When Can You Dispute A Credit Card Charge?

Having and using a credit card means you may encounter erroneous charges on your statement. How can you go about fixing them and in what circumstances allow you to file a dispute with your credit card company?

Mistakes happen all of the time. You can make them, the credit bureau can make them and merchants can make them. Sometimes these errors involve charging your card too much during a transaction or charging you for something you never purchased. 

One of the tools at your disposal when you are facing a charge that shouldn’t exist is filing a dispute with your credit card company. Disputes can only be used in certain situations and are not a way to get out of a purchase you made yourself but may later regret.

There are three main circumstances in which you can file a dispute…

A Billing Error

Sometimes you are just charged the wrong amount or are double charged by accident. In either instance you can file a dispute with your credit card company to erase the charge.

Before going to your credit card company first try reaching out to the merchant because they may be able to help you reverse the charge much  faster. If that doesn’t work or they can’t do anything then get started on the dispute.

When There Is An Error With A Purchase

Another situation that would allow for a dispute is if you are sent the wrong item from a merchant and they refuse to refund you or allow a return. 

This is not a tactic to use if you purchase something from a store with a stated no returns policy. This is for when you order something and receive something entirely different or damaged and the company will not cooperate with a refund.

Fraud

A common reason for disputes is for when your card information is stolen and someone makes an unauthorized transaction. This can also include someone you know taking your card and racking up charges without your knowledge.

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