How to Win a Credit Card Dispute

You never want to find yourself filing a credit card dispute, but it may be something you have to do at some point. There are many reasons for this, including but not limited to:

• Incorrect billing
• You did not receive an item you ordered
• You received a service or product that was substandard or misrepresented

Most credit card companies have a simple dispute process in place, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee your success.

There are many steps you can take to improve your chances of winning a credit card dispute, including the following:

• Start by contacting the seller. It’s your hope that this brings an end to the problem, but if it doesn’t you’ll immediately want to contact your credit card company. Most issuers permit you to file a dispute in writing, online, or over the phone.
• Act fast. You don’t want to delay, as you typically have 60 days after the error to file a dispute. The sooner you get around to doing this the better.
• If it’s fraud, say it. Cases of fraud typically receive special attention, so if you believe this to be the case bring it to light during first contact with your issuer.
• Don’t give up. It’s possible the merchant will tell your issuer that they didn’t do anything wrong. Subsequently, the issuer tells you there is nothing they can do and closes the case. You don’t have to stop here. Instead, collect more evidence and once again contact your issuer to discuss what’s going on and your options moving forward.

Final tip: you may have more success calling your credit card company on the phone, as opposed to filing a dispute online or via mail. This gives you the opportunity to speak live with a representative, thus better expressing yourself and why you believe you should receive a chargeback.

Do you have any experience filing a credit card dispute? Did you follow these steps? Did you do anything else that you attribute to your success? Share your approach in the comment section below.