Occasionally, you may discover a billing error on your credit card or charge account, such as an incorrect amount or an item for which you were charged twice. You might have been billed for goods which never arrived, or an unauthorized person may have charged something on your account. In such cases, consumers have certain rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act. To receive full protection under the Act, you must notify the creditor of the error in writing, not just by phone, within 60 days after the bill was first sent to you. Include your name, account number, a copy of the statement in question, the dollar amount involved, and an explanation of the mistake. The creditor has 30 days to respond in writing, unless the discrepancy is resolved before then. While the bill is in dispute, the creditor isn't allowed to report you as delinquent or harm your credit rating. Neither may they refer you to a collection agency or close your account. However, you must pay all charges on the bill other than the item in dispute and its related finance charges. The creditor must research the error and either credit your account or tell you why the bill appears correct within two billing cycles, or no more than 90 days.
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