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If you see a credit card charge you don’t recognize, contact your card issuer promptly using the phone number on your card or statement. Then send a written billing-error notice to the dispute address on your statement within 60 calendar days after the statement showing the charge was sent. Keep a copy, and continue paying the bill’s undisputed charges on time while the issuer investigates.
This guide covers U.S. credit card billing disputes. An unfamiliar transaction might be unauthorized use, but it could also be a merchant or billing mistake, or a charge made by someone you previously allowed to use the card. Report it quickly, describe the facts accurately, and use the written-notice process if you want to protect your billing-error rights.
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First, contact the card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, or use the issuer’s online dispute channel, as soon as you notice the charge. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends calling right away. Ask the issuer how it wants you to report the transaction and where to send a written billing-error notice. A phone or online report can get the issue moving, but do not treat it as a substitute for the written notice described below.
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Use the contact information on your own card or statement rather than a number in an unexpected message about the transaction. When you reach the issuer, identify the charge as specifically as you can: give its date, amount, merchant name as it appears on the statement, and any transaction or reference number shown. Explain that you did not make or authorize it if that is what happened. If you are unsure what the merchant name means, say so rather than guessing.
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Ask the representative to confirm that the transaction has been recorded as a dispute and whether the issuer requires any additional steps. Write down the date and time of the call, the representative’s name or ID if provided, any case or confirmation number, and the instructions you were given. Keep copies of online submissions and confirmation screens. The issuer may have its own procedures, but these records help you track what you reported and when.
It can help to separate what you know from what you are still trying to find out. For example, you may know that you did not make a purchase for a particular amount, while not knowing whether the merchant name is a store brand, payment processor, or another name associated with a transaction. Tell the issuer exactly that. A clear report of the unfamiliar statement entry is more useful than a guess about who made it or how the account information may have been used.
If the issuer directs you to complete a particular form or provide more information, note the instructions and any deadline it gives you. Follow the issuer’s steps while also making sure the written notice reaches the billing-dispute address within the 60-day period. One process does not erase the importance of the other: a call or online report may alert the issuer quickly, while the timely written billing-error notice is the step the CFPB identifies for protecting billing-error rights.
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To protect your billing-error rights, send a written notice no later than 60 calendar days after the statement containing the charge was sent. The CFPB’s guidance, last reviewed April 15, 2024, describes this deadline and advises sending the notice to the card company’s billing-dispute address. The dispute address may be different from the address for payments, so follow the instructions on your statement. See the CFPB’s credit-card charge dispute guidance and its steps for fixing billing mistakes, last modified June 4, 2025.
The deadline is tied to when the statement was sent, not simply to when you first noticed the charge. Do not wait for a phone or online investigation to finish before sending the letter. If the 60-day period may be close, send the written notice promptly and keep evidence of when and where you sent it. The notice should be clear enough for the issuer to identify the account, transaction, and reason you believe there is an error.
Check the statement for the specific billing-inquiry or dispute instructions before addressing the notice. A payment address and a dispute address can be different, so mailing a letter to the payment address may not follow the statement’s directions. If the issuer provides a written submission channel in those instructions, save proof that you used it. If you are unsure which address applies, contact the issuer using the number on your card or statement and ask for the billing-dispute address rather than relying on an address from an unrelated message.
Use the date the statement was sent as your reference point when working out the deadline. If you are uncertain about the date, do not delay while trying to calculate it perfectly: send the notice as soon as possible and keep a copy and proof of delivery or submission. The CFPB describes the period as 60 calendar days, so it is not a reason to wait until a later billing cycle or until the issuer completes an informal inquiry.
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What to include in the notice
- Your name, mailing address, and account number. Include only the account information needed to identify your card account; do not send your full card number through an unverified channel.
- The statement date and the transaction’s date, amount, and merchant name as they appear on the statement.
- A concise explanation of what is wrong and why you believe the charge is an error. For an unrecognized transaction, state whether you did not make or authorize it, if that is accurate.
- Copies of relevant supporting records, if useful, such as the statement entry or a message from the merchant. Keep the originals and do not send material that is unrelated to the dispute.
- Your preferred way to be contacted, if the issuer’s process allows it.
For example, you can write in your own words: “I am disputing the charge of [amount] from [merchant] dated [date] on my account. I do not recognize this transaction and did not authorize it. Please investigate it as a billing error.” Replace the bracketed details with the transaction information and adjust the explanation to match what actually happened. This is a practical format, not a special phrase that guarantees a particular outcome.
