Your first step: confirm whether the charge is actually unauthorized
Before you dispute a charge, check whether you actually made it. Look at the transaction date, the merchant name, and the amount. Search your email for a receipt or confirmation from that company. Ask anyone else who has access to your card — a family member, roommate, or authorized user — whether they made the purchase.
Many disputes get filed because a charge looks unfamiliar, but it turns out you did authorize it. The merchant name on your statement might not match the business name you remember. For example, a grocery store might appear as its parent company, or a restaurant might show up under a payment processor's name rather than the restaurant itself. A charge from weeks ago might have finally posted to your account. A subscription you signed up for might have renewed automatically.
If you find a receipt or remember the purchase, the charge is authorized and disputing it would be fraud. Stop here and move on. If you genuinely cannot find any record of it and you did not authorize it, move to the next section.
Key Takeaways
- Check your email for receipts and ask anyone else with card access before assuming a charge is fraudulent.
- Contact your card issuer by phone using the number on the back of your card, not a number from a text or email.
- Report the unauthorized charge within 60 days of the statement date to keep your liability at $50 or less under federal law.
- Your card issuer will issue a temporary credit while they investigate, usually within 10 business days.
- Keep all documentation — receipts, emails, your dispute report number — until the investigation closes.
Report the charge to your card issuer when ready
Call the customer service number on the back of your credit card. Do not call a number from a text message or email claiming to be from your bank — those are often scams. When you reach the issuer, tell them you want to report an unauthorized charge and give them the transaction date, merchant name, and amount.
The card issuer will ask you questions: Do you recognize the merchant? Did you authorize anyone else to use the card? When did you last have the card in your possession? Have you noticed other unauthorized charges? Answer honestly. They may freeze your account or cancel the card to prevent further fraud.
Ask the issuer for a dispute report number and write it down. This is your reference for the investigation. Ask how long the investigation will take — most issuers complete them within 30 to 60 days. Ask whether they will issue a temporary credit while they investigate. Many issuers credit the amount back to your account within 10 business days, even though the full investigation takes longer.
What happens during the investigation
Your card issuer will contact the merchant and ask for proof that you authorized the charge. The merchant will send a receipt, a signature, an IP address, or other evidence of the transaction. The issuer reviews this evidence and decides whether the charge was truly unauthorized.
If the merchant cannot provide evidence that you authorized it, the issuer will remove the charge permanently and you owe nothing. If the merchant provides a receipt with your signature or other proof of authorization, the issuer will tell you the charge stands and you remain liable for it. If the evidence is unclear, the issuer may rule in your favor anyway, especially if you have a clean history with the card.
You have the right to submit your own evidence during this time. If you have documentation that you were not present when the charge occurred, or that someone else had access to your card, send it to the issuer in writing along with your dispute report number. Keep copies of everything you send.
Protect yourself if your card number was stolen
If the unauthorized charge suggests your card number was compromised — for example, if multiple charges appeared from different merchants — ask your issuer to cancel the card and send you a replacement. The new card will have a different number, which stops the thief from using the old number again.
Check your credit report for other signs of fraud. You can view your report free once per year at annualcreditreport.com, which is the official site run by the three major credit bureaus. Look for accounts you did not open, inquiries from companies you did not contact, or addresses that are not yours. If you find fraud on your report, place a fraud alert with one of the bureaus — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion — and they will notify the other two.
A fraud alert tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name. It lasts one year and is free. If you believe your identity has been stolen beyond just the card number, you can also place a credit freeze, which prevents anyone from opening accounts in your name without your permission. A freeze is also free and lasts until you remove it.
Know your legal protections
Federal law limits your liability for unauthorized credit card charges. If you report the charge within 60 days of the statement date, your maximum liability is $50. If you report it after 60 days, you may be liable for the full amount, though many issuers waive this if you report it reasonably soon after discovering the fraud.
This 60-day window is important. Mark your calendar to review your statements regularly — at least monthly. The sooner you spot an unauthorized charge, the sooner you can report it and the stronger your position in the dispute.
Your card issuer cannot hold you liable for charges made after you report the card lost or stolen. Once you call and report it, any charges after that call are the issuer's problem, not yours.
What to do if the issuer rules against you
If the issuer decides the charge was authorized and you disagree, you have options. First, ask the issuer to explain their decision in writing. Request the evidence they received from the merchant. Review it carefully — sometimes the evidence is weak or does not actually prove you authorized the charge.
If you believe the issuer made an error, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov. The CFPB investigates complaints against banks and credit card issuers and can pressure them to reconsider. Filing a complaint does not cost you anything.
You can also contact your state's attorney general office or your state banking regulator. These offices handle consumer complaints about financial institutions and may investigate on your behalf. A complaint to a regulator sometimes prompts an issuer to reverse a decision they made in their own dispute process.
Prevent future unauthorized charges
Review your statements monthly, not just when you think something is wrong. Set a calendar reminder to check your account on the same day each month. The sooner you spot fraud, the sooner you can report it.
Consider setting up transaction alerts with your card issuer. Many issuers let you receive a text or email whenever a charge over a certain amount posts to your account. This catches large fraudulent charges quickly.
Keep your card find: do not share your number with anyone you do not trust completely, do not write it down, and do not use it on unsecured websites. When you shop online, look for "https://" in the address bar and a lock icon — these mean the site encrypts your information. If a website asks for your full card number and security code but does not have these signs, do not enter it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a credit card dispute take?
Most issuers complete investigations within 30 to 60 days. Many issue a temporary credit within 10 business days while the investigation continues. The issuer will notify you in writing when the investigation closes and tell you whether the charge was removed or stands.
Will I have to pay the disputed charge while the investigation is happening?
No. If the issuer issues a temporary credit, the charge is removed from your balance while they investigate. You do not have to pay it. If they do not issue a temporary credit, contact them and ask why — many issuers are required to do so for disputes reported within 60 days.
What if the merchant says I authorized the charge but I know I did not?
Tell your issuer that you dispute the merchant's evidence. If the merchant's only proof is a signature and you believe it was forged, say so. If they claim you authorized it online but you never visited their website, explain that. The issuer will weigh your statement against theirs. A clean history with your card issuer and prompt reporting work in your favor.
Can I dispute a charge if I authorized it but changed my mind?
No. Disputing a charge you authorized is fraud. If you want to return something or cancel a subscription, contact the merchant directly. If they refuse to refund you, you may have other options like a chargeback through your card issuer, but that is different from a fraud dispute and requires proof that the merchant broke their agreement with you.
What should I do if my card number is used for multiple unauthorized charges?
Report all of them to your issuer in one call. Ask them to cancel the card and send a replacement. Request a fraud alert on your credit report. Check your credit report for other signs of fraud. If you see accounts you did not open, file a police report and consider placing a credit freeze.