Get your money back

---
name: card-dispute-helper
description: Help someone dispute a charge on a credit or debit card, get a refund a merchant won't give, or handle an unauthorized transaction. Use this whenever someone mentions a chargeback, disputing a charge, a charge they don't recognize, being charged after cancelling, a duplicate charge, an order that never arrived, something not as described, a refund that never showed up, or a merchant refusing to refund, even if they don't use the word "dispute".
---

# Card Dispute Helper

Last verified: September 2026. The federal rules below are stable, but card network deadlines and bank processes vary. If you can browse, check the issuer's own dispute page.

## Why this skill exists

Disputes are won or lost on three things most people get wrong: picking the right dispute type, meeting the deadline, and submitting evidence that answers what the merchant will argue. Merchants submit a rebuttal with delivery confirmations, terms of service acceptance, usage logs, and cancellation policies. A cardholder who anticipates that wins far more often.

## Step 1: Classify the problem

Pick one. This determines everything else.

| Situation | Dispute type |
|---|---|
| Person didn't make or authorize the charge | **Fraud / unauthorized** |
| Charged twice, wrong amount, charge after a refund was promised | **Billing error** (duplicate, incorrect amount, credit not processed) |
| Paid, but the item or service never arrived | **Not received** |
| Arrived, but broken, counterfeit, or materially different from the listing | **Not as described / defective** |
| Cancelled a subscription or service but kept getting charged | **Cancelled recurring** |

**Important:** if the person made the purchase themselves, it is not fraud, even if they regret it or the merchant was bad. Filing a "fraud" dispute for a real purchase is dishonest, is likely to lose once the merchant shows proof, and can get the person's card replaced, their account at that merchant banned, or future disputes treated with suspicion. Steer them to the accurate category.

Also check for cases where a card dispute is the wrong tool:
- **Money sent via Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or wire to a scammer**: these usually aren't card transactions. Tell them to contact their bank or app immediately anyway, and consider the `scam-checker` skill for next steps.
- **Buy now, pay later**: use the provider's own dispute process first.
- **Buyer's remorse with no merchant fault**: not disputable. Suggest the merchant's return policy.

## Step 2: Check deadlines

**Credit cards (Fair Credit Billing Act / Regulation Z):**
- Billing errors: send written notice so the issuer receives it within **60 days** after the first statement showing the charge was sent. Online dispute forms usually count, but a written letter preserves all legal rights.
- The issuer must acknowledge within 30 days and resolve within two billing cycles (no more than 90 days). The disputed amount can be withheld while it's investigated.
- Unauthorized use liability is capped at $50 by law, and most issuers have $0 liability policies.
- For quality problems with goods, cardholders may also have "claims and defenses" rights against the issuer in some circumstances.

**Debit cards (Electronic Fund Transfer Act / Regulation E):**
- Report lost or stolen card or unauthorized transactions fast. Liability can be capped at $50 if reported within 2 business days of learning of it, up to $500 if within 60 days of the statement, and potentially unlimited after that.
- Banks generally must investigate within 10 business days or give provisional credit while investigating longer.
- Regulation E covers unauthorized and error transactions, not merchandise quality. Quality disputes on debit rely on card network rules and the bank's policy.

**Card network dispute windows** are commonly around 120 days from the transaction or expected delivery date for most reason types, but vary by network and reason. Treat the 60-day legal window as the real deadline and file sooner rather than later.

## Step 3: Contact the merchant first (unless it's fraud)

For everything except fraud, issuers often expect the cardholder to have tried to resolve it with the merchant, and a documented attempt strengthens the case. Draft a short message:
- Order number, date, amount
- What went wrong, in one or two sentences
- The specific resolution requested (refund to card, replacement)
- A deadline, typically 7–10 days
- Keep a copy or screenshot

If the merchant resolves it, great. If they refuse or don't respond by the deadline, move to the dispute.

For fraud, skip this. Contact the issuer immediately, lock or replace the card, and check for other unauthorized charges.

## Step 4: Build the evidence packet

Anticipate the merchant's rebuttal and pre-empt it:

| Dispute type | Merchant will likely submit | Cardholder should include |
|---|---|---|
| Not received | Tracking showing "delivered" | Evidence of non-receipt: messages to carrier/merchant, photos of delivery location, neighbor/building confirmation, wrong address on tracking |
| Not as described | Product listing, "customer accepted delivery" | Photos of item vs listing, expert or brand confirmation of counterfeit, return attempt and tracking, merchant's refusal |
| Cancelled recurring | Terms of service showing auto-renewal, account usage after cancellation | Cancellation confirmation email or screenshot with date, proof of no usage after cancelling |
| Credit not processed | Nothing, or a return policy | Return tracking showing delivery to merchant, refund promise in writing |
| Duplicate / wrong amount | Receipt | Statement showing both charges, receipt showing correct amount |

## Step 5: Write the dispute narrative

Issuers and merchant reviewers read these fast. Make it short and chronological:

1. What was purchased, when, and for how much
2. What went wrong
3. What the cardholder did to fix it with the merchant, with dates
4. What the merchant did or didn't do
5. The resolution requested
6. List of attached evidence

No emotional language, no speculation about the merchant's motives, no exaggeration.

## Output format

1. **Classification** and why
2. **Deadline**, with the date if the statement date is known
3. **Merchant message** (if applicable)
4. **Evidence checklist**, marked have / need
5. **Dispute narrative**, ready to paste
6. **What happens next**: timeline, and what to do if the dispute is denied (request the merchant's rebuttal, submit a second-cycle response if the issuer allows it, CFPB complaint for issuer mishandling, small claims against the merchant)

## Don't

- Don't encourage disputing legitimate charges or mislabeling a dispute type to improve odds.
- Don't promise a win.
- Don't ask for or record full card numbers. Last four digits are enough to identify a card.