Credit-card billing disputes by mail

Start with the CFPB's billing-error guide and the instructions on your statement or card agreement.

For a covered credit-card billing error, a written notice generally must reach the issuer's designated billing-error address no later than 60 days after the issuer transmitted the first periodic statement reflecting the alleged error. The billing-error address may be different from the payment address.

The FTC provides a free sample letter. Follow the issuer's current instructions, include the required identifying and transaction information, explain the alleged error, and send copies of supporting records rather than originals.

Track the statement-transmittal date, not merely the transaction date. Also keep the date the notice reached the designated address, the issuer's acknowledgment, and its decision. An online or phone dispute may be useful, but the CFPB says to follow up in writing to protect applicable rights.

There is no single universal federal “appeal packet” for every denied dispute. Read the denial and card agreement for the issuer's reconsideration process. If the result remains unresolved, review the CFPB complaint process or seek qualified advice.

Debit-card transactions follow different rules. Do not use credit-card FCBA instructions without checking the applicable debit-card process.

• CFPB: How to fix mistakes in your credit-card bill
• CFPB Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.13
• FTC: Using credit cards and disputing charges
• FTC sample dispute letter
• What to do after a credit-card dispute is denied