If you don't recognise a transaction, think you've been wrongly charged or have another problem with your credit card, there are ways to get it sorted out. First, contact your bank or credit card issuer as soon as possible to discuss the matter.
That way you can dispute any incorrect charges and have them reversed. And if you suspect your card has been stolen, you can then put a lock on it.
You have a few ways you can cancel or reverse a credit card payment, depending on how and when the payment is made.
If you can't cancel a credit card payment before it is processed, there are other options – including disputing the transaction – which we'll go through below.
The process for lodging a dispute will vary by bank but the first. Some will let you provide the necessary information online, while you may need to call others. Below are some examples of the steps to take with different banks and lenders.
| Bank | How to lodge a dispute |
|---|---|
| NAB | Log into NAB internet banking and send a secure message using the ‘Mailbox’ option. Select ‘Electronic transaction dispute’ and fill out your request. You also have the options of printing a dispute form, mailing or faxing it to 1300 788 350, lodging the dispute over the phone at 13 22 65, or visiting a local branch. |
| St.George | You can lodge your dispute over the phone at 1300 304 040, by logging into internet banking, or by visiting any branch. Once logged in, select ‘Dispute a transaction’ underneath the ‘Did you know you can?’ tab and follow the prompts. You can also lodge the dispute by selecting the relevant account and selecting ‘Dispute a transaction’ underneath ‘Quicklinks’. |
| ANZ | Log into ANZ internet banking, select ‘Lodge a transaction dispute’ under your credit card account overview and follow the prompts. Otherwise, you can download and complete the ‘Customer transaction dispute form’ or call 13 22 73. |
| Commonwealth Bank | Call 13 2221 or visit any branch. |
| Citi | Call 13 24 84 or complete the ‘Dispute Investigation Request’ and upload using the document upload feature at citibank.com.au/aus/static/document_upload.htm (preferred) or by post to ‘Credit Card Disputes, Transaction Services GPO Box 40 Sydney NSW 2001’. |
| HSBC | Call 1300 308 008 or visit any branch. You can also download the ‘Transaction Dispute Form’ online, complete it and send it by fax to 02 8987 5956 or by post to GPO Box 4263 Sydney NSW 2001. |
| Westpac | Call 1300 651 089 or log into online or mobile banking. Select your credit card, select the particular transaction, and then ‘Dispute this transaction’ on the transaction detail page. |
It is your right as a consumer and account holder to dispute a variety of credit card errors that include:
Once you have contacted your provider, explain the problem as clearly as possible so that they understand exactly what's wrong. Also mention how you would prefer the issue to be resolved.
Ensure that you are polite and keep calm when talking to members of staff. While the problem that you're facing may be frustrating, customer service representatives are there to help and resolve your issues, and getting angry may cause new problems on top of the problems that you're already facing.
It's also a good idea to keep notes of the conversation and write down who you are talking to. And have your supporting documentation at hand in case they ask you some questions about it.
Raising a dispute is usually straightforward and most complaints will be resolved at this stage.
Firstly, make sure there is actually an error by going through these steps:
If you are still unable to resolve the issue after doing all of the above, contact your bank or credit card provider to start an investigation or chargeback request.
You will receive confirmation from the bank once they have received your request for a dispute resolution. At this point it may be necessary for you to sign a form authorising their investigation which you will need to return to the bank in a specified time frame. They will also likely ask that you send them certain documentation in order for them to properly investigate the dispute. If you fail to provide them with all necessary information your dispute will likely not be successful.
Once you have lodged your credit card dispute with your bank, you can expect it to go through these three stages:
| Dispute Item Raised | Dispute Resolution Credit | Dispute Item Resolved |
|---|---|---|
| The transaction in question is being reviewed. | Your account is credited with the correct amount of money. | The bank is no longer reviewing the transaction. |
There is a distinct difference between a chargeback to your account and a transaction that needs to be disputed by the bank:
A chargeback refers to purchases made using a debit directly from your bank account. If such an error is made, you should first try and resolve it yourself directly with the retailer. If not, your bank will dispute the claim with the retailer’s bank but only if you ask within 30 days of the transaction. Make sure that you are prepared to provide the bank with all of the information you have about the transaction and be aware that you might be charged a fee for this service.
This term is used for credit purchases where a charge appears on your statement that you believe was made in error, is in the wrong amount, or is for goods that you ordered but were unable to use.
Raising a dispute is usually straightforward and most complaints will be resolved once you contact your bank or credit card provider.
