 30 days unless it has already completed the required resolution steps. It must resolve the matter within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days, after receiving your letter.
During the investigation, the FTC says you do not have to pay the disputed amount and related finance or other charges. You still need to pay the undisputed part of the bill. If the issuer finds the charge was correct, it must explain its decision in writing and state what you owe and when payment is due. If it finds you were right, the charge must be removed.
Are disputes usually successful? Can a merchant win?
There is no outcome you can count on. The issuer reviews the reason for the dispute and the information available. A seller’s records can matter, and the issuer can decide that the bill is correct. Your best approach is not a script or a “winning” trick: report the real problem promptly, use the correct written process, and send clear records.
What are the downsides?
The main risk is missing the written-notice deadline or leaving the undisputed balance unpaid. If you have already paid the disputed charge, the CFPB says you can still dispute it, though you may not receive money back until the issuer decides you were right. A dispute can also take up to the time allowed for the investigation, so keep following the issuer’s instructions and save every update.
What if this is Chase or another issuer?
The federal written-notice rule applies to the billing-error process, but each issuer may also offer an online or phone workflow. The CFPB says to call the card company right away, then send the written notice within the 60-day period to protect your rights. For Chase, use the contact and billing-inquiry information shown on your own statement or card agreement; the same approach applies to other issuers.
Before you send a dispute
- Confirm the merchant name and ask authorized users about the charge.
- Try the seller first when the issue is a product or service problem.
- Do not wait for a slow seller response if the 60-day deadline is approaching.
- Mail the written notice to the billing-disputes address shown by your issuer.
- Keep paying the portion of your bill you are not disputing.
- If identity theft may be involved, see these identity theft recovery steps.
By LegalHelpOnline.org Editorial Team