Payment Card Protections
As a payment cardholder, you have many protections against the unauthorized use of your payment card (such as a debit, credit, or stored value card).
Many countries have laws that limit your liability for unauthorised transactions, and some card issuers provide additional protections voluntarily. In some cases, you may be liable for a portion of the unauthorised charge; in others your liability may depend on when and how you notify your card issuer. Contact your card issuer to find out what protections you have and how to use them.
- What can you do if you pay with a payment card but don’t receive the product, receive the wrong product, or are billed for the wrong product?
Some countries have laws protecting payment cardholders in the event of non-delivery or delivery of the wrong item. In some cases, card issuers provide protections (you may want to contact them to learn about these protections). In either case, you may want to contact the merchant to try to resolve your problem directly. You can also contact the card issuer.
- What happens if you buy a product with a payment card and are unhappy with the quality?
Protections against problems related to the quality of goods purchased online with a payment card are less common. The best approach is to do what you would do offline: try to resolve the issue directly with the merchant. If you are not successful, contact your card issuer. Legal protections may apply in some countries. You might also consider alternative dispute resolution.
- What can you do if the amount on your payment card statement differs from the amount stated on the website when you made the purchase?
Contact the online merchant and ask that the discrepancy be explained or fixed. If you are not satisfied, contact the payment card issuer by letter to ask that the discrepancy be fixed.
Read your monthly statements promptly. Keeping good records about your transactions, including print-outs of your purchase confirmation pages, should help you resolve any errors.
