How To Dispute a Charge on Your Credit Card

Spot a charge you don't recognize? It's worth acting fast. To dispute a credit card charge, review it first, contact the merchant if it's a billing mistake or a purchase gone wrong, and — if that doesn't resolve it — file a dispute with your card issuer within 60 days of the statement date. 

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, that 60-day window lets you challenge a wrong or unauthorized charge, and most disputes wrap up within about 90 days. Here's exactly how the process works, step by step.

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Key Takeaways

• How do you dispute a charge on your credit card? Act fast and review first: Compare the charge against receipts and emails before assuming it's an error — some unfamiliar charges are just oddly coded merchant names.

• Contact the merchant first when it fits: For a billing mistake, wrong amount or undelivered item, the merchant is often the fastest fix.

• File with your issuer if that fails: You can dispute by app, website, phone or in writing, with the charge details and supporting documents.

• The FCBA gives you 60 days: You generally have 60 days from the statement date to dispute a billing error or unauthorized charge — treat it as a hard deadline.

• Your liability is capped at $50: For unauthorized charges, federal law limits you to $50, and most issuers waive even that.

• Resolution takes about 90 days: Issuers must acknowledge within 30 days and resolve within two billing cycles — and buyer's remorse doesn't qualify.

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card?

Step 1: Review the Charge Carefully

To dispute a charge on your credit card, review it carefully first. Merchants don’t always code in plain language on your transaction history; you may spot a company you’ve never heard of, but that doesn’t automatically mean you didn’t make the purchase. 

Compare the charge with receipts, emails and shipping confirmations to try to find the exact amount charged to your statement. Your goal is to confirm whether this is an actual billing problem or something like a forgotten subscription.

Step 2: Contact the Merchant First if Appropriate

If you’ve confirmed that you didn’t make the purchase, it’s for the wrong amount, it’s a billing mistake or there's another qualifying circumstance (we’ll cover these in a minute), contacting the merchant first is often the fastest way to fix it. This can be simpler than a formal dispute. It can lead to a refund or replacement — or simply a corrected charge.

Don’t let the merchant drag out the resolution too long, though. You only have a limited time to file before you lose the ability to challenge the charge, typically 60 days. If the issue isn’t fixed quickly, move on to the next step.

Step 3: File the Dispute With Your Card Issuer

If you’re sure the charge is incorrect and the merchant isn’t satisfying your request, it’s time to file a dispute with your card issuer. You can usually do this either via the financial institution’s app, website or customer service line. You can even send a written request if you prefer.

Be sure to include the charge date, the amount, the merchant name and a clear explanation of the problem. You may also have to manually include the account number, depending on how you’re filing. You should also be given the chance to submit any supporting documentation (receipts, screenshots, emails, etc.).

Starting online or by phone is fine for speed, but following up in writing within the 60-day window is what locks in your full FCBA rights, so keep a dated copy of what you send. And if your issuer denies the dispute and you think it got it wrong, you can escalate by filing a complaint with the CFPB.

Learn More: Who Pays for Credit Card Fraud?

What Charges Can You Dispute?

Of course, not all charges are eligible for dispute. Things like unauthorized, fraudulent or duplicate charges qualify — as do incorrect amounts and payments for goods or services that weren’t properly fulfilled. You can also dispute subscriptions, memberships or other recurring bills that you’ve been charged for even after cancellation.

Keep this simple rule in mind: If a charge doesn’t match what you’ve agreed to or what you received, you may be able to dispute it.

One important exception: Charges that come from letting someone else use your credit card generally don't count as fraud. Because you gave that person permission, you're on the hook for what they spend — even if they went further than you expected.

Can You Dispute a Charge You Willingly Paid For? 

Just because you’ve willingly initiated a transaction doesn’t mean your right to dispute is gone. You may still encounter billing errors, duplicate charges, or defective products or services.

Buyer’s remorse, on the other hand, is not grounds for dispute. If you later decide that you don’t want a product, even though the merchant honored its part of the deal, it’s not a valid dispute.

The FCBA 60-Day Window and What It Means

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) generally gives you 60 days from your statement date to dispute billing errors and unauthorized charges. Once that window closes, things get more complicated.

Even if your credit card network or issuer gives you a longer window to dispute, it’s still wise to address the problem as soon as you notice it. Best practice is to treat the 60-day period as a hard deadline and initiate the dispute process immediately.

