What rights do I have under the Fair Credit Billing Act?

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) you have the right to dispute any item on your credit card bill if you think it is an error. This act also gives you protection from unfair billing practices. You have the right to dispute an item in writing or to call the card issuer directly. The card issuer must then investigate the dispute and must provide you with a written answer within two billing cycles after they receive the dispute. During the investigation, the card issuer must not report the disputed item to any credit bureaus. The card issuer must also acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days of receiving it. The acknowledgement must include information about how to pursue a dispute as well as how to contact the card issuer to receive an explanation of their answer. If the card issuer decides that a disputed item is an error they must correct your statement and credit your account for the amount of the error. The card issuer must also remove a late fee related to the disputed item and may not charge interest on it until it is resolved. You are also protected by the act from being charged for a disputed item without written notice. The card issuer must provide a written notice at least 20 days before the bill is due explaining the amount of the disputed item and their right to dispute it. In addition, the card issuer is required to provide a credit to your account if the item is not paid in full within seven days of receiving a valid dispute. This gives consumers some relief from paying for items that they dispute.

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What rights do I have under the Fair Credit Billing Act?

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