How to Dispute a Charge on Your Card (Step by Step)

A wrong charge is not the same as fraud, and banks treat them differently — knowing which is which decides whether you win. This guide walks both paths.

First: is it fraud, or a bad charge?

• Fraud: you never gave this company your card. Call your bank now, freeze the card, report unauthorized use. Federal law caps your liability — act fast.
• Bad charge: you dealt with the company, but they charged wrong — double-billed, billed after you canceled, never delivered, not as described. That's a dispute, and the steps below are for you.

Step 1: Contact the merchant (banks require this)

1. Email or chat — keep it in writing. “On [date] I was charged $[amount] for [reason it is wrong]. Please refund within 7 days or I will dispute the charge with my bank.”
2. Give them one chance and a deadline. Screenshot everything.
3. Many refund immediately at this point — disputes cost them fees, so “I will dispute” is leverage, not rudeness.

Step 2: File the dispute with your bank

1. Call the number on the back of your card or use the app's “Dispute this transaction” button.
2. Use the right reason code in plain words: “canceled recurring charge,” “services not provided,” “not as described,” or “duplicate charge.”
3. Send your evidence: receipts, cancellation screenshots, emails, delivery records. Disputes are won on paper, not passion.

Step 3: Know the timeline

• Temporary credit: many banks credit you while they investigate (often within 10 business days).
• Investigation: typically 30–90 days. The merchant can respond; if they prove the charge was valid, the credit reverses.
• Deadline: for billing errors you generally have 60 days from the statement date. Don't sit on it.

Don't want to spend your day on hold?

Chasing refunds and disputing junk charges is literally an errand Twin runs for you — it tracks the charge, drafts the emails, and follows up until it's resolved. Free to start.

Hand it to Twin →