With over 345 million cardholders worldwide^[1], Discover cards have become a popular choice for many, offering practical features like $0 Fraud Liability and no annual fees^[2] on credit cards. But even the best card can't prevent the frustration of spotting something wrong on your card or account statement.

Whether it's an unauthorized purchase, a double charge, or a refund that never arrived, you should take immediate steps to dispute the Discover transaction and protect your money.

To help you with the process, we’ve created this guide that covers everything you need to know about the Discover charge dispute process. We’ll share the exact steps to follow, the timeframes you need to be aware of, and other essential details to help you get your money back securely.

The information in this article is accurate as of March 2025. Visit Discover’s website or contact customer support directly for the most up-to-date information regarding the bank’s policies.

What Are the Valid Reasons To Dispute a Discover Charge?

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)^[3] clearly establishes legitimate and illegitimate reasons for disputes. The following reasons are considered valid:

• Unauthorized or fraudulent charges not made by the cardholder
• Goods or services not received by the consumer
• Billing errors, such as incorrect amounts, duplicate charges, or incorrect dates
• Products received were either damaged or significantly different from how they were advertised, and the merchant denied the return
• Canceled recurring transactions that continue to be charged
• Calculation errors in the statement

Not all charges can be disputed successfully. For example, if you forgot about a subscription or didn’t recognize a merchant’s billing descriptor, your dispute will unlikely result in a chargeback.

Similarly, you can’t dispute charges made by friends or family members without your knowledge under the FCBA, as they fall under the umbrella of friendly fraud, a type of unintentional chargeback fraud.

Essential Steps To Follow Before You Initiate the Dispute

To have the best chance of winning the dispute, you need to ensure your claim is strong and well-documented. You can do that by taking these key steps before filing the dispute:

• Act early enough—The FCBA sets a minimum timeframe of 60 days from the date of the statement containing the charge to file a dispute^[3]. However, you might have more time to file a dispute with Discover, depending on the reason for the dispute. To ensure you don't miss any deadlines, contact the company directly and inquire about the specific timeline applicable to your situation.
• Review your card statement carefully—Note the date, time, and exact dollar amount of the erroneous transaction. Pay special attention to the merchant’s billing name on the statement, as it’s often different from their business name, and confusing the two isn’t valid grounds for a chargeback.
• Contact the merchant—Before reaching out to the bank, try to resolve the issue directly with the merchant. Chargebacks come with non-refundable fees and other problems for merchants, so many prefer to provide a solution to their clients directly. This is often the quicker route to resolution.
• Gather necessary evidence—Collect all relevant documentation to support your claim and speed up the dispute process. You should keep records of the receipts, order confirmations/cancellations, proof of delivery (or non-delivery), and all communication with the merchant (calls, emails, or chat transcripts).

How To Dispute a Charge on a Discover Credit Card

If you’ve confirmed that your claim is legitimate and the merchant isn’t willing to provide a satisfactory resolution, you can proceed to contact Discover and file a formal dispute. There are three ways you can initiate the Discover fraud dispute process:

1. Call Discover customer service
2. File the dispute online
3. Send a dispute letter by direct mail

Call Discover Customer Service

One of the quickest ways to dispute a charge is by calling Discover’s customer service at 1-800-347-2683^[4]. If you believe a transaction on your account is fraudulent or unauthorized, you can call 1-866-240-7938^[5] to talk to Discover’s fraud specialists.

Be prepared to answer any questions and provide details about the disputed charge, such as the transaction date, amount, and merchant name. You may also need to share any supporting evidence or documentation to strengthen your case. The representative will guide you through the process and confirm the next steps.

File the Dispute Online

You can also file a dispute through your online account via the Discover portal or the mobile app. If you want to file a dispute for a billing error, you can do so by following this link^[6]:

• https://discover.com/billingerrornotice

Send a Dispute Letter by Direct Mail

If you prefer a traditional approach, you can send a dispute letter to Discover’s billing inquiries address^[6]:

Discover

P.O. Box 30421

Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0421

In your letter, include your name, account or card number, details of the disputed charge, and a brief explanation of the issue. Don’t forget to attach copies of any supporting documents, such as receipts, shipping updates, or proof of communication with the merchant.

What Happens After You File the Dispute?

Once you dispute a Discover charge, the bank has to complete the investigation within two billing cycles (typically 90 days) under the FCBA guidelines^[3]. During this period, Discover may issue a temporary credit to your account while they investigate your claim. They’ll also contact the merchant, who can fight the claim by providing compelling evidence.

