What to Do If You Get Charged Twice on Your Credit Card

Credit card double charges can be frustrating, often stemming from technical glitches or human error. These duplicate charges are frequently resolvable with proper action. Understanding the correct steps helps consumers protect their financial accounts and ensure billing accuracy. This guide provides a detailed approach to managing and resolving instances of duplicate credit card transactions.

Confirming the Duplicate Transaction

The initial step in addressing a suspected duplicate charge involves a thorough review of your credit card statement or online transaction history. Meticulously examine each transaction for identical merchant names, amounts, and close transaction dates or times.

Distinguish between a “pending” charge and a “posted” charge. A pending charge is an authorization hold that may eventually drop off without actually posting to your account. Only charges that have fully posted to your statement should be considered a concern for dispute. Slight variations in merchant names, amounts, or dates might indicate separate, legitimate transactions rather than true duplicates. Documenting all findings, such as taking screenshots of online transactions or noting down transaction IDs from receipts, provides valuable evidence.

Resolving with the Merchant

Contacting the merchant directly is often the quickest and most straightforward method to resolve a duplicate charge. Many merchants can correct billing errors promptly. Begin by locating the merchant’s customer service contact information, which can typically be found on your receipt, the merchant’s official website, or your credit card statement.

When you contact the merchant, have all the previously gathered information readily available. This includes the transaction dates, exact amounts of the charges, the merchant’s name, and any relevant transaction IDs. Clearly explain that you have identified two charges for the same transaction and provide these specific details. Request a refund for the duplicate charge and ask for a confirmation number or an email documenting the resolution. Record the date and time of your interaction, the name of the representative you spoke with, and the outcome of the discussion.

Disputing with Your Card Issuer

If direct resolution with the merchant is unsuccessful, or if you are unable to contact them, initiating a formal dispute with your credit card issuer is the next course of action. Consumer protections, such as those provided by the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), govern your rights. The FCBA applies to open-end credit accounts like credit cards and protects consumers against billing errors, including duplicate charges.

Under the FCBA, you have 60 days from the date the first statement containing the error was sent to you to dispute the charge in writing. While some card issuers may allow disputes by phone, submitting a written dispute helps preserve your legal rights. When contacting your card issuer, provide all pertinent information from your prior verification and merchant contact attempts. This includes transaction details, proof of the duplicate charge, and documentation of your attempts to resolve the issue directly with the merchant.

Upon receiving your dispute, the card issuer must acknowledge it in writing within 30 days. They then have up to two billing cycles, or 90 days, to investigate and resolve the matter. During this investigation period, the card issuer cannot collect payment on the disputed amount or report it as delinquent to credit bureaus. Many issuers provide a provisional credit for the disputed amount, temporarily restoring funds to your account. This provisional credit can be reversed if no error occurred, but becomes permanent if the dispute is upheld and the charge is removed.

Post-Resolution Account Monitoring

After a duplicate charge has been resolved, ongoing account monitoring remains a prudent practice. Continue reviewing your credit card statements closely for several billing cycles to confirm that the duplicate charge does not reappear. This vigilance helps ensure the resolution is permanent and no further billing discrepancies arise.

Many credit card companies offer transaction alerts, which can notify you of activity on your account in near real-time. Setting up alerts can help you quickly identify any unusual or unauthorized activity. If the duplicate charge reappears, or if the expected refund or credit is not reflected on your statement, promptly contact your card issuer again, referencing your previous dispute. Maintaining organized records of all communications, confirmation numbers, and documentation related to the dispute is essential for any potential future follow-up.