If you recognize part of the situation but disagree with the charge, describe that distinction instead of using a blanket statement that is not accurate. You might explain that you recognize the merchant but did not make the particular purchase, or that you previously permitted another person to use the card but believe this transaction occurred after you ended that permission. The notice should make the issue understandable; it does not need to speculate about the explanation or identify a person you cannot identify.
Keep a complete copy of the notice and its enclosures. If you mail it, retain proof of mailing or delivery; if you submit it through another written channel specified by the issuer, save the confirmation. Note the date the issuer receives or acknowledges it, and keep a simple log of later calls, messages, and responses. The CFPB’s billing-error resolution regulation sets out the governing process.
Pay the undisputed part of the bill
A pending dispute does not mean you can stop paying the entire credit card bill. Continue to pay correct, undisputed charges on time. The CFPB says you do not have to pay the disputed charge and related charges while the issuer investigates, but you remain responsible for the amounts that are not in dispute.
Separate the transaction you challenged from the rest of the statement. If the bill includes other purchases, fees, or balances you agree are correct, make sure those are paid by their due date. Follow the issuer’s instructions for handling the disputed amount and check each new statement for updates. Do not assume that reporting the charge automatically settles what you owe on the rest of the account.
This distinction matters even if the unfamiliar charge is only one entry on a larger bill. The dispute concerns the charge you identified and any related charges covered by the issuer’s process; it does not make unrelated purchases disappear. Review the statement line by line, identify the amount you are challenging, and keep paying the part you agree is correct. If the issuer’s instructions are unclear about how it is treating a particular amount, ask for clarification and record the answer.
If you already paid the statement or the transaction before you noticed it, you can still dispute the charge. The CFPB notes that you may not receive money back until the issuer decides in your favor. Keep pursuing the written dispute and retain the payment and statement records alongside your other documentation.
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Paying before you noticed the issue does not mean you should skip reporting it. Send the notice within the statement-based deadline, explain which transaction you are challenging, and retain the account records that show the payment and charge. The issuer’s decision will determine whether the bill is corrected; do not treat a payment as proof that you agreed the transaction was yours.
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Under the CFPB’s guidance, the issuer generally has 30 days to acknowledge a written billing-error notice and another two billing cycles to complete its investigation. These are procedural deadlines described by the CFPB, not a promise that every case will be resolved in the same number of calendar days. Save the acknowledgment and note when the issuer says it received your notice.
The sequence is useful to remember: first, the issuer acknowledges the written notice; then it investigates and reaches a decision. Keep the acknowledgment with your copy of the notice so you can follow the correspondence. If you do not receive an acknowledgment, use the issuer’s contact information on your card or statement to ask about the notice and record the date and substance of that follow-up. Continue to watch the account for the issuer’s response and keep paying undisputed amounts on time during the process.
Two billing cycles are not necessarily the same thing as a fixed number of calendar days. That is why it is better to track the issuer’s written updates and the billing statements than to assume the investigation will end on a particular date. The CFPB describes the acknowledgment and investigation periods as general steps in the billing-error process.
If the issuer agrees there was an error
The issuer must correct the bill if it determines that the charge was an error. Review the next statement or account update to make sure the correction appears and that any related amount the issuer says it will remove has been handled. Keep the final response and corrected statement with your records.
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If the issuer says there was no error
If the issuer concludes the bill is correct, the CFPB says it must explain why and state the amount you owe and the due date. Read the explanation against the facts you reported. If you disagree, respond through the issuer’s stated process with any relevant information you have not already provided, and preserve copies of the response and supporting records. Pay attention to the stated amount and due date rather than assuming that the original dispute keeps every balance on the account on hold.
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Make sure you understand which amount the issuer says is due and when it is due. The conclusion that there was no billing error does not change your responsibility for correct, undisputed charges, and the issuer’s response should identify the amount and due date it says apply. Keep the explanation and your follow-up together so you have a clear record of the decision and what you did next.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check whether the transaction was truly unauthorized
A charge you do not personally remember making is not automatically the same as a charge made without anyone’s permission. A household member, employee, or other person may have used the card with your authorization. The CFPB says prior permission can continue to count until you tell the issuer that the person’s authority has ended. Its explanation of unauthorized credit card use distinguishes use by someone with authority from use by someone who had none.