The FCBA does more than set a deadline — it also caps your liability. For unauthorized charges, federal law limits what you owe to $50, and most major issuers waive even that with $0-liability policies. Reporting quickly is what keeps you protected.

How Long Does It Take To Dispute a Charge?

It usually takes up to 30 days for your issuer to let you know they’ve received your dispute. It can then take up to two billing cycles to finish the investigation. Expect around 90 days to button the situation up, assuming you’re swift in giving the issuer all the supporting documentation it requests.

Some issuers may credit your account while they review the charge, but that doesn’t mean the problem is resolved. Depending on what the merchant provides and what your documents show, they may take the money back. However, they can’t take legal action against you as long as your claim is still pending.

Learn More: How To Dispute a Debit Card Charge

What Documentation Helps Your Case?

Thorough documentation can make your dispute much stronger. Keep meticulous records, including:

• Copies of receipts

• Invoices

• Screenshots

• Cancellation confirmations

• Shipping records

• Emails or chats with the merchant

Common Dispute Scenarios

Here are some common dispute-worthy scenarios to watch for:

• Fraud or an unauthorized charge — often the result of common credit card scams like skimming or phishing — is the clearest case for a dispute

• A duplicate charge

• The wrong amount charged

• An item that never arrived

• A subscription that continued debiting your card after cancellation

• A service or product that was not delivered as promised

If the charge does not line up with what you agreed to and what you actually received, it may be worth disputing.

What Happens After You File?

After you file a dispute, your credit card issuer will investigate. It will likely ask the merchant to respond to the “allegations.” Pending the merchant’s response, the charge will either be removed or stay in place if the issuer decides the merchant’s records trump yours.

Be sure to respond as soon as possible if the issuer asks you for more information — and remember to keep copies of everything you submit.

Bottom Line 

The best way to dispute a credit card charge: quickly. Figure out whether the issue is fraud, a billing mistake or a merchant dispute. Then immediately reach out to the merchant and the issuer (whichever becomes necessary) before the FCBA filing window closes.

Disputing a charge is a reactive fix. To reduce unauthorized charges in the first place, build a few fraud prevention tips into your routine — like transaction alerts and strong, unique passwords.

Key Terms

• Credit card dispute: A formal challenge to a charge you believe is wrong, unauthorized or unfulfilled.

• Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA): The federal law giving you 60 days to dispute billing errors and unauthorized charges.

• Billing error: A wrong amount, duplicate charge or charge for goods not delivered as agreed.

• Unauthorized charge: A transaction you didn't make or approve.

• Chargeback: The reversal of a charge when a dispute is resolved in your favor.

• Provisional credit: A temporary refund some issuers apply while investigating.

• Billing cycle: The monthly statement period; issuers must resolve disputes within two of them.

• Zero-liability policy: An issuer protection that covers unauthorized charges beyond the FCBA's $50 cap.

Sources

• FTC: Disputing Credit Card Charges

• CFPB: Submit a complaint

• Cornell Legal Information Institute: 15 U.S.C. § 1666 — Correction of billing errors

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

FAQs About Disputing a Credit Card Charge 

How do I dispute a charge on my credit card?

Start by reviewing the charge against your receipts and emails to confirm it's really an error. If it is, contact the merchant first when appropriate, and if that doesn't fix it, file a dispute with your issuer by app, phone or in writing — with the date, amount, merchant and a clear explanation.

Can I dispute a credit card charge that I willingly paid for? 

Yes, in some cases. If a product arrived damaged, never showed up or you were double-charged, you have grounds to dispute. You can't dispute a charge just because you changed your mind — buyer's remorse doesn't qualify.

How long does it take to resolve a dispute?

Expect about 90 days. Your issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles. Some issuers apply a temporary credit while they investigate, though they can reverse it if the merchant's records win out.

How long do I have to dispute a charge?

The FCBA gives you 60 days from the date of the first statement that shows the error. Your issuer may allow more time, but it's wise to treat the 60-day window as a hard deadline and file as soon as you notice the problem.

Should I contact the merchant before disputing a charge?

Yes, you should contact the merchant before disputing the charge. If it’s a legitimate issue, they should be able to make it right. If they’re dragging their feet or not acting in good faith, it’s worth escalating it to your issuer.

What if my bank denies the dispute?

Ask for a written explanation and the documents the issuer relied on, then re-dispute with any new evidence. If you believe the issuer mishandled it, you can escalate by filing a complaint with the CFPB.

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