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How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge With Discover®

Review Updated
Elizabeth Aldrich
By: Elizabeth Aldrich

Our Credit Cards Expert

Jamie Matthews
Check IconFact Checked Jamie Matthews
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If you recently logged into your Discover® account to find an unfamiliar or incorrect charge, you're probably a little worried. Now you're wondering how to dispute a credit card charge with Discover. It's important to protect yourself against credit card fraud, but if something happens, your credit card issuer usually has your back.

Credit card fraud is the most common form of identity theft, and you're rarely going to be liable for it. All of the best Discover credit cards come with a $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee. That means you aren't responsible for any unauthorized transactions on your Discover credit card.

Even if the transaction was authorized but you didn't get the item as stated or were charged incorrectly, Discover will still work with you. If you follow the steps below to dispute a credit card charge with Discover, your issue should be resolved quickly and easily.

How to dispute a credit card charge with Discover

The process of disputing a charge with Discover is fairly simple. If you think fraud has occurred, call 1-800-347-2683 immediately. Otherwise, follow the guide below.

1. Initiate a dispute online or by phone

To dispute a credit card charge with Discover online, log into your account and go to the "Activity and Statement" page under the "Activity" dropdown at the top of the page. From there, select the transaction or transactions you want to dispute and click "Dispute This Charge." 

Alternatively, you can dispute a charge with Discover over the phone by calling their Customer Service line at 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683). Have information for the transaction handy, including the merchant name as it appears on your statement, the charge amount, and the reason you'd like to dispute it.

2. Upload or send any supporting documentation

Sending extra documentation into Discover can help your case. For example, if you're claiming that you were charged the wrong amount, send the receipt for the original purchase to Discover. If you were told you'd get a refund but never did, provide documentation of that promise.

You can easily upload these documents online by logging into your Discover account. Go to the "Disputes" page under the "Security" dropdown in the top navigation menu, and upload the documents under the "Upload Documents" section. You can also fax them to Discover at 1-224-813-5109. Be sure to include your name, dispute case number, and the last four digits of your account number.

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Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

  • We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases.

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What happens after you dispute a credit card charge with Discover

As soon as you dispute a credit card charge with Discover, Discover will start investigating the charge. Discover will have 90 days, by law, to resolve your dispute, but most disputes are resolved within 30-60 days. In the mean time, you'll receive a temporary credit to your account in the amount of the disputed transaction.

Once your dispute is resolved, you should get a letter or email explaining the outcome. If Discover decides that your dispute is valid, you'll get to keep the temporary credit issued on your statement. If not, the charge will be reapplied, and you'll be responsible for paying it off.

How does a credit card dispute with Discover work?

You can dispute a credit card charge with Discover and ask for a chargeback, if you believe the charge to be fraudulent. A chargeback is a reversal of the credit card transaction. If you authorized the charge but didn't get the product or service as agreed upon, or if the charge is incorrect, and the merchant is unwilling to budge, Discover can investigate your claims and act as an ally to you.

When you dispute a credit card charge with Discover, you won't need to pay the disputed transaction as long as it's under investigation. And you can continue using your Discover credit card as you normally would.

What you need to know before you dispute a credit card charge with Discover

If you're going to dispute a credit card charge with Discover, it's important to do it the right way so your problem can be resolved in a timely manner. Depending on the situation, you may want to ask for a refund from the merchant or for a chargeback from your credit card issuer. Here are some things you should know before you file a dispute.

What to do if you see a credit card transaction you don't recognize

If you don't remember making the transaction or the merchants are listed under unrecognizable names, give them a call. You should find their number listed on the transaction next to their name. You can also try searching for the name of the merchant to see what comes up. If you can't reach the merchant and still believe the charge to be fraudulent, you can dispute a credit card charge with Discover immediately by calling 1-800-347-2683.

What to do if you have a problem with the merchant

If you made an authorized purchase but now have an issue with the merchant, you should first try contacting that business to resolve the issue. They can often quickly refund you if they made a mistake, such as charging you twice for the same item, sending the wrong item, or otherwise not following through with their end of the transaction. Give the merchant at least 15 days to refund the transaction.

Charges you can't dispute

You can't dispute a credit card charge with Discover over an inconvenience with a merchant or poor service. If you got what you set out to purchase, you'll have to take up any dissatisfaction with the merchant. You also can't dispute a charge due to theft or damage that occurred after you received the product.

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