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A credit card charge you did not authorize should be reported to your issuer promptly as suspected fraud or unauthorized use; a wrong amount, missing payment credit, accounting mistake, or certain delivery problems generally fit the formal billing-error process. The routes can overlap: an unauthorized extension of credit is also included in Regulation Z’s billing-error definition. Describe what happened accurately, alert the issuer, and—if you want the statutory billing-error procedure—send written notice through the channel and by the deadline in your billing-rights instructions.
This guide concerns U.S. consumer credit cards. It distinguishes an unauthorized charge from a statement error and from a complaint about an accepted but unsatisfactory purchase, then explains what to send, what to pay during an investigation, and which deadlines apply.
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| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fraud or unauthorized-use report | A charge you did not make or authorize | Report promptly through the issuer’s fraud channel; a written billing-error notice may also be relevant | November 2026 |
| Billing-error notice | A covered error in the statement, including certain unauthorized credit extensions | Generally send written notice within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent | November 2026 |
| Merchant purchase or refund dispute | Goods or services you accepted but found defective or unsatisfactory | Start with the seller; separate issuer remedies have additional conditions | November 2026 |
Which process should I use for my credit card charge?
Choose the route based on what actually happened, not just the label you think applies. If you did not make or authorize the transaction, contact the issuer promptly through its fraud or unauthorized-charge channel. If the statement itself is wrong, use the billing-error instructions. If you accepted a purchase but dislike its quality, start by seeking a fix or refund from the seller and ask the issuer about a purchase dispute if that does not work.
These categories are not completely separate. Federal Regulation Z includes a credit extension not made to the consumer or an authorized user among possible billing errors, while its billing-error rights are independent of the separate provisions governing unauthorized use. That means an unauthorized transaction can call for prompt fraud reporting and, if you are seeking the statutory billing-error procedure, a written billing-error notice as well. The issuer’s fraud process and its account terms can vary; use the card agreement and statement instructions rather than assuming one phone call covers every route. See the CFPB’s explanations of special credit card provisions and billing-error resolution.
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What counts as a billing error?
A billing error is a covered problem with the statement or a transaction, not a general-purpose name for every complaint about a purchase. Regulation Z lists several examples, so the facts behind the charge matter.
- A credit extension you or an authorized user did not make. An unauthorized charge may therefore fit both the practical fraud-reporting route and the statutory billing-error definition.
- A transaction that is not properly identified on the statement.
- Goods or services not accepted or not delivered as agreed. This can include a transaction where what was promised was not provided as agreed; it is distinct from simply being unhappy with something you accepted.
- A payment or other credit that was not properly posted, such as a payment that appears not to have been credited.
- An accounting error, or a request for clarification or documentary evidence about a transaction.
- Failure to send a required periodic statement.
The statute and CFPB guidance contain the full procedural requirements. If a charge seems wrong but does not fit neatly into one of these examples, explain the underlying facts to the issuer and ask which dispute procedure applies. Do not call a quality complaint an accounting error merely because you want the charge removed.
How do I report a charge I did not authorize?
Contact the card issuer promptly using the fraud or unauthorized-charge channel identified in its app, website, card materials, or agreement. Tell the issuer which transaction you do not recognize or authorize and ask whether it will block or replace the card and whether it requires written follow-up. Issuers’ channels and steps can differ, so follow the instructions you receive.
- Identify the transaction. Note the merchant name as it appears on the statement, the transaction date, and the amount. If you do not recognize a merchant descriptor, explain that rather than asserting facts you cannot confirm.
- Alert the issuer promptly. Use its designated fraud channel. Keep the date, contact method, and any reference number or instructions the issuer provides.
- Ask whether a replacement or block is appropriate. The issuer can explain what action it will take on the card and whether it wants additional information.
- Check the billing-rights instructions too. If you want to invoke the Regulation Z billing-error procedure, use the statement’s specified billing-error address or permitted electronic submission method and meet the written-notice deadline. A phone report alone may not preserve those rights.
The CFPB’s consumer guidance advises cardholders to contact the issuer about a charge they did not make. The distinction is practical as well as legal: a fraud report alerts the issuer to possible unauthorized use, while a written billing-error notice invokes the procedure for resolving a covered statement error. Do not assume that the timing of a fraud investigation is identical to the statutory billing-error timetable.
How do I file a formal billing-error dispute?
