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You can dispute a debit card charge and get your money back, but you need to act quickly. The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your bank within 60 days of the disputed charge.
Disputing a debit card charge can be done over the phone, online, or by mail. Your bank will need to verify the charge and investigate the issue.
You may be able to get your money back if you can prove that the charge was unauthorized or that the merchant provided false information about the product or service.
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Understanding Debit Card Charges
If you're disputing a debit card transaction, you have a few options to consider. You can call (800) 542-2657 to start the process.
You'll need to file the dispute within 90 days of the transaction date to have the best chance of a successful claim. If 90 days have passed, you can still file a dispute by calling the number on the back of your card.
The most convenient way to report a problem with a debit card charge is through the Capital One app or website.
What Happens When Charging?
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You initiate a debit card transaction by tapping, inserting, or swiping your card at a payment terminal, or by entering your card details online.
If your debit card transaction is approved, the funds will be deducted from your account balance immediately, or at the next available opportunity, depending on your bank's policies.
We will begin an investigation into the transaction if you dispute a debit card charge.
You may be provided with provisional (temporary) credit to your account during the investigation process.
We will inform you of the results of our investigation into the disputed transaction.
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Negative Balance
If you're facing a negative balance on your Square account, here's what you need to know.
A negative balance occurs when Square is unable to hold the disputed amount from your account or bank account, resulting in an outstanding balance.
To resolve the outstanding balance, sign in to your Square Dashboard and click Pay balance.
Fill out the payment details, review the payment, and click Pay Balance to complete the payment.
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A receipt will be sent to your email on file, and your Square balance will be adjusted automatically once the payment is complete.
In cases where you accept a payment from an international card in a different currency, the discrepancy in the held disputed amount is due to the difference in currency conversion rates at the time of the original payment versus the time the payment is disputed.
Before Filing a Dispute
Before filing a dispute, it's essential to understand the process and what to expect. Square covers the fee for every dispute they work together to challenge, so you won't incur any additional costs.
If a customer disputes a charge, Square will immediately hold the disputed funds by withholding funds from your Square balance or debiting your linked bank account. This is done as soon as the payment card issuer notifies Square of the dispute.
Transaction types can affect dispute processes and timelines, so it's worth noting this when dealing with disputed charges. The dispute outcome is final once the bank makes their decision, and Square will continue challenging the dispute on your behalf.
Discover more: Bank with Virtual Debit Card
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You can request a chargeback in certain situations, such as when you suspect a transaction was from fraud, or if you received a package that was never delivered. Square will help you navigate the dispute process and work together to resolve the issue.
Here are some common reasons for requesting a chargeback:
- Fraud or unauthorized charges on your account
- Packages that were never delivered
- Damaged or defective items
- Incorrect charges on your account
Keep in mind that some credit card issuers offer $0 liability on unauthorized charges, so it's worth checking your credit card terms to see if you're eligible for this protection.
Filing a Dispute
Filing a dispute is a straightforward process that can help you resolve issues with a debit card charge. You can file a dispute by calling (800) 542-2657, visiting a bank branch, or writing to the bank as soon as possible.
If you're dealing with unauthorized charges, you should act quickly. Multiple charges for the same transaction, a subscription you were charged for but canceled, and a charge for more than the amount on your receipt are all good reasons to file a dispute.
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To file a dispute digitally, you need to do so within 90 days of the transaction date. If you wait too long, you can still file a dispute by calling the number on the back of your card, but it's not guaranteed you'll win your claim.
You can report a problem with a charge in the Capital One app or on the website. To start, select the transaction from your recent transaction list and then select Report a problem and answer questions about the charge.
Here are some examples of when to file a dispute:
- Multiple charges for the same transaction
- A subscription you were charged for, but canceled
- A charge for more than the amount on your receipt
- A product or service you were charged for, but never received
- A purchase return or cancellation that you were promised credit for, but you never received
Dispute Process
To dispute a debit card charge, you need to act quickly. You have 60 days from when the bank sent or made available the first statement on which the error appears.
You can file a dispute digitally, but you must do so within 90 days of the transaction date. If 90 days have passed, you can still file a dispute by calling the number on the back of your card.
The bank will take up to 90 days from the start of the dispute to make their final decision. You can view the status of your dispute at any time, but the bank's timeline cannot be sped up.
Here's a summary of the dispute process timeline:
Step 2: Respond
You have 60 days to dispute a transaction, starting from the first statement where the error appears.
To respond to a dispute, you'll need to select "No" in the information request form within the seven-day response timeline if you don't want to challenge it. This will allow you to return the funds to your customer.
Once you've responded with "No", you can advise your customer to look out for the refund, which can take an additional 2-7 business days to be posted to their account. The customer will need to check with their bank for the exact timeline.
If you believe the disputed transaction is valid, select "Yes" on the first question of the form and respond to the rest of the questions. You'll need to collect any supporting documentation and attach it to the form before submitting it.
Afterpay, the payment method used by your customer, will decide the dispute if the payment was made with them.
Review Outcomes
You'll receive a message from your bank within 90 days of filing a dispute, informing you of the claim decision. This message will be either online or in the mail.
There are three possible outcomes to a dispute: the original charge will be reapplied to your account, a portion of the original charge will be reapplied, or the dispute will be resolved in your favor.
If the dispute is resolved in your favor, the bank will remove the temporary credit and refund the disputed amount. If the dispute is resolved in your favor but the funds in your account aren't enough to cover the amount, the bank will debit your linked bank account to cover the disputed amount.
The bank will notify you of the outcome via email and update the status of the dispute. If the case is resolved in your favor, the funds will be released back to you. If the case is resolved in the customer's favor, the held funds will be returned to the customer.
Here are the possible outcomes of a dispute:
Sources
- https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/3882-payment-disputes-walkthrough
- https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/credit-cards-dispute-charge
- https://www.huntington.com/Privacy-Security/online-dispute-forms
- https://www.capitalone.com/help-center/fraud-disputes/dispute-credit-charge/
- https://www.cnbc.com/select/what-is-a-chargeback/
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