When you report the charge, be precise about who had access to the card and what permission, if any, you gave. If you previously authorized someone but no longer want them to use the account, tell the issuer that their authority has ended and ask what steps it requires. Do not describe a previously authorized purchase as unauthorized simply because it was unexpected or you now regret it; explain the circumstances accurately so the issuer can investigate the right issue.
Think about authorization at the time of the transaction, not only whether you personally made the purchase. If you never gave the person permission to use the card, say that. If you did give permission, tell the issuer what it covered and whether you later told the issuer that the authority had ended. The CFPB’s guidance makes the timing of that notice relevant: prior permission may continue to count until the issuer is told that the person’s authority has ended.
This distinction is a reason to be exact, not a reason to avoid disputing a charge. You can tell the issuer that the transaction is unfamiliar and explain what you know about who could use the account. The issuer can investigate the facts, but your report should not label a transaction unauthorized if you know you had permitted that person to make it.
If your card is lost or stolen
If the physical card is missing or you believe someone has obtained its details, contact the issuer promptly rather than waiting for another statement. Tell the issuer what happened and ask it to secure the account and explain its next steps. If a charge has already appeared, also report that specific transaction and send the written billing-error notice within the statement-based deadline.
The timing distinction matters: reporting a missing card before any charge appears is different from disputing a charge already listed on a statement. The CFPB’s credit card guidance provides general information for consumers, while your issuer can tell you what account-security actions apply to your card. Keep a note of when you reported the loss and any confirmation the issuer provides.
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If the card is missing but you have not yet seen an unfamiliar transaction, the immediate report is about the missing card and account security. If a charge later appears, identify that statement entry as well and follow the written billing-error steps. If you already see a charge, do not rely only on having reported the lost card: make sure the transaction itself is included in your dispute and keep a record of both contacts.
A practical recordkeeping checklist
- Save the statement that shows the charge and mark the date it was sent or made available.
- Keep the written notice, supporting documents, and proof of delivery or online submission together.
- Log calls and other contacts with dates, names or IDs when available, case numbers, and the substance of the instructions.
- Save the issuer’s acknowledgment, investigation updates, and final decision.
- Review later statements for the issuer’s correction or any new information about the disputed balance.
These records do not decide whether the charge was unauthorized, but they make it easier to establish what you challenged, when you did so, and how the issuer responded.
A simple timeline can keep the process manageable: note when you first saw the transaction, when you called or submitted an online report, when you sent the written notice, and when the issuer acknowledged or answered it. Add the name of the channel you used and any reference number. This helps you distinguish an initial report from the formal written notice and makes it easier to follow up if you need to ask the issuer about the status.
Keep your notes factual. Record what the issuer told you, what you sent, and what the statements show; avoid relying on memory for dates or instructions. If you send additional information later, save a copy and note when it was submitted. That way, the account history, your own records, and the issuer’s notices can be compared as the dispute proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is calling the card issuer enough to dispute a charge?
Call promptly or use the issuer’s online dispute channel to report the unfamiliar charge, but do not treat that report as a substitute for a written billing-error notice. To protect your billing-error rights, send written notice to the billing-dispute address on your statement within 60 calendar days after the statement showing the charge was sent.
How long do I have to dispute a credit card charge I didn’t make?
The CFPB says to send a written billing-error notice no later than 60 calendar days after the statement containing the charge was sent. Contact the issuer promptly too; do not wait for a phone or online inquiry to finish before sending the written notice.
Do I have to pay the disputed credit card charge while it is investigated?
The CFPB says you do not have to pay the disputed charge and related charges during the investigation, but you remain responsible for correct, undisputed charges and should pay them on time. If you already paid the charge, you can still dispute it, although you may not receive money back until the issuer decides in your favor.
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The CFPB says the issuer generally has 30 days to acknowledge a written billing-error notice and another two billing cycles to complete its investigation. If it finds an error, it must correct the bill; if it disagrees, it must explain why and state the amount it says you owe and the due date.
What if the charge was made by someone I previously let use my card?
Tell the issuer accurately what permission you gave and when. The CFPB says prior permission may continue to count until you tell the issuer that the person’s authority has ended. A charge you did not personally make is not automatically unauthorized if you had allowed that person to use the card.
The Bottom Line
Report an unfamiliar charge to your card issuer promptly, then send a written billing-error notice to the statement’s dispute address within 60 calendar days after the statement was sent. Keep copies and contact notes, pay the undisputed part of the bill on time, and describe any prior authorization accurately.
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