How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge


How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge

Credit card usage is at an all-time high. Due to the imperfect nature of the financial systems we have come to rely on, errors may appear when making transactions, resulting in issues such as double billing, being charged for a different product or service or not getting a discount on a discounted product. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the ways in which you can dispute a credit card charge without having to resort to extraordinary measures.

Document Everything

Before contacting the credit card issuer or merchant, it’s very important to get your story right before making any claims. Not only will this help you get audience with the right people much faster, it will also help you deal with any issues that may arise in the future such as tax issues. Take photos of everything, and then draft a letter which highlights the steps you took before the error was made. In addition, you may want to send the letter to both your merchant and credit card issuer to make sure both parties are kept in the loop.

Act Fast and Immediately

Rules passed by the Federal Trade Commission give victims of such errors some leeway with regard to refunds. However, it’s important to report the issue as soon as possible since delaying may absolve the merchant and card issuer of any liability. Ideally, you should report the error on the same day.

According to the Fair Credit Billing Act passed in 1975**, billing errors include:**

  • Unauthorized of fraudulent use of your card
  • Charges listing the wrong amount or date
  • Math errors, example a double charge for the same transaction
  • Being charged for services or goods that you did not receive according to your agreement with the merchant or those that you didn’t accept
  • Failure to post things like returns or payments

Reach out to the Supervisor or Manager

Normally, a credit card dispute will be resolved by a supervisor if you just pick up the phone and call. However, some of these supervisors are under instructions not to authorize refunds, so it might be necessary to ask to speak to the manager. According to the law, you can dispute an error 60 days from when you discover it, so you may need to remind the merchant of this if you feel like you aren’t going anywhere with the negotiations.

Final Words

It’s important to keep paying what’s owed by you even when you’re waiting to have your error reversed. This is because if you don’t, you may have a drop in your credit score since regardless. It’s important to stay calm and organized as you dispute these charges since being emotional may hurt your credibility as well as sour the relationship you have with the merchant as well as card issuer. At the end of the day, you as a card holder are protected by various laws that you can find here. Lastly, be persistent and consistent since an initial ‘no’ may change to a ‘yes’ after some time.