People use their credit cards to purchase just about anything in-store or online, leaving the opportunity for complications to arise. Many consumers choose to shop strictly with cash to avoid the possible problems associated with regular credit card use. One thing that all credit card holders may have to go through is disputing a charge. This does not only occur in response to a stolen card but for more practical reasons including:
These situations and more permit a credit card charge dispute, but before you start calling around, analyze the transaction first. Be sure that it is not one you forgot you made or an issue that the retailer already handled. An example of the latter is if a store charged you twice for an item but refunded you the money for the second charge in cash. It may still show up as a double-charge, but you did get your money back. Once you rule out personal error, follow these steps to dispute a credit card charge.
Contact the merchant first before reaching out to your credit card company. Record the name of the employee you speak with as well as the time and date of the conversation. If they cannot help you, request to speak to the manager. If the manager does not offer any solutions, you should then contact your credit card company.
There are digital and physical means by which you can dispute a charge with your credit card company, but you must act quickly. You only have 60 days after receiving your billing statement to address the transaction. Follow up all contact attempts and conversations with an email and be sure to accurately address dispute letters.
It is vital that you continue to make your regular monthly payments throughout this process. Although you are disputing a particular transaction, you are still responsible for paying off charges that are legitimate. During the investigation, however, you aren’t responsible for paying off the charge in question or any associated costs.
At the conclusion of the investigation, your bank may be able to refund your money, but it is possible that another issue is brewing. That one unauthorized charge may be an indicator of identity theft and, if so, you can expect many other questionable transactions to soon follow. Identity theft can bury you in debt and result in relentless calls from unforgiving debt collectors.
The Florida debt harassment attorneys at The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi can put those calls to an end today! The TCPA protects consumers from predatory robocalls that many debt collection agencies use when pursuing payment and many other invasive tactics. Contact us for a free case evaluation. You may be entitled to $500 – $1500 per call or text message.