Can you get sued for a credit card dispute?
William Jenkins
Updated on January 19, 2026
Federal law permits you to sue the credit card company if it does not follow the dispute procedures discussed above or takes some action forbidden by law (such as reporting a disputed amount as delinquent to a credit bureau).
Can a merchant charge you directly after you win a credit card dispute?
(Generally, issuers must investigate and resolve the matter within two billing cycles.) But the law is silent on the merchant’s role in this process. But if the credit card charge is refunded, “Many payment processing systems would not allow a merchant to directly charge a consumer’s card after a chargeback.”
What happens to the merchant if you dispute a charge?
If your issuer accepts the dispute, they’ll pass it on to the card network, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover, and you may receive a temporary account credit. The card network reviews the transaction and either requires your card issuer to pay or sends the dispute to the merchant’s acquiring bank.
Can you sue a credit card company for false charges?
Complaints. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCBA for most creditors except banks. If you think a creditor has violated the FCBA, file a complaint with the FTC. You also can sue a creditor who violates the FCBA.
What happens if you win a credit card dispute?
Your credit card company will likely remove the charge from your statement during the dispute process. You won’t need to pay it until a decision is reached regarding the dispute, and if you win, you won’t need to pay it at all.
What is the credit card dispute process?
Disputing a credit card charge. Consumers can dispute fraudulent charges on their bill by calling their issuer. This is typically a quick process where the issuer will cancel the credit card in question and reissue a new one. You also have the right to dispute a credit card charge for a purchase you willingly made.
How does a credit card dispute end for a merchant?
A dispute can end in three ways: 1 The merchant wins and the chargeback is cancelled 2 The card holder wins and the money is removed from the merchant’s account and sent back to the card holder 3 The merchant wins but is hit with a new claim due to a processing error in the original one, or the discovery of new information.
Can a merchant sue a credit card company?
The merchant did incur labor and material costs. Winning a dispute with a credit card company didn’t make those costs go away. So, the short answer to your question is, yes, the merchant can threaten to sue. And if they move forward with a lawsuit, you are going to need an attorney.
Can a merchant win a dispute with a chargeback?
Although true fraud disputes are not winnable, merchants should still respond to fraud disputes. This is because a dispute could be coming from a chargeback or friendly fraudster claiming the transaction is fraudulent, which means the dispute is winnable.
When are customers entitled to dispute a charge?
Credit Card Disputes – When Are Customers Entitled to Dispute a Charge? A credit card dispute, more commonly known as a credit card chargeback, occurs after your customer, identifying a transaction they believe is not valid, disputes the transaction to the issuing bank. The bank files that dispute on the cardholder’s behalf, overturning the sale.