Your Rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act

If you have ever received your credit card statement and found an error, you know how frustrating it can be. You either call the credit card company and they say you need to talk to the merchant. You call the merchant and they tell you to call the credit card company. Eventually, you might just pay the charge to make the problem go away and keep from paying interest on a purchase you didn't make or one you returned.

Today, the Fair Credit Billing Act makes sure that you don't have to pay for something you didn't buy. But the act also covers other billing errors that you should not have to be responsible for. This includes the billing for an item you returned or an item you never received or accepted. It also applies to billing that has the wrong date or amount of purchase. And if the credit card issuer makes a math mistake, you are covered as well. Finally, if the credit card company fails to send your statement to your current address, as long as they have been notified of this address in writing, the Fair Credit Billing Act will help you with the interest charged in the meantime.

Basically, any item on your bill that you want explained or that you don't recognize can be taken as a billing error under the new law. But in order to get the credit card company to take action under this law, you must notify them in writing of the error within sixty days of the issue date on your bill. Do not fax, email, or phone your complaint in. You must send a letter through US mail.

In your letter, describe the problem as succinctly as possible. Avoid venting about how ridiculous the whole situation is. Simply state the facts, list your contact information, credit card number or account number, and sign and date the letter. Send it to the address for billing inquiries, and if possible, send it by certified mail. You will be notified when your letter is received.

The credit card company must investigate your complaint and respond to you either with a refund or an explanation of why the charges are correct within two billing cycles, or ninety days.