Fees and fraud refunded
Banks, cards & fees
Chargebacks, unauthorized charges, overdraft and junk fees, debt collectors breaking the rules. Your rights under federal law, and how to get money back from your bank or card issuer.
- Banks & feesCredit card chargeback: how to dispute a charge and get your money back (Fair Credit Billing Act)Charged for something you didn't get, billed twice, or a merchant won't refund? Federal law lets you dispute credit card charges and the issuer must investigate within two billing cycles. What qualifies, the 60-day deadline, what to write, and how to win the dispute.
- Banks & feesUnauthorized charges on your debit card or bank account: the bank must refund you (Regulation E)Fraudulent debit card charges, ACH withdrawals you didn't approve, or a stolen card: federal law caps your loss at $50 if you report within 2 days, $500 within 60 days, and the bank must investigate in 10 business days and give provisional credit. How to report, what to say, and what to do when the bank denies the claim.
- Banks & feesHow to get overdraft and NSF fees refunded (the script that works, and when the fee was illegal)Banks refund overdraft fees far more often than people think: one call with the right words gets most first-time fees reversed. Which fees you never had to pay (opt-in rules, "authorize positive, settle negative," repeat NSF on the same item), how big banks have cut fees, and the refund settlements that may owe you money.
- Banks & feesDebt collector broke the rules? You can get up to $1,000 plus damages (FDCPA)Calls before 8 a.m., threats, contacting your employer, collecting a debt you don't owe or that's past the statute of limitations: the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act pays up to $1,000 in statutory damages plus actual damages and attorney's fees, which is why consumer lawyers take these cases for free. The violations, how to document them, the debt validation letter, and how to stop the calls.
- Banks & feesScammed on Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App? When the bank must refund you, and how to push for itPayment app fraud is refundable in two situations the banks don't advertise: when the transfer was unauthorized (account taken over, phone stolen) and, since 2023, when you were tricked into a Zelle payment by an impostor. What Regulation E covers, the Zelle impostor scam policy, how to file, and how to escalate when they say "you authorized it."
Money your bank or card issuer may owe you
Federal law gives bank and card customers strong, specific rights, but the protections depend on how you paid:
- Credit cards (Fair Credit Billing Act): dispute billing errors, items not received, and wrong amounts within 60 days of the statement. You don't have to pay the disputed amount during the investigation.
- Debit cards and bank transfers (Regulation E): report unauthorized transactions quickly. Your liability can be $0–$50 if you report within 2 business days and is capped at $500 within 60 days of the statement. The bank must investigate and, if it takes longer than 10 business days, give you provisional credit.
- Payment apps (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): unauthorized transfers are covered by Regulation E; payments you were tricked into making are harder, but impostor-scam reimbursement policies and complaints to the CFPB often recover money.
- Debt collectors (FDCPA): collectors who harass you, misstate what you owe, or ignore your dispute rights can owe you statutory damages.
- Fees: many banks refund overdraft and NSF fees on request, especially the first one.
How to get results
Dispute in writing, keep dates and reference numbers, and escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if the bank doesn't fix it. Banks respond to CFPB complaints within 15 days, and many denials get reversed there.