FCBA Billing Errors in Texas: How to Dispute Wrong Charges, Stop Unfair Fees and Protect Your Credit Fast

Subtitle: Use the Fair Credit Billing Act in Texas to dispute wrong charges, stop unfair fees, and protect your credit history.

Opened your statement and saw a charge you don’t recognize, a refunded item still billed, or a payment marked “late” when you know you paid on time? Take a breath. In Texas, you can use the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) and related protections to challenge billing errors, pause collection, and prevent damage to your credit—if you act correctly and on time.

Understand FCBA Protections: What Counts as a Billing Error (and Why It Matters)

The FCBA is a federal law that protects consumers from certain credit card and
open-end credit billing errors. It applies in Texas the same way it does nationwide and works
alongside Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Texas consumer laws.

Common “billing errors” covered by FCBA include:

• Unauthorized charges (fraud, stolen card, card-not-present abuse).
• Charges with the wrong date, amount, or currency.
• Failure to post payments or credits (returns, adjustments, refunds).
• Failure to send a statement to your correct address (after proper notice).
• Charges for goods/services not delivered or accepted (under specific conditions).
• Math errors or duplicated transactions.

The Legal Framework: FCBA Rules, Timelines, and Texas Context

To make FCBA work for you in Texas, you must respect its formal requirements.

Key FCBA rules:

• 60-day deadline: You generally have 60 days from the date the statement containing the error was sent to dispute in writing.
• Written notice: Send a dispute letter to the billing inquiries address, not the payment address.
• Temporary protections: While the issuer investigates:
  • They cannot try to collect the disputed amount.
  • They cannot close your account solely because you filed a proper dispute.
  • They cannot report you late on the disputed portion if you followed FCBA steps.
• Investigation deadlines:
  • They must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days (unless resolved earlier).
  • They must resolve it within two billing cycles, not exceeding 90 days.

Texas angle:

• Texas Deceptive Trade Practices–Consumer Protection Act (DTPA) and other state laws may apply if the issuer or merchant acts deceptively or refuses to correct clear errors.
• For non-credit-card billing (utilities, medical), FCBA may not apply, but FCRA, contract rights, and Texas law can still support disputes.

Step-by-Step: How to Dispute FCBA Billing Errors the Right Way

Here is a practical, legally grounded roadmap you can follow in Texas.

1. Review your statement carefully.
   • Highlight any charge you do not recognize or that looks wrong.
   • Verify against receipts, confirmations, deliveries, and refunds.
2. Gather proof.
   • Receipts, emails, screenshots, shipping/tracking, refund confirmations, prior statements.
3. Write a formal FCBA dispute letter.
   • Include: your name, address, account number (partial), the specific charge, statement date,
     and clear explanation of why it’s wrong.
   • State that you are disputing under the Fair Credit Billing Act.
4. Send by certified mail to the billing inquiries address.
   • Mail within 60 days from when the statement was sent.
   • Keep copies and the certified mail receipt as evidence.
5. Pay the undisputed portion.
   • Continue paying all amounts that are not in dispute to avoid interest and legitimate late fees.
6. Monitor the issuer’s response.
   • They must either correct the error and send a written adjustment, or explain with evidence why they think the bill is correct.
   • If they rule against you, they must tell you when payment is due and your right to see documentation.
7. Escalate if needed.
   • If they ignore timelines, continue collecting on clearly disputed amounts, or report you late,
     consider a complaint to the CFPB, Texas Attorney General, or consult a consumer lawyer.

Extra Protection: Complex Errors, Credit Damage, and When to Get Help

Some billing issues go beyond a simple wrong charge. These situations call for closer attention:

• Fraud / identity theft: Combine an FCBA dispute with fraud alerts, credit freezes, and FCRA disputes with bureaus.
• Merchant disputes: Non-delivery or defective goods may qualify for FCBA protection if requirements are met (e.g., purchase amount, location, and first resolving with merchant).
• Systematic errors: If your issuer repeatedly misapplies payments or fees, this may support broader claims or regulatory complaints.
• Credit reporting fallout: If a disputed charge leads to late marks, collections, or denials, FCRA claims may exist alongside FCBA remedies.
• Retaliation or closure: If an issuer closes or restricts your account solely because you exercised FCBA rights, speak to counsel.

Examples / Short Models

Example 1 – Unauthorized Charge
Maria in Texas sees a $480 electronics charge she never made.
She sends an FCBA letter within 60 days by certified mail.
The issuer removes the charge, reverses interest, and updates her account.

Example 2 – Missing Payment
A timely $600 payment was misapplied and marked late.
The consumer disputes in writing, attaches bank proof.
The issuer corrects the posting, removes late fee, and withdraws the negative report.

Example 3 – Service Not Provided
A contractor never performed the agreed work.
After trying to resolve with the merchant, the consumer uses FCBA rights.
The issuer investigates and issues a credit for the undelivered service.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Calling only by phone and never sending a written FCBA dispute letter.
• Missing the 60-day deadline from the statement date.
• Sending disputes to the payment address instead of the billing inquiries address.
• Failing to pay undisputed charges and triggering valid late fees.
• Throwing away statements, envelopes, or mail receipts that prove your timeline.

Conclusion: Fix Errors Early and Use the Law as Your Shield

Billing errors are stressful, but you are not powerless. The FCBA, together with FCRA and Texas
consumer protections, gives you clear steps to challenge wrong charges, pause collection on
disputed amounts, and prevent unfair damage to your credit profile. When you act quickly, document
everything, and use written disputes, you convert confusion into control.

If your issuer refuses to follow the rules, keeps charging bogus fees, or hurts your credit despite
a proper dispute, do not simply pay to “make it go away.” Reach out to a consumer rights attorney
in Texas or a reputable legal aid organization to review your case and turn the law in your favor.