As of: March 25, 2024, 4:00 p.m
By: Laura Hindelang
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You can complain about an unlawful debit to your credit card using the so-called chargeback procedure.
What you need to consider.
The online shop has debited the amount twice, the airline of the upcoming flight has suddenly become bankrupt, the sports club continues to collect money despite termination - if you paid by credit card, you can claim back illegal payments or money for services not provided.
You can complain about the relevant transactions to your bank using the so-called chargeback procedure.
This must happen within 120 days of the debit.
Check credit card transactions regularly
Almost one in four adults in Germany (23 percent) have complained about an unjustified debit from their card issuer and requested a refund.
This is shown by a
study by the Society for Consumer Research (GfK)
, which was commissioned by Mastercard in 2023.
Fraudulent activities were most often behind the unwanted debits.
Other reasons for requesting a refund include:
The chargeback process works with credit cards from Mastercard, Visa and American Express.
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Goods did not arrive for other reasons (22 percent)
Amount was debited twice (21 percent)
Card was charged even though the product or service was canceled (18 percent)
Card was charged with an incorrect amount (15 percent)
The cardholder did not receive a refund despite returning the goods (12 percent)
A membership subscription was canceled but the money was still debited (11 percent)
To ensure that you notice such cases quickly,
Mastercard
recommends checking your account and credit card statement at regular intervals.
The
consumer advice center
recommends complaining about unauthorized debits - if possible - directly to the respective company.
It is not uncommon for an error to be resolved by contacting the respective dealer or provider.
If this is not the case, attempting to clarify the matter is still important.
Most banks require proof of this before they initiate the chargeback process.
The
European Consumer Center Germany
advises giving the provider a deadline, for example two weeks.
Provide as many receipts as possible for chargeback
For the chargeback procedure, contact the bank that issued the card.
Except for American Express, emphasizes the
Finanztip
portal .
In this case, contact the credit card company directly.
The bank (or American Express) will give you a form in which you must state what went wrong with the debit or transfer.
Some credit institutions are apparently not aware of the chargeback process, reports the
European Consumer Center Germany.
However, you should not be deterred and insist stubbornly.
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In addition to the form, you will usually have to provide further evidence.
Include anything that can support your claim.
For a canceled subscription, for example, the cancellation letter and confirmation from the company.
If there is a double debit, print out the credit card statement and mark the multiple debit.
If the airline goes bankrupt, proof is required that the flight did not take place or will not take place.
The more evidence you can provide, the higher your chances of getting a chargeback.
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Each transaction can only be complained about once, explains the
Finanztip
portal .
So make sure you send all the necessary documents to the bank and provide any missing information if the bank asks for it.
It may take a while until you receive the money back.
And even if the money has already been credited to you, the merchant can raise an objection.
If he can prove that the booking was correct, he will get the money back, explains the
European Consumer Center Germany.
It may take some time until the final result is known.
In cases of dispute - or if the bank fundamentally refuses a chargeback - you can contact an arbitration board responsible for the bank.