Credit Card Disputes

Have you ever been billed for something you’d returned to the store, or for something you ordered but never received? Has your credit card company ever charged you twice for the same item or failed to credit a payment to your account?

What You Can Dispute

You can dispute the following billing errors with your credit card company:

• Unauthorized charges
• Charges that list the wrong date or amount
• Charges for goods and services you didn’t accept or that weren’t delivered
• Math errors
• Failure to post payments and credits
• Failure to send your bills to your current address
• Charges for which you ask for an explanation or written proof of purchase

Problems with the quality of goods and services are not considered billing errors so disputing them with your credit card company won’t help.

How To Dispute A Charge

• Within 60 days after the bill was mailed to you, write to your credit card company at the address for billing inquiries. Include your name, address, account number and a description of the billing error or charge you want to challenge. Send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested and keep a copy of the letter for your records. Include copies of sales receipts or other supporting documents.
• The company must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days of receiving it. They have two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days) to resolve your dispute.
• While the dispute is being investigated, you can withhold payment on the item or amount you’re disputing. You must pay the rest of the bill, including finance charges.
• Your credit card company is not allowed to threaten your credit rating or report you as delinquent while your bill is in dispute. However, they are allowed to report that you are challenging your bill.
• If your bill contains an error, the company owes you a written explanation of how they will correct your account. They must also remove all finance charges, late fees or other charges related to the error.
• If the company determines that you owe part of the disputed amount, they must explain this to you in writing. You may request copies of documents proving you owe the money.
• If the investigation determines that the bill is correct, you must be told promptly and in writing how much you owe and why. You may also ask for copies of relevant documents. You will owe the disputed amount, plus any finance charges that accumulated while the amount was in dispute.
• If you disagree with the results of the investigation, write to the company within 10 days and tell them that you refuse to pay the disputed amount. At this point, the company may begin collection procedures and may report you to a credit bureau as delinquent. However, the report must state that you don’t think you owe the money.

We Can Help

Contact us toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.