How to Dispute an Unauthorized Credit Card Charge in California: What Federal Law Requires and What to Do Step by Step
How long do I have to dispute an unauthorized credit card charge?
Under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, you have 60 days from the date the first billing statement containing the disputed charge was mailed or made available to you. This deadline runs from the statement date, not from when you noticed the charge. Missing the 60-day window can forfeit your statutory right to dispute the charge.
Does calling my credit card company count as disputing a charge?
A phone call alone does not trigger your protections under the Fair Credit Billing Act. You must submit a written dispute - a letter sent to your card issuer's billing inquiries address, or a documented written submission through their secure online system. If mailing, use certified mail so you have proof of the date the issuer received it.
What happens to the disputed charge while my credit card company investigates?
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the disputed amount cannot be reported to credit bureaus as delinquent while the investigation is open, and you are not required to pay that portion during the process. Your card issuer must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, but no longer than 90 days. Continue paying any undisputed balance to avoid interest or late fees.
Who can I complain to if my credit card company ignores or mishandles my dispute?
California cardholders can file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation at dfpi.ca.gov, or with the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov. The DFPI has direct oversight authority over many financial institutions operating in California and can act on complaints independently of federal regulators.
Is a credit card dispute the same as a debit card dispute?
No. Credit cards are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, which gives you 60 days to dispute charges in writing and requires the issuer to investigate. Debit cards fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which has different rules and generally offers weaker protections. If a fraudulent charge hit your debit card, contact your bank immediately - time limits for reporting are shorter and liability rules differ.
An unfamiliar charge on your credit card statement - whether it's a $9.99 recurring subscription you never signed up for or a $400 purchase you didn't make - is something millions of Californians deal with every year. Federal law gives you the right to dispute it and, in most cases, get your money back, but the process has real deadlines and specific steps that determine whether your dispute succeeds or stalls.
Related: How to Dispute an Unauthorized Credit Card Charge in California: What Federal Law Actually Gives You · Got an Unauthorized Charge on Your Credit Card? Here's What California Law Lets You Do
Your Core Legal Rights Under the Fair Credit Billing Act
The Fair Credit Billing Act, a federal law administered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is what protects you here. Under the FCBA, you have the right to dispute any charge on a credit card billing statement that you believe is unauthorized, the result of fraud, or otherwise erroneous - including charges for goods or services you never received or that weren't delivered as described. The law does not cover debit cards the same way (those fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which has different, generally weaker protections), so the steps below apply specifically to credit cards.
California's Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the state's Consumer Legal Remedies Act provide additional protections if a merchant or debt collector later tries to pressure you over a disputed amount, but the FCBA is the foundation of the dispute process itself.
The Deadline That Actually Matters
You must send your written dispute to your card issuer within 60 days of the date the first statement containing the disputed charge was mailed or made available to you. This is a firm deadline under the FCBA - not 60 days from when you noticed the charge, but from the statement date. If you miss it, you lose your statutory right to dispute the charge through this process, though your issuer may still help you voluntarily. Check your statement date carefully before you start.
How to Actually File the Dispute
Calling your card issuer is a reasonable first step to flag the charge, but a phone call alone does not trigger your FCBA protections. You must send a written dispute - a letter or, increasingly, a documented written submission through your card issuer's secure online message center, though confirm with your issuer that their online system qualifies as a written dispute under their process. If you mail a letter, send it to the "billing inquiries" address on your statement, not the payment address - these are often different, and sending to the wrong one can void your rights.
Your dispute letter should include your name, account number, the date and dollar amount of the charge you're disputing, the name of the merchant as it appears on your statement, and a clear statement that you did not authorize the charge or that it is otherwise in error. Keep a copy of everything you send. If you mail it, use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery and the date it arrived.
Your card issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days of receiving it, and must resolve it within two billing cycles (but no more than 90 days). During that time, the disputed amount cannot be reported as delinquent to credit bureaus, and you don't have to pay the disputed portion while the investigation is open - though you should continue paying any undisputed balance to avoid interest and late fees.
See also: How to Dispute an Unauthorized Credit Card Charge in California: A Step-by-Step Guide · How to Dispute an Unauthorized Credit Card Charge in California
What Happens After You File
The issuer will investigate, typically by contacting the merchant. If the dispute is resolved in your favor, the charge is removed from your statement. If the issuer sides with the merchant, they must notify you in writing and give you at least 10 days to explain why you still believe the charge is wrong before they report you as delinquent. At that point, you can escalate.
If you believe your issuer mishandled the dispute, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. California residents can also file a complaint with the California Attorney General's office at oag.ca.gov or with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which oversees state-chartered banks and certain financial service providers, at dfpi.ca.gov. The DFPI's complaint process is worth knowing - it has real authority over many financial institutions operating in California and can prompt a response that a federal complaint alone sometimes doesn't.
If the Charge Looks Like Fraud
If you believe your card number was stolen - not just a billing error - report it to your issuer immediately so they can freeze or replace the card. You should also place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). A fraud alert is free and lasts one year; a credit freeze is also free under federal law and stays in place until you lift it. California law under the California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act gives residents the right to place and lift freezes at no cost, consistent with federal rules. You can report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov, which will generate a personal recovery plan and an official FTC Identity Theft Report - a document that can be useful if you need to dispute items with credit bureaus later.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Dispute deadlines and process details can vary by card issuer, and the underlying federal rules are subject to regulatory change - always verify current requirements with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov, with your specific card issuer, and for California-specific protections with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation at dfpi.ca.gov or the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov.