Contact the seller first, but do not let that conversation consume the card deadline. CFPB says you should send a written billing-error notice to the card issuer within 60 calendar days after the charge first appeared on your statement. Use the billing-inquiries address, identify the account and charge, explain that the item was not received, and keep proof the notice arrived.
A recent buyer waited through repeated shipping promises and learned that the card issuer's ordinary dispute period had passed. Other shoppers ask whether a seller support case pauses the 60-day federal notice clock.
Start here: a practical action plan
- Find the statement where the charge first appeared.
- Calculate the written notice date before the 60-day window closes.
- Send the issuer the charge, order, delivery, and merchant records.
- Keep paying undisputed balances while the issuer investigates.
- Counting 60 days from the expected delivery date instead of the statement date.
- Assuming a phone call replaces written notice needed to preserve rights.
- Confusing a temporary dispute credit with a final decision.
Calculate the deadline from the statement
Find the first periodic statement showing the charge, not merely the purchase date. Count 60 calendar days from the statement-transmission date and verify the issuer's billing-rights instructions. Calling is useful, but CFPB says written notice protects federal billing-error rights.
Use the billing-inquiries address on the statement rather than the payment address. Include your name, account number, disputed amount, merchant, transaction date, and explanation. Send copies, not originals, of the order, tracking, seller messages, and cancellation request.
Worked example: seller promises consume 43 days
Example: a $620 order appears on a statement sent September 4. A seller promises shipment on September 20, October 3, and October 17. By October 17, 43 days have passed since September 4 and only 17 days remain in a simple 60-day count.
The unresolved amount is still $620 even if the merchant says a refund is coming. The example uses straight calendar-day arithmetic and is not a legal deadline calculator. Mail time and the issuer's stated receipt requirements make last-day action risky.
| Hypothetical timeline | Date or amount |
|---|---|
| Statement sent | September 4 |
| Third seller promise | October 17 |
| Days elapsed | 43 |
| Simple days remaining | 17 |
| Disputed charge | $620 |
Send a complete notice to the correct address
State the factual category accurately. Nonreceipt, wrong goods, defective goods, unauthorized use, and duplicate billing can involve different processes. Do not call an authorized purchase unauthorized merely because the merchant failed to deliver.
Ask the issuer to confirm receipt in writing. CFPB says the company generally must acknowledge the notice within 30 days unless it has already completed the required resolution procedures, and it must follow the applicable investigation process.
Budget while the credit remains provisional
A provisional credit can be reversed. Keep enough budget capacity to absorb that risk when possible and continue paying undisputed amounts. Record the temporary credit in a separate category rather than treating it as income or final savings.
If the seller refunds during the investigation, notify the issuer and preserve the final statement. Do not seek two recoveries for one loss. A debit card, payment wallet, buy-now-pay-later plan, or marketplace can use different rules and deadlines.
- Locate the first statement with the charge.
- Calculate the 60-day written-notice window.
- Send the notice to the billing-inquiries address.
- Track provisional and final credits separately.
Frequently asked questions
Does calling the card issuer protect the deadline?
Call promptly, but CFPB says you must also send a written billing-error notice to protect federal rights.
When does the 60-day period start?
It generally runs from when the issuer sent the first statement containing the charge, not simply the purchase date.
Where do I send the notice?
Use the billing-inquiries address listed for disputes, which can differ from the payment address.
Can I dispute after paying the card bill?
Yes, CFPB says a paid charge can still be disputed, though recovery may wait for the decision.
Is a provisional credit final?
No. The issuer can reverse it after investigation, so keep it separate from dependable cash.
What if the merchant refunds me too?
Tell the issuer and reconcile the final statements. You should not retain two recoveries for the same transaction.
Sources and review notes
The calculations and scenarios in this guide are original BreadWinnr worked examples. We recalculated each example and checked that its parts match the stated total. Official sources support the financial concepts. Forum links document the reader problem that prompted the guide and are not treated as financial authority.
- CFPB: How to dispute a card charge
- CFPB: Refunds for goods not received
- Forum question: dispute after a long order delay
Read our research, testing, corrections, and source policy.
This guide provides general financial education. It does not account for your complete financial, tax, legal, or contractual situation.
Make the example yours.
Use the sinking fund calculator to try a different starting point.