I Paid the Scammer Using a Credit or Debit Card
If you have paid with a credit card, you may be entitled for a chargeback. A chargeback from your credit card company gives you a refund when you’ve been wronged in a transaction and the seller won’t return your money.
You Can Get Your Money Back If:
- You didn’t receive an item, the item was broken or if you received the wrong product;
- You feel a product or service is substandard or not how it was represented;
- You were incorrectly billed (e.g. a subscription was continued while you have proof that you cancelled or they charged an incorrect amount)
- You don’t recognize a charge on your credit card statement
First, you must try to resolve the issue with the company you paid to. Collect all emails, messages, letters, the order and return confirmations. Take screenshots of the website showing your order and/or transaction history. You often must provide all correspondence to the credit card company as proof.
At the bottom of this page, you can find a template for sending an email to your bank.
The next step is contacting your credit card company. If it is clearly a scam, state so. The time you have to file a chargeback request (usually 30 to 120 days) and the process differs per credit card network:
- American Express (No limit)
- Discover (No limit)
- Mastercard (45-120 days)
- Visa (30 days)
If you have a credit card via your bank, it may be wise to start by contacting your bank first. The credit card network will approach the company and request them to respond to your claim. Often, they are more willing to support your chargeback than the credit card network.
What if Your Credit Card Company and Bank Refuse the Request?
Do not give up. First, check the reason behind your chargeback request being refused. You are entitled to read the response of the company that scammed you. Maybe you can counter their arguments with additional proof.
Example Letter
[Date]
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]
[Your Account Number]
[Name of Creditor]
[Billing Inquiries]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to dispute a billing error in the amount of [ $______] on my account. The amount is inaccurate because [describe the problem]. I am requesting that the error be corrected, that any finance and other charges related to the disputed amount be credited as well, and that I receive an accurate statement.
Enclosed are copies of [use this sentence to describe any information you are enclosing, like sales slips or payment records] supporting my position. Please investigate this matter and correct the billing error as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Enclosures: [List the enclosures]
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