How to Dispute a Charge on Your Card (US)

The two laws that protect you

Two federal statutes cover card disputes in the US, and which one applies depends entirely on the type of card you used.

Credit cards — Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) The FCBA (15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.), implemented as Regulation Z, gives you the right to dispute billing errors on credit cards. "Billing error" is broadly defined: it includes unauthorized charges, charges for the wrong amount, charges for goods never delivered or materially different from what was advertised, and math errors on your statement. You have 60 days from the statement date on which the charge first appeared to send your written dispute. Miss that window and you generally lose FCBA protection, though your card agreement may offer additional rights.

Debit cards — Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) / Regulation E Debit-card disputes are governed by the EFTA (15 U.S.C. § 1693 et seq.) and Regulation E. The liability caps make timing critical:

| When you report | Your max liability | |---|---| | Within 2 business days of learning of the loss | $50 | | Within 3–60 days | $500 | | After 60 days from statement date | Potentially unlimited |

Report immediately if you notice an unauthorized debit-card charge.

Step 1 — Identify the charge and gather your evidence

Before you contact your bank, pull together:

• The statement showing the merchant name, date, and amount
• Any receipt, order confirmation, or email showing what you agreed to pay (or showing you never agreed)
• Records of any prior contact with the merchant about the issue

Strong disputes have a clear paper trail. Vague disputes ("I don't recognize this") get resolved slowly or denied.

Step 2 — Try the merchant first (where appropriate)

For billing errors, defective goods, or services not rendered, contacting the merchant directly is often faster than a bank dispute — and for the FCBA's "unsatisfactory goods" protections, you must have made a good-faith attempt to resolve the problem with the merchant first before disputing. Keep every reply in writing.

If the merchant refunds you, you're done. If they stall or refuse, proceed to your bank.

Step 3 — File your written dispute with the card issuer

For credit cards (FCBA): Send a letter (or use your bank's secure message center, which creates a written record) to the billing-inquiry address shown on your statement — this is a different address from where you mail payments, and the FCBA requires you to use the correct one. Include:

• Your name and account number
• The transaction date, merchant name, and disputed amount
• A clear explanation of why the charge is wrong
• Copies (not originals) of any supporting evidence

Send certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery and date.

For debit cards (EFTA/Reg E): Call your bank immediately, then follow up in writing. The phone call establishes the reporting date (which determines your liability cap); the written follow-up creates the record the bank needs to investigate.

Step 4 — What happens during the investigation

FCBA (credit): The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days. During this period, you may withhold the disputed amount without being charged late fees or having a negative mark on your credit report for non-payment of that amount. The bank may contact the merchant, request documentation, or reach out to you for more information.

EFTA/Reg E (debit): The bank has 10 business days to investigate. If it needs more time, it must provisionally credit your account for the disputed amount while it finishes investigating (maximum 45 days for most transactions, up to 90 days for new accounts or point-of-sale transactions). If the bank ultimately finds in the merchant's favor, it reverses the provisional credit and tells you why.

Step 5 — If your dispute is denied

Ask for the bank's written denial reason. You have several options:

1. Re-dispute with new evidence — if you have documentation you didn't include initially, submit it.
2. File a CFPB complaint at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Companies generally respond within 15 days and CFPB complaints carry real regulatory weight.
3. Contact your state attorney general's consumer-protection office — many states have their own consumer credit protections.
4. Small claims court — for amounts worth pursuing, small claims court is available in every US state with low or no filing fees.

How Summon can help

Disputing a charge involves gathering the right documentation, drafting a compliant written dispute letter to the correct bank address, and tracking the investigation timeline — the kind of multi-step admin that's easy to forget or mis-sequence. Summon can help you prepare and organize those steps, but the final written dispute you send to your bank is yours to review and submit. For disputed charges involving government agencies or regulated financial institutions, Summon provides guided assistance: it helps you gather the details and draft the communication, rather than filing on your behalf.

See also: how to get a refund for an online order if the merchant has already agreed to refund you but the money hasn't arrived, and how to dispute a card charge in the UK if your card is UK-issued. Browse all guides for more task walkthroughs.