How do I dispute a BankAmericard charge?

The charge on your credit card statement that you don’t recognize could be a charge from an unfamiliar merchant, a fee charged by the card issuer, a mistake of some sort, or an unauthorized credit card transaction.

In many cases, unfamiliar charges are simply the result of the cardholder not recognizing the merchant name on their statement, or not expecting a previously scheduled purchase. But even if the charge on your credit card statement ends up being fraudulent, all major credit cards give users a … read full answer$0 liability guarantee for unauthorized charges.

It’s still best to report unauthorized charges quickly, however, and to take other steps to make sure you don’t become a victim of full-blow identity theft. This should include changing passwords and reviewing recent transactions on other financial accounts, at the very least.

How to look up a charge from your credit card statement

When you don’t recognize a charge on your credit card statement, the first thing to rule out is the possibility that you simply don’t recognize the merchant name from the statement description. Charges from merchants on a credit card statement may look confusing or unrecognizable - sometimes even to the person who authorized the charge. Some merchant names are more cryptic than others - especially small businesses that may use the business owner’s name as a merchant name rather than the name of the business.

There are a few ways to look up unfamiliar credit card charges:

1. Use a search engine to look up the words in the description of the charge on your statement - exactly as it appears.
2. See if your card issuer has its own merchant search tool by calling the number on the back of your credit card.
3. Contact any merchants you did business with on the date of the charge, and ask them how their business shows up on credit card statements.

With all the credit card transactions that happen every day, it’s inevitable that mistakes will happen, too. But cardholders have some recourse for mistakes that end up on their credit card bills: You can dispute charges you don’t recognize.

Just realize that the credit card company will investigate the charges, so it’s a good idea to retrace your steps before you dispute the charge. Go through all receipts from that time period to make sure you didn’t simply forget about a purchase you authorized. If you come up empty-handed, call the merchant - it could be an honest mistake, and the merchant can reverse the charge. If it’s not a mistake, it’s time to call your card issuer to dispute the charge.

However, you may find out that the charge is from your credit card issuer, not a merchant. If you suspect that your card issuer has mistakenly charged you a fee, you should take it up with a customer service rep at your credit card company.

What to do if you didn’t authorize the charge

If you’ve tracked down the merchant responsible for the unrecognizable charge, but you did not authorize the charge, you may be a target of credit card fraud. You should report it to your card issuer immediately by calling the number on the back of your card or logging into your online credit card account. Your card issuer will likely cancel your credit card and send you a new one. You won’t be responsible for paying the unauthorized charges.

With all the credit card fraud in today’s financial environment, finding an unfamiliar item on a credit card statement can be alarming. But reviewing your credit card statement every month, or keeping track of charges as they post to your online account, is an important step in protecting yourself from fraud.

To cancel a credit card transaction, contact either the merchant on the other side of the transaction or the credit card company. Which you should contact first depends on whether or not you think the transaction is fraudulent.

When You Think the Transaction Is Fraudulent:

If you want to cancel a credit card transaction because you think it is fraudulent, the first thing you should do is search online for the name of the biller, as listed on your credit card account. Sometimes, legitimate transactions can lead to false alarms simply because a biller’s corporate name isn’t as recognizable as the brand name a consumer really does intend to pay. If that clears things up in your case, great – crisis averted.… read full answer

However, if you still don’t recognize the details, you should definitely call your credit card’s issuer (the number is listed on the back of your card) to inform them about the unauthorized transaction. Even if the issuer can’t cancel the transaction before it goes through initially, you will not be on the hook for any fraudulent purchases made with your credit card account. All credit cards give users a $0 fraud liability guarantee.

When You Just Want to Cancel the Transaction:

If you know that a credit card transaction is legitimate, but you want to cancel it because you changed your mind or made the purchase by mistake (or any other reason), take your request directly to the merchant the transaction is with. The credit card company won’t be able to do much about a legitimately authorized credit card transaction. They might be able to instruct you on how to cancel future transactions if the card is being used for a subscription or other recurring purchase, but that’s about it.

Your chances of being able to cancel a credit card transaction made online figure to be especially good. Check the merchant's cancellation policy. Some provide a small window in which you can cancel a pending transaction. Just bear in mind that in this situation, an order may show as canceled before the transaction reversal posts to your credit card account.

A credit card refund could take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks, if you’re returning a purchase. But if you’re seeking a refund because you’re disputing a charge on your monthly statement, the process could take up to 150 days. The law dictates that you must notify your credit card’s issuer of the problem within 60 days, and they must resolve it within 90 days of being notified.… read full answer

With store refunds, the time frame depends on the individual merchant’s policy. For instance, refunds for items returned by mail may take longer rather than in-store. That’s especially true if you’re returning something to a merchant in another country. You should also keep in mind that not all stores even offer refunds, while others limit them to defective merchandise.

So the two biggest factors that determine refund turnaround times are the type of refund you’re seeking and store policy. But to make an accurate estimate, it helps to know all the issues in play.

Here’s what decides how long a credit card refund takes:

• If you’re disputing a charge, it could take up to 150 days to receive a refund, assuming the credit card company rules in your favor.
• Simpler disputes can be resolved faster. For example, if you can produce receipts, it’s easy to establish that you’re telling the truth. That’s one reason to always save them.
• You could dispute a charge if a purchase never arrives or comes damaged, for example, or if you’re charged for a larger tip than you left.
• If you’re returning a purchase, you could get an immediate refund in-store, while a mailed return takes several weeks. The timetable depends on the merchant’s policies, either way.

The best way to find out exactly how long a credit card refund will take is to contact the merchant or your credit card issuer, depending on whether it’s a return or a dispute. And it’s worth noting that some stores only allow returns for store credit. Luckily, many cards offer return protection. So even if you can’t get a return in store, you might be eligible for reimbursement from the credit card company if your item is new and undamaged. And if you do get a credit card refund, it will show up as a credit on your statement.