|
3. Contact the Merchant: Nearly all credit card billing mistakes involve human error and they're simple to settle. It's often a matter of contacting the merchant,
speaking with an account's manager, and getting to the bottom of the discrepancy. Telephone contact is the fastest method and yields results. But if you're dealing
with a serious mistake, it's also ideal to leave a paper trail. Draft and mail a dispute letter to the merchant. The dispute letter should include your
name, address, account number (if applicable), and a detailed description of the error. Make a copy of your credit card statement - highlighting the merchant's error -
and include a copy of your purchase/return receipt with the letter.
4. Contact the Credit Card Company: Regrettably, a few merchants aren't cooperative. And despite your best efforts, they refuse to remove or correct a
disputed charge. When this happens, it's time to notify your actual credit card company. Before a credit card company can dispute or look into an invalid
charge, you'll need to have your facts in order and provide any substantial proof.
5. Write a Dispute Letter: Credit card billing errors don't have to involve a merchant or retailer. Credit card companies make mistakes too, and some
companies routinely enforce excessive fees or pay no attention to consumer rights. If a national credit card company is responsible for an error, and
you're unable to resolve the problem, write a dispute letter and send the complaint to:
|
The Federal Trade Commission
6th and Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20508
Or, file a complaint at: http://www.ftc.gov.
6. Continue to Pay Your Bill: Regardless of whether information listed on your credit card bill is accurate or inaccurate, never stop paying the bill. Continue to pay the minimum payment until the dispute is resolved. Failure to do so can result in additional fees and charges, and creditors can report delinquencies to the credit bureaus, which will reduce your credit score.
7. Be Patient, but Persistent: Credit card billing adjustments aren't always made on the spot. By law, creditors must reply to dispute letters or complaints within 30 days. However, they have up to two billing cycles or 90 days to resolve a dispute.
|
