Disputed transaction.

In plain English

A disputed transaction is a payment you formally challenge with your bank or card issuer because it is unauthorized, a billing error, a duplicate, or something you paid for but never received. Filing a dispute starts an investigation in which the bank reviews the claim and decides whether to reverse the charge. For electronic transfers and debit cards, your rights come from Regulation E, and reporting promptly matters, because how much you can be held responsible for depends on how fast you report. Keep records like receipts, emails, and the date you first noticed the problem.

01Why it matters

Disputing a charge the right way and on time is how you get fraudulent or mistaken payments reversed instead of eating the loss yourself.

02The math, step by step

You see two identical $89 charges from the same store on the same day, but you only bought one item. You contact your bank, file a dispute on the duplicate, and the bank investigates. First step: report it as soon as you notice. Under Regulation E, if a debit card or access device is lost or stolen and you report within 2 business days of learning about it, your liability for unauthorized transfers is capped at $50; report later and it can rise to $500; and you generally have 60 days from the statement showing an unauthorized transfer to report it before you risk liability for transfers after that.

03What this is NOT

04Receipts

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