# Dispute a charge on your credit card

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: forks.world community. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv3g9nmh0009jk06flsythp6
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 12 steps across 1 layer
- Persona: You, Merchant, Card issuer
- Technology / systems: Card app or website

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **File the dispute with your card issuer, ideally within 60 days of the statement** (Dispute a charge on your credit card; painful): Waiting too long can cost you some legal protections

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## Dispute a charge on your credit card

Lanes:
- You: person / role (id `you`)
- Merchant: person / role (id `merchant`)
- Card issuer: person / role (id `issuer`)
- Card app or website: technology / system (id `app`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Spot a charge that's wrong, duplicated or for something you never got** [start; You; id `c1`]
   - then Is it fraud (a charge you didn't make)?
2. **Is it fraud (a charge you didn't make)?** [decision; You; id `c2`]
   - if "Yes" go to Lock the card, reverse the charge and send a new card; if "No" go to Contact the merchant and ask for a refund
3. **Lock the card, reverse the charge and send a new card** [task; Card issuer; id `c3`], using Card app or website
   - then Check that your next statement is right
4. **Check that your next statement is right** [end; You; id `c12`]
5. **Contact the merchant and ask for a refund** [task; You; id `c4`]
   - then Refund it?
6. **Refund it?** [decision; Merchant; id `c5`]
   - if "Yes" go to Check that your next statement is right; if "No" go to Gather receipts, emails and screenshots
7. **Gather receipts, emails and screenshots** [task; You; id `c6`]
   - then File the dispute with your card issuer, ideally within 60 days of the statement
8. **File the dispute with your card issuer, ideally within 60 days of the statement** [task; You; id `c7`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Waiting too long can cost you some legal protections, using Card app or website
   - then Often give a temporary credit while it investigates
9. **Often give a temporary credit while it investigates** [task; Card issuer; id `c8`]
   - then Send evidence to defend the charge
10. **Send evidence to defend the charge** [task; Merchant; id `c9`]
   - then Decide who wins the dispute
11. **Decide who wins the dispute** [task; Card issuer; id `c10`]
   - if "You win" go to Check that your next statement is right; if "Merchant wins" go to Respond with more evidence or file a complaint with the CFPB
12. **Respond with more evidence or file a complaint with the CFPB** [task; You; id `c11`]
   - then Check that your next statement is right

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_you["You"]
    n_c1(["Spot a charge that's wrong, duplicated or for something you never got"])
    n_c2{"Is it fraud (a charge you didn't make)?"}
    n_c4["Contact the merchant and ask for a refund"]
    n_c6["Gather receipts, emails and screenshots"]
    n_c7["File the dispute with your card issuer, ideally within 60 days of the statement"]
    n_c11["Respond with more evidence or file a complaint with the CFPB"]
    n_c12(["Check that your next statement is right"])
  end
  subgraph l_merchant["Merchant"]
    n_c5{"Refund it?"}
    n_c9["Send evidence to defend the charge"]
  end
  subgraph l_issuer["Card issuer"]
    n_c3["Lock the card, reverse the charge and send a new card"]
    n_c8["Often give a temporary credit while it investigates"]
    n_c10["Decide who wins the dispute"]
  end
  n_c1 --> n_c2
  n_c2 -->|"Yes"| n_c3
  n_c2 -->|"No"| n_c4
  n_c3 --> n_c12
  n_c4 --> n_c5
  n_c5 -->|"Yes"| n_c12
  n_c5 -->|"No"| n_c6
  n_c6 --> n_c7
  n_c7 --> n_c8
  n_c8 --> n_c9
  n_c9 --> n_c10
  n_c10 -->|"You win"| n_c12
  n_c10 -->|"Merchant wins"| n_c11
  n_c11 --> n_c12
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "Dispute a charge on your credit card",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "you",
          "name": "You",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "merchant",
          "name": "Merchant",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "issuer",
          "name": "Card issuer",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "app",
          "name": "Card app or website",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "c1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Spot a charge that's wrong, duplicated or for something you never got"
        },
        {
          "id": "c2",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c3",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "c4",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is it fraud (a charge you didn't make)?"
        },
        {
          "id": "c3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "issuer",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c12"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [
            "app"
          ],
          "label": "Lock the card, reverse the charge and send a new card"
        },
        {
          "id": "c4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Contact the merchant and ask for a refund"
        },
        {
          "id": "c5",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "merchant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c12",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "c6",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Refund it?"
        },
        {
          "id": "c6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Gather receipts, emails and screenshots"
        },
        {
          "id": "c7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c8"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Waiting too long can cost you some legal protections",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [
            "app"
          ],
          "label": "File the dispute with your card issuer, ideally within 60 days of the statement"
        },
        {
          "id": "c8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "issuer",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Often give a temporary credit while it investigates"
        },
        {
          "id": "c9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "merchant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Send evidence to defend the charge"
        },
        {
          "id": "c10",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "issuer",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c12",
              "label": "You win"
            },
            {
              "to": "c11",
              "label": "Merchant wins"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Decide who wins the dispute"
        },
        {
          "id": "c11",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c12"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Respond with more evidence or file a complaint with the CFPB"
        },
        {
          "id": "c12",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Check that your next statement is right"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Dispute a charge on your credit card",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```