Asking for a refund first is usually faster — but not always right. Answer 4 quick questions and get a personalized recommendation: a refund-request email template, your filing deadline, double-refund warnings, and the fraud fast-track.
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The sequence refund-then-chargeback isn't just etiquette — it's how the system is designed. Most issuers expect a good-faith merchant attempt before you file, and a documented attempt strengthens any dispute you do file. But the order has traps: file a chargeback after accepting a refund and you risk a double payment the bank will want back; wait too long on a stalling merchant and your filing window closes. The wizard maps your situation onto the right sequence so you neither rush past the merchant nor wait past your deadline.
Read the companion guide: why merchant-first usually wins, what to write, how long to wait — and when to skip straight to your bank.
Usually, yes. Most issuers expect a good-faith attempt to resolve the problem with the merchant first, and refunds are typically faster — days versus the 2–3 months a chargeback commonly takes to reach a final decision. The main exception is fraud: unauthorized charges go straight to your bank.
Don't — wait for the refund to post first. If your bank grants provisional credit while the merchant's refund also posts, you can end up with a double refund, and the bank will treat the duplicate as an overpayment it wants back. If the refund never arrives and you're still in the filing window, then file.
Go straight to your bank — fraud is the recognized exception to the merchant-first rule. Report the charge today, follow up in writing, and lock or freeze the card. Under US federal law, written notice of a billing error is generally due within 60 days of the statement (15 USC 1666), so don't wait.
Two clocks matter. Card networks typically allow disputes within about 120 days of the charge, and US federal law generally requires written notice of a billing error within 60 days of the statement containing it (15 USC 1666). Don't let a slow merchant run out either clock — file to protect your deadline if they stall.
No — it usually helps. Dated correspondence showing you tried to resolve the problem with the merchant is exactly the paper trail banks expect to see in a dispute file, and it demonstrates the merchant had a fair chance to fix things first.