Send the issuer a written notice using the billing-error address or permitted electronic method stated on your bill or in its billing-rights instructions. The general deadline is 60 calendar days after the issuer transmitted the first periodic statement showing the alleged error—not 60 days after you later noticed it.
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- Find the correct instructions. Check the statement’s billing-rights notice for the address and any permitted electronic submission method. Do not assume the regular payment address, a general customer-service email, or a phone call is the right route.
- Identify the account and charge. Provide enough information for the issuer to locate the account and transaction. Include the transaction type, date, and amount where available.
- State why you believe the bill is wrong. Describe the facts plainly: for example, that you did not authorize a transaction, that a payment was not credited, or that goods were not delivered as agreed. State what you are disputing without guessing at a legal category.
- Include useful supporting records. Depending on the issue, attach a relevant statement page, receipt, order confirmation, cancellation or return record, or messages with the seller. Follow the issuer’s instructions and do not provide more sensitive account information than it requests.
- Keep a complete copy. Save the notice, attachments, delivery confirmation or electronic submission record, and a dated log of calls and follow-up. Record any reference number and the issuer’s response.
The CFPB’s credit-card charge dispute guidance advises consumers to send written notice within 60 days after the charge appears on a statement. Regulation Z specifies that the clock runs from transmission of the first periodic statement reflecting the alleged error. The statement’s own instructions matter: follow its address or permitted electronic route.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThere is an important exception to the idea that every purchase complaint must begin with the seller. The CFPB’s interpretation of Regulation Z says consumers do not have to first notify the merchant or attempt to resolve the matter before sending a billing-error notice alleging that goods or services were not accepted or delivered as agreed. That rule applies to the covered billing-error notice; it does not mean that every complaint about quality or a refund automatically qualifies as a billing error.
What deadlines apply, and how long can an investigation take?
The legal timings for the billing-error process are separate from a fraud report’s issuer-specific handling. Under the CFPB’s current Regulation Z text, the issuer generally must acknowledge a billing-error notice within 30 days unless it has already completed the required resolution procedure. It must complete the applicable procedure within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the notice.
| Timing | What it applies to | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 60 calendar days | Sending written billing-error notice | Generally measured from transmission of the first statement showing the alleged error |
| 30 days | Issuer acknowledgment | Generally required unless the issuer has already completed the resolution procedure |
| Two complete billing cycles, capped at 90 days | Issuer’s resolution procedure | Measured from receipt of notice; both the billing-cycle limit and 90-day cap apply |
These are statutory process periods, not a promise that every dispute will be decided on a particular day or that a fraud investigation will use the same timeline. The CFPB sources do not establish one universal timetable for provisional credits in credit-card fraud investigations. Check the issuer’s communications and card agreement, and keep meeting deadlines while the matter is pending.
Do I have to pay the disputed amount while the issuer investigates?
For a billing-error notice, you may withhold the disputed amount and related charges during the investigation, but you remain responsible for paying the undisputed part of the bill on time. Separate the amount you are disputing from the rest of the balance and continue paying what is not in dispute.
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An issuer may continue to show the disputed amount on a statement if it indicates that payment is not required while the matter is pending. Do not treat its appearance on the statement by itself as a decision that the dispute has failed; read the notices and instructions accompanying the bill. The CFPB explains these billing-error protections in its guide to fixing mistakes in a credit card bill.
If the issuer determines there was an error, it must correct it as applicable. If it decides the bill is correct, it must explain why and tell you what remains due and when. Review that explanation and the stated payment requirements carefully; do not assume a temporary adjustment or credit is final unless the issuer confirms the outcome.
What if the product or service was disappointing?
If you accepted goods or services but they were defective, disappointing, or otherwise not what you wanted, that does not automatically make the statement inaccurate. Start by asking the seller for a refund, repair, replacement, or other correction. If the seller does not resolve the issue, ask the card issuer whether a purchase dispute or chargeback is available under its process.
A separate federal claims-and-defenses remedy can apply to certain unpaid purchase amounts, but it has conditions. The CFPB describes general conditions that include a good-faith effort to resolve the issue with the merchant, an amount of more than $50, and a purchase made in the same state as the consumer or within 100 miles of the consumer’s current address. Exceptions apply. These conditions belong to that separate remedy; they are not the deadline or general eligibility test for an ordinary billing-error notice. See the CFPB’s page on getting a refund for a credit-card purchase.
