How long do I have to dispute a fraudulent charge on my credit or debit card?

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) in the U.S. gives you 60 days from the date the statement containing the fraudulent charge was mailed or made available to dispute the charge in writing. However, most credit card issuers accept disputes far beyond this minimum — often 120 days, and sometimes up to 540 days for specific dispute types through Visa or Mastercard arbitration. Check your cardholder agreement for your specific issuer's policy.

For debit cards, the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) applies and the windows are stricter. If you report within 2 business days of discovering the loss, your liability is capped at $50. Between 2 and 60 days, the cap rises to $500. After 60 days with no report, you may be responsible for the full amount. This is why checking your bank statements regularly is so important.

For both card types, file your dispute in writing (email or the online portal) in addition to calling, as written disputes create a paper trail. The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days (two billing cycles) under the FCBA.

Outside the U.S., similar protections exist in the UK under the Consumer Credit Act and in the EU under the Payment Services Directive. UK credit card chargebacks have a 120-day limit through most card networks but a 6-year contractual claim period under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases over £100.