Repairing Credit Card Fraud Damage

The Fair Credit Billing Act establishes procedures for resolving billing errors on your credit card accounts, including fraudulent charges on your accounts. The law also limits your liability for unauthorized credit card charges to $50 per card. However, you must do the following to take advantage of the law’s consumer protections: 

• Write to the creditor at the address given for “billing inquiries,” not the address for sending your payments. Include your name, address, account number, and a description of the billing error, including the amount and date of the error.
• Send your letter so that it reaches the creditor within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you. If an identity thief changed the address on your account and you didn’t receive the bill, your dispute letter still must reach the creditor within 60 days of when the creditor would have mailed the bill. This is one reason it’s essential to keep track of your billing statements, and follow up quickly if your bills don’t arrive on time.
• You should send your letter by certified mail, and request a return receipt. It becomes your proof of the date the creditor received the letter. Include copies (not originals) of your police report or other documents that support your position. Keep a copy of your dispute letter.

The creditor must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days after receiving it, unless the problem has been resolved. The creditor must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days) after receiving your letter.

Beginning December 5, 2006, companies are no longer permitted to print your credit or debit card expiration date or more than the last 5 digits of your card number on your electronic receipt. The law will allow receipts that are hand written or mechanically imprinted to show your entire number and expiration date beyond this date.