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Keep the routes distinct in your records. A statement error, an unauthorized charge, a merchant’s failure to deliver as agreed, and an accepted purchase that turned out to be poor quality may lead to different procedures. State what the seller promised, what happened, what you accepted or did not receive, and what efforts you made to resolve it. The issuer can then direct you to the relevant process without requiring you to force the facts into a label.
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What should I include in a dispute notice?
A concise notice should make the transaction and the reason for the dispute easy to identify. The statutory requirements and the issuer’s requested supporting information can vary by claim type, so treat this as a practical outline and follow the statement’s own directions.
Subject: Billing-error notice for [account identifier or last four digits, if requested]
I am disputing the [transaction type or merchant descriptor] dated [date] for [amount]. I believe the statement is incorrect because [brief factual explanation]. Please investigate this billing error. I have attached [relevant records]. Please contact me at [contact information] if you need information permitted by your instructions.
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Use a description that matches the facts. For example, “I did not authorize this transaction” is different from “I authorized the purchase but did not receive the item.” Attach only relevant documentation, protect sensitive account data, and retain the exact version you sent. A notice that can be matched to the statement entry and explains the problem clearly is more useful than a lengthy narrative that obscures the disputed charge.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What mistakes can weaken or delay a dispute?
- Relying only on a phone call for the billing-error procedure. A call can be useful to alert the issuer, especially about suspected fraud, but the CFPB’s billing-rights model form warns that a telephone call does not preserve the formal rights. Send written notice by the instructed route.
- Waiting until the 60-day window is nearly over. The general deadline runs from the first statement showing the alleged error. Contact the issuer promptly and preserve proof of when you submitted notice.
- Using the wrong destination. The billing-error address or permitted electronic method may differ from routine customer service or payments. Check the statement and account instructions.
- Disputing the whole balance when only one entry is wrong. Identify the disputed charge and pay the undisputed portion on time.
- Assuming every seller disagreement is a billing error. An accepted but disappointing product is not automatically a statement error. Try the seller first and ask the issuer what purchase-dispute route is available.
- Assuming a temporary credit or an ongoing investigation settles the matter. Wait for the issuer’s stated decision and read what it says remains due.
- Discarding evidence or sending excessive sensitive information. Keep relevant records and delivery proof, but follow the issuer’s instructions about what to submit and avoid unnecessary account details.
For a general checklist, the CFPB’s page on how to fix mistakes in a credit card bill complements the regulation’s formal requirements.
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How can I decide if my situation is still unclear?
Use a simple sequence: first ask whether you authorized the charge; next ask whether the statement entry, payment credit, amount, or delivery terms are wrong; then distinguish a failure to deliver as agreed from dissatisfaction with something you accepted. Report possible unauthorized use promptly, and use written billing-error notice whenever you are seeking that federal process.
If the facts overlap, say so. You can tell the issuer both that you believe a transaction was unauthorized and that you are submitting a billing-error notice, while following the issuer’s specified channels. If you are uncertain whether the issue is a billing error or a purchase dispute, describe the events and ask the issuer to identify the applicable process. Keep copies of the guidance and documents you receive; issuer instructions can vary, and account-specific terms may affect the steps available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to contact the merchant before disputing a charge for something that never arrived?
Not before sending a billing-error notice that says goods or services were not accepted or delivered as agreed; the CFPB’s interpretation of Regulation Z says that notice does not require a prior attempt to resolve the dispute with the merchant. A separate claims-and-defenses remedy for certain unpaid purchases has different conditions, so do not confuse the two.
Can I dispute a credit card charge by phone only?
You can alert the issuer by phone, but the CFPB’s billing-rights model form says a call alone will not preserve billing-error rights. Check the statement for the required written-notice address or permitted electronic method.
Does the 60-day deadline start when I notice the charge?
For the Regulation Z billing-error notice, the general deadline is measured from transmission of the first periodic statement showing the alleged error, not from when you later spot it. Check the statement’s billing-rights directions and send notice promptly.
Is a temporary credit the same as a final decision?
Not necessarily. The CFPB’s billing-error rules describe the issuer’s resolution process, but they do not set one universal provisional-credit timetable for all credit-card fraud investigations. Read the issuer’s communication to learn whether an adjustment is temporary and what it says about the final outcome.
