Chargeback
Short answer
A chargeback is your right to dispute a card transaction — fraud, non-delivery, a double charge or a cancelled service still billing — through your bank, which can reverse the amount after investigation. Deadlines apply, so raise it in days, not months.
What it means
A chargeback runs through the card networks: you raise a dispute with your issuer, the issuer takes it up with the merchant's bank, and the amount can be reversed if the case holds up.
When to use it
- Fraudulent or unauthorised transactions (report immediately; see debit vs credit safety).
- Goods or services never delivered.
- Double or duplicate charges.
- A cancelled subscription that keeps billing.
The common mistake
Waiting. People often spend weeks emailing the merchant before contacting the bank, and the network deadline quietly passes. Contact the merchant and raise the dispute in parallel.
The second mistake is not keeping evidence: order confirmations, cancellation emails, screenshots of a listing. A dispute is much stronger with documentation attached.
How to raise one
- Report through the app or the official helpline — never a number from a search result or a message.
- Ask for a complaint reference number in writing.
- Keep every email and screenshot.
- Follow up in writing if the timeline the bank quotes passes.
- If it is still unresolved after 30 days, escalate free of cost to the RBI Ombudsman via the Complaint Management System.
Related
All figures on this page are indicative and dated. Rates and fees differ by bank and change over time. Always verify with your bank's official schedule of charges.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to raise a chargeback?
It depends on the card network and the dispute type, but the practical windows are often 60 to 120 days from the transaction or the expected delivery date. Raise the dispute as soon as you notice rather than after another round of emails with the merchant.
Is a chargeback the same as reporting fraud?
Not quite. Fraud reporting is about unauthorised transactions and is governed by RBI's customer-liability rules, where reporting within three working days can mean zero liability. A chargeback is the broader mechanism used to reverse a disputed transaction, including merchant disputes where you did authorise the payment.
Sources
The regulation and official pages this page is checked against. If one of them disagrees with us, it wins.
- Customer Liability in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions — Reserve Bank of India
- Complaint Management System (RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme) — Reserve Bank of India
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Written and checked by the CardSamajh editorial desk · Last reviewed: · How we check this