You don’t have to pay any fees or interest while the bank is conducting its investigation, and you can continue using your credit card as you normally would.

Once the bank evaluates the evidence provided by both parties and completes the investigation, they’ll notify you of the outcome in writing. If the bank rules in your favor, you’ll be able to keep any provisional credit you were awarded. If the bank denies your claim, your provisional funds will be reversed.

If the outcome is against you, you can appeal the decision with Discover within 10 days from the date of getting the notification, giving reasons for why you disagree with the resolution and providing any new evidence supporting your claim^[6]. If the bank still refuses your appeal, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

How To Avoid Discover Card Disputes

Filing a dispute over a charge on your Discover card can help you protect yourself from unauthorized payments or billing errors. However, the process can be time-consuming, requiring extensive documentation and taking weeks or even months to resolve—and there’s no guarantee it will turn out in your favor.

One simple solution that can help you avoid disputes and chargebacks is to switch to virtual cards for all your online payments. Virtual cards act as a stand-in for your credit or debit card, letting you shop without exposing your actual payment card details. Using virtual cards can proactively prevent common payment issues like duplicate billings and overcharges.

Many banks like Citi^® and Capital One^® offer virtual cards, but they’re often limited to basic card controls and security features. A better option is to choose a specialized virtual card provider like Privacy and benefit from advanced card controls and multiple card types—all while providing bank-level security.

Privacy Virtual Cards

Privacy is a virtual card provider accredited by the Better Business Bureau^® (BBB) and trusted by over 250,000 users. You can connect a bank account or debit card to Privacy and generate virtual cards with random card numbers, expiration dates, and CVVs.

Privacy offers three types of cards with different levels of protection:

You can set spending limits on your virtual cards, and Privacy will deny charges that exceed the limit. Spending limits can help protect you from hidden fees or sudden price hikes that are common sources of disputes.

You can also pause or close your cards instantly without affecting the funding source, and Privacy will block all future charges to your cards. This feature can help you avoid accidental charges, including those from sneaky merchants who might continue to charge you after you cancel a subscription.

How To Dispute a Charge With Privacy

Privacy offers robust security and fraud protections, including support for payment disputes. If you notice a transaction you believe is erroneous or unauthorized, you can follow these steps to dispute it:

1. Log into your Privacy account on a mobile or web browser
2. Select the transaction you want to dispute
3. Click “Open Dispute” at the bottom of the pop-up window
4. Select the reason for the dispute in detail and share any supporting evidence
5. Sign and submit the request

Privacy’s Disputes Team will then review your claim along with any documents provided and complete the investigation on your behalf. In case of a valid claim, Privacy will file a chargeback against the merchant to recoup your lost funds, similar to how banks or other financial institutions would.

More Privacy Virtual Cards Benefits

With Privacy, you’ll get access to additional features that can streamline your online shopping experience:

• Browser extension—Generate and access virtual cards seamlessly from your browser during checkouts using the Privacy Browser Extension. The extension is available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Safari for iOS.
• Mobile app—Create virtual cards, control spending limits, and monitor transactions from anywhere using the Privacy App, available for Android or iOS.
• 1Password integration—Securely store and autofill Privacy Card details through 1Password’s browser extension, saving you from having to memorize or manually enter them.
• Card Sharing—Share your virtual cards with trusted friends or family members to share your budget without revealing your actual card details.

Sign Up for Privacy Today

To start using Privacy cards, you must be a U.S. resident over 18 with a checking account at a U.S. bank or credit union. You can request for your first virtual card through these simple steps:

1. Create your account by visiting the signup page
2. Provide your mandatory KYC details
3. Link a funding source (debit card or bank account) to your Privacy account
4. Request and generate your first virtual card

Privacy lets you choose from four plans, each offering unique benefits to suit the needs of different consumers. You’ll find more details in the table below:

Resources

^[1]Discover. https://www.discoverglobalnetwork.com/our-network/global-cardholders/, 

^[2]Discover. https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/no-annual-fee-credit-cards/, sourced February 7, 2025

^[3]Department of the Navy. https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/FCBA_Mar_2016.pdf, sourced February 7, 2025

^[4]Discover. https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/contact-us/, source February 7, 2025

^[5]Discover. https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/member-benefits/security/fraud/#Report-fraud, sourced February 7, 2025

^[6]Discover. https://www.discover.com/content/dam/discover/en_us/credit-cards/card-portfolio/cma/pdf/Prime_Cardmember_Agreement_121624.pdf, sourced, March 23, 2025

‍