Credit card charge looks wrong? Know what to do before paying the bill

The latest market report highlights that You open your credit card statement and spot a charge you don't remember making. Or perhaps the merchant has billed you twice, the amount is elevated than anticipated or a refund you were promised never revealed up. Whatever the reason, don't leave the transaction sitting there until the payment due date. Check the details first and raise the offering with your card issuer as soon as possible.

In case of unauthorised transaction, one should get in touch with the bank by using their mobile banking app or website or customer care line. The bank might put a hold on the card and provide you with a new card. RBI guidelines have zero liability in some cases where a third-party breach is noted in three working days.

The timing matters because customer liability can change depending on how quickly the transaction is noted and whether the customer was negligent. If you shared your card credentials, for example, the rules can work differently. So don't wait for the bank to “sort it out” on its own. The moment you see something suspicious, report it.

If the transaction is genuine but the bill is wrong, treat it as a billing dispute rather than fraud. You could be dealing with a duplicate transaction, an incorrect amount or a merchant-related offering. Tell the card issuer exactly what is wrong and provide whatever evidence you have, such as the invoice, cancellation email, refund confirmation or communication with the merchant.

Keep a record of the complaint from day one. Note the date you contacted the bank, the complaint number, the disputed amount and what the customer-care team told you. Save emails and screenshots too. If the dispute eventually has to be escalated, these records can make a difference.

One thing cardholders often get wrong is stopping payment on the entire bill. A dispute does not automatically mean that every outstanding amount on the statement can be ignored. Ask the issuer how the disputed transaction will be treated while it investigates, and continue paying the undisputed amount by the due date to avoid unnecessary charges or other consequences.

The bank should investigate the complaint and communicate its decision. If it rejects your claim, don't stop at a generic “dispute rejected” message. Ask for the reason and, where applicable, the supporting documents or evidence used to reach the decision. If you have additional proof, submit it with a request for reconsideration.

Still not resolved? You can escalate the complaint through the RBI Ombudsman mechanism, after first approaching the card issuer. Under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026, a customer can generally approach the Ombudsman if the regulated entity does not respond within 30 days or the response is unsatisfactory, subject to the scheme's conditions and timelines.

The complaint can be filed through RBI's Complaint Management System. Keep your bank's response, complaint number, statements and supporting documents ready. There is no fee for filing a complaint under the RBI Ombudsman framework.

The safest approach is additionally the simplest: don't delay. Report an unfamiliar transaction immediately, keep proof of every conversation and separate a genuine billing error from an unauthorised transaction. And never share your OTP, PIN, CVV or other card credentials with anyone who calls claiming they are helping resolve the dispute.