If you're not happy with the way a dispute is handled, you can escalate it by making a formal complaint. You can do this in writing to the customer relations manager or complaints manager. Simply request this person's contact details from your bank or card issuer.
In your letter or email, you should:
| Response | Gen Z | Gen Y | Gen X | Baby Boomers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | 85.39% | 60.6% | 49.67% | 64.49% |
| Yes | 14.61% | 39.4% | 50.33% | 35.51% |
If your provider still fails to resolve your dispute, then you can take further action by contacting the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). This is an independent ombudsman service that provides free dispute resolution for individuals and small businesses.
You can submit a complaint through the website by filling in a detailed form. This will start the complaints resolution process. Alternatively, you can use one of the following options to contact AFCA directly if you have questions about your situation:
There are some limitations to what you can complain about to AFCA. For example, you:
If you are unsure as to whether your complaint is valid, AFCA recommends that you still submit your information and it will contact you regarding the matter.
After you've lodged a complaint with AFCA, it will start a complaint resolution process. This includes the following steps:
This will consist of AFCA either forwarding your complaint automatically to the credit provider or contacting you directly for further clarification on the issue.
Your provider will then have a timeframe to work directly with you to reach a resolution. If you have not already complained to your credit issuer directly, your issuer will have a timeframe to reach a resolution with you. For financial difficulty cases, this is up to 21 days, up to 90 days for superannuation or traditional trustees and for all other complaints, it's 45 days. If a resolution is not come to, the financial firm provides an IDR (internal dispute resolution) response to AFCA.
If you have already attempted to reach a resolution internally, your provider will be given up to 30 days to reach a resolution with you. If a resolution is not come to, the financial firm will provide an EDR (external dispute resolution) response to AFCA.
If your complaint is within AFCA's guidelines, it will assess the monetary value of the dispute (low or high), whether it is a single issue complaint and whether you are experiencing financial difficulty. The complaint is then filed into one of three categories:
Coming to a decision can be quite a lengthy process, depending on the issue type and how either party responds to AFCA's negotiation. Decision time-frames are as follows:
Remember that this process is only necessary if you cannot reach a resolution with your bank or credit card provider directly. Normally these matters are settled quickly and without help from AFCA.
However, should your problems continue, you can get closure on the dispute with AFCA's help. Just be aware that it can take some time.
There are a number of reasons that people commonly raise disputes with their credit card issuers. Under AFCA's guidelines, the valid reasons to raise a dispute with your bank or credit card issuer include:
If your problem is not listed, you should still raise your concerns to your bank or credit card issuer. Customer service representatives are there to help you, so even if you're unsure about something, it's best to contact them regardless.
Picture: Shutterstock
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I have paid with a credit card for online tickets to an event. The event organisers have entered voluntary administration. Can I get my money back through my credit card?
Hi Eric,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃
Regarding your question, the answer is yes, it is possible. What you can do is go to the organiser and request for a refund. You may then need to sign any required documents and fill out any return or refund documents as requested by the merchant.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
hello there!
recently my card has been charged and the funds are on pending please how do I get my money back since I didn’t authorised this payment?
Hi Fallon,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder. We are a financial comparison website and general information service designed to help consumers make better decisions and we’re glad to offer general advice to answer your question.
Lodging a dispute actually varies from bank to bank. You could file your dispute online, but others would require you to call them up instead. If you’ve found charges on your credit card that you did not authorise, best to contact your bank first and make a report immediately. Make sure to have your bank statement or any receipts and transaction records handy as proof of the fraudulent transaction.
You can also refer to the above simple guides on how disputes are being lodged with different banks. If your bank is one the institutions listed above, please refer to the initial action described. Otherwise, best to get in touch with the customer service team of your issuing bank as soon as possible.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May
How i do my debit reversal
Hi Sunil,
Thanks for your question.
I’d suggest contacting first the retailer and request a refund. If this is not possible, please contact your debit card provider immediately to request a reversal of transaction.
Cheers,
Anndy
how long have i got to dispute a claim (months, years ? )
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your inquiry.
That will depend on the bank and the circumstances, but the bank should be keeping you informed of their progress during the process. Usually, it takes no less than a month (some cases even longer) for the charge to be removed from your account.
Cheers,
May
i tried booking flight tickets online. but there was an error in booking. however, money has been deducted from my account. what should i do?
Hi monihrgrg,
Thanks for your question.
If you were charged on your credit card after an incomplete transaction, you can get in contact with the retailer for clarification.
It would also be suggested to contact your credit card issuer to address your situation and see if a credit card transaction reversal might be an option for you.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Ysa