How Do I Dispute a Charge with MasterCard?
If you find a charge you don't recognize made with your Mastercard, you should dispute the charge to get the problem fixed. Your first step should be to dispute the charge with the merchant involved in the transaction. If the merchant can't or won't help, you should dispute the charge with the bank that issued your Mastercard. Mastercard itself does not issue any cards.
If you see a charge made with your Mastercard that you aren't responsible for, you should take immediate action. If someone has stolen your identity, you may see more charges coming soon. Even if it was just a mistake, there's no reason to pay for purchases you did not make. This article will teach you how to dispute the charge so you aren't held responsible for it.
Before You Initiate the Dispute
Before initiating the dispute, make sure you didn't actually make that charge and then just forget about it. You should also ask everyone authorized to use your Mastercard if one of them is responsible for the unknown charges.
If you are confident that the charge is unauthorized, you should try to take the matter up with the merchant before you do anything else. The merchant has all the transaction information already and can take care of errant charges the quickest.
Disputing the Charge with Mastercard
If the merchant is not able to assist you, it's time to dispute the charge. However, you can't dispute it directly with Mastercard. Mastercard processes transactions for banks that issue Mastercard brand cards but does not grant credit itself. Therefore, you must discuss the charge with the institution that issued your Mastercard. Every financial institution has its own procedure for this, but a phone call will usually work. Many also have online forms you can use, which are often accessible from your Account Activity page.
After Initiating the Dispute
After you initiate the dispute, your financial institution will start an investigation. It may remove the charge from your bill during the investigation. After it finishes the investigation, it will notify you of its decision. Some institutions take under 30 days to complete these investigations; others can take 60 days or more. Especially complicated situations can take several months to investigate.
Contacting Mastercard
Even though Mastercard does not issue any cards or investigate disputed charges, you can talk to a Mastercard representative by help forum or phone if you have any questions.
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