How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge
6 Min Read | Last updated: January 7, 2025
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
You can dispute an erroneous or fraudulent credit card charge. Learn what steps you should take and see when you should go about disputing a charge.
At-A-Glance
- You can dispute a credit card charge in certain cases, such as if there’s a fraudulent charge or error.
- Some options for disputing a credit card charge may include contacting your credit card issuer or logging into your online account.
- You may be able to withhold payment on the disputed charge but still must make at least the minimum payment on time each month.
In this article, we’ll show you some different situations when you may want to consider disputing a credit card charge and the steps you can take to go about doing so.
When to Dispute a Credit Card Charge?
The first step in disputing a credit card charge is filing the dispute.
For example, if you see a charge that you don’t recognize, check with any additional card members or authorized users to see whether they made the purchase. If that’s the case, you, as the primary card member, are responsible for those charges. Likewise, if the issue is with the goods or services that you’ve received, it may be best to try to resolve the issue with the merchant and to seek a credit card refund from them first before opening a dispute.
You may open a dispute for a credit card charge in the following situations:
- If there is a billing error
If there is an error, such as an incorrect date or amount, you can file a dispute with your credit card issuer. You can also file a dispute if your credit card issuer fails to send bills to your current address, provided they receive written notice of an address change at least 20 days before the billing period ends.1
- If the disputed charge has not been authorized by you
If the charge is not authorized by you, then you may want to open a dispute. In such cases, you may be limited to no more than $50. However, many credit card issuers may offer zero liability as well. Additionally, if your card number was used but your card was not stolen or lost, you may not be liable at all.2
- If you did not receive a refund that was promised to you
If a merchant agrees to refund your money, and no refund or only a partial refund is given you may want to file a dispute with your credit card issuer.3
- If you canceled a subscription and were charged for it anyway
If you are charged for a canceled subscription, you can dispute the charge. Be sure to keep a copy of any emails that you sent confirming that you canceled the subscription.4
- If you received a damaged or defective product (or your order never arrived)
If you paid for something that was never delivered, or if it arrived defective or damaged, you may be able to get your money back from your credit card company. However, there are additional stipulations in this case:5
- You must have made the purchase within 100 miles of your current billing address.
- The charge must exceed $50 unless your card issuer says otherwise.
- You must have first made a good faith attempt to resolve the issue with the seller.
Did you know?
Be sure to check your credit card agreement to see your rights regarding unauthorized charges. You should be able to find these on your credit card issuer’s website.
How Can You Dispute a Credit Card Charge?
The exact process for disputing a credit card charge may vary depending on your credit card issuer.
For some credit card companies, filing a dispute can be as simple as making a phone call to customer service or logging onto your online account, clicking on the charge in question, then clicking a button that says “Dispute This Charge” or something similar.
You may be able to open a dispute by:
- Contacting the customer service number on the back of your credit card
- Using the credit card issuer’s app
- Emailing your credit card issuer
- Disputing the transaction in writing
Once you’ve started the dispute process, the credit card issuer may have 30 days to confirm that they’ve received your dispute. Additionally, they may have two billing cycles (but no more than 90 days) to resolve it.6
How Long Do You Have to Dispute a Charge?
From the day you receive the erroneous bill, you may have 60 days to file a dispute. If you wait longer, it’s not guaranteed your credit issuer can acknowledge the dispute. For fraudulent charges, the 60-day timeline may not apply.7
Can a Credit Card Dispute Hurt Your Credit Score?
A credit card dispute may not directly affect your credit score. However, the credit card issuer may inform the credit bureaus that there may be a dispute, which could be placed on your credit report. The results of the dispute may impact your credit score.8
While you may not be required to pay for the charges that are being disputed, you still may need to make at least the minimum payment due. Failing to do this could result in your account being marked as late, which may negatively impact your score. Once the dispute is resolved, if you are found to be responsible for the charges, you may need to pay.
The Takeaway
You can dispute fraudulent charges and charges related to billing errors and damaged or inadequate goods and services by contacting your credit card issuer or by logging into your online account. Make sure you know the right steps to take and dispute the charges promptly.
1,5 “Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges,” Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Advice
2,3,4,6,7 “How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge,” Experian
8 “How Credit Report Disputes Affect Your Credit,” Experian
Megan Doyle is a business technology writer and researcher whose work focuses on financial services and cross-cultural diversity and inclusion.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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