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Glossary term

Dispute

How to dispute a credit card charge with your issuer and how to dispute errors on your credit report, including timelines, required information, and what to expect.

Two Types of Disputes

In the credit card context, "dispute" refers to two distinct processes:

  1. Disputing a credit card charge with your card issuer (also called a chargeback)
  2. Disputing an error on your credit report with a credit bureau

Both processes are important, and both have legal protections for consumers.

Disputing a Credit Card Charge

If a charge on your statement is incorrect, fraudulent, or relates to goods or services you did not receive as promised, you can dispute it with your card issuer.

Step 1: Try the merchant first. Contact the merchant directly. Most resolution happens faster this way. Keep records of your attempt (email confirmation, chat transcript).

Step 2: File a dispute with your issuer. If the merchant does not resolve it, call the number on the back of your card or use the online dispute tool. Provide: the transaction amount, date, merchant name, and a clear explanation of the issue.

Step 3: The issuer investigates. The issuer typically provides a provisional credit within a few days. The merchant has 30 to 45 days to respond with evidence. If the merchant cannot substantiate the charge, the chargeback is ruled in your favor.

Timing: Federal law (Fair Credit Billing Act) gives you 60 days from the statement on which the disputed charge first appears to file a dispute. Some issuers extend this to 120 days depending on the dispute reason.

See also: chargeback.

Disputing a Credit Report Error

If information on your credit report is inaccurate, you have the right to dispute it with the bureau that shows the error.

Step 1: Get your credit report. Access free reports at annualcreditreport.com. Review all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) since different information may appear on each.

Step 2: File a dispute with the bureau. Go to the bureau's website directly: equifax.com, experian.com, or transunion.com. Submit a dispute online with: the account or item you are disputing, the reason it is incorrect, and any supporting documentation.

Step 3: The bureau investigates. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the bureau must investigate within 30 days (45 days in some circumstances). They contact the data furnisher (the creditor or lender that reported the information) to verify accuracy.

Step 4: Resolution. If the information cannot be verified or is found inaccurate, it must be corrected or removed. You receive written notice of the outcome.

What disputes can fix: Wrong payment dates, accounts that are not yours, discharged bankruptcy accounts still showing a balance, incorrect account status, outdated negative items.

What disputes cannot fix: Accurate negative information stays on your report for the full statutory period (7 years for most negatives, 10 years for Chapter 7 bankruptcy), regardless of disputes. Dispute services that claim to remove accurate negative information are generally misleading.

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