What happens if a company doesn't respond to a credit dispute?

Asked by: Dax Johns  |  Last update: July 4, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (11 votes)

First, the furnisher may be willing to fix the error, either because it actually does find an error or to maintain good customer relations. Second, if the furnisher does not respond, the credit reporting agency is legally required to delete the disputed information from your credit report.

What if the creditor does not respond to a dispute?

If a credit reporting company doesn't respond to your dispute or doesn't respond adequately, you have rights: You have the right to add a statement to your credit file.

What happens if a merchant doesn't respond to a dispute?

Merchants must adhere to the deadline given by the acquirer. If they miss it, they will lose the chargeback dispute by default. Losing the chargeback means not only losing the sales revenue, but also the associated chargeback fees merchants typically must pay to cover the cost of the chargeback process.

How long does a company have to respond to a credit card dispute?

After you dispute a charge, your credit card company has 30 days to confirm they received your dispute. Then, they have two billing cycles (no more than 90 days) to resolve the dispute. According to our findings, 91% of cardholders who disputed a charge had a resolution within a month.

What happens if a creditor does not respond in 30 days?

What happens if the creditor does not respond within the required time? If the creditor does not respond within 30 days, TransUnion will delete the information from your credit report. Why did the disputed item not come off my credit report?

When Debt Collectors Don't Respond to Your Dispute in 2025

20 related questions found

What happens if a collection agency does not respond to a dispute?

If a debt collector does not respond to your dispute letter within five days of their initial communication with you, or if they continue to contact you or try to collect the debt without sending you verification, they are violating the FDCPA and you have several options to protect yourself and your rights.

How long before a creditor will sue you?

A creditor can't file a lawsuit if it's been more than four years since the last activity on the account. This is called a statute of limitations. If you have not made a purchase on or made a payment to the credit card account for more than four years, that debt is considered expired.

What are the odds of winning a credit card dispute?

You might not always get a fair outcome when you dispute a chargeback, but you can increase your chances of winning by providing the right documents. Per our experience, if you do everything right, you can expect a 65% to 75% success rate.

How long does a creditor have to reply to a dispute?

A debt collector must stop all collection activity on a debt if you send them a written dispute about the debt, generally within 30 days after your initial communication with them. Collection activities can restart, though, after the debt collector sends verification responding to the dispute.

Do credit card disputes hurt a business?

From a financial perspective, you not only lose the money, but also the product or service that you sold to the customer as they won't return it. Financial losses aside, chargebacks also have a negative impact on your bank and card network, and this can damage your credit reputation.

How often do merchants win credit card disputes?

Winning chargeback disputes is a challenge for merchants, with success rates typically hovering around 20-40%, depending on the industry and the quality of the evidence provided. Many disputes are lost due to insufficient documentation, delayed responses, or lack of expertise in presenting a compelling case.

What is the 540 day rule for chargebacks?

Within 120 days from the last date the cardholder expects to receive the goods/services (but no more than 540 days from the transaction date). Within 120 days of the date the cardholder was informed that the goods/services would not be provided (but no more than 540 calendar days from transaction).

Does the merchant get notified when you dispute a charge?

Basic flow of a chargeback

Visa gives issuing banks up to 30 days to review. If valid, they then forward the claim to the merchant's acquiring bank or payment processor, who notifies the merchant.

How often are credit disputes successful?

Of those who've disputed a claim, 96% were given a successful resolution the last time they tried. As for why they disputed a claim, 75% had an unauthorized charge, 21% didn't receive the goods they paid for or they were defective, and 21% challenged a subscription charge.

What happens if you don t respond to a debt collection lawsuit?

What happens when you get a default judgment against you. After a default judgment, the Plaintiff will try to collect the money you owe. The Plaintiff may be able to deduct the money directly from your paycheck or bank account and put a lien on your property.

What happens if you lose a credit dispute?

Losing a dispute does not necessarily hurt your credit, but it may leave it unchanged if the information you were hoping would boost your score is rejected.

Will a collection agency sue for $5000?

Typically, debt collectors will only pursue legal action when the amount owed is in excess of $5,000, but they can sue for less. “If they do sue, you need to show up at court,” says Lewis-Parks.

What is the 11 word phrase to stop debt collectors?

The phrase in question is: “Please cease and desist all calls and contact with me, immediately.” These 11 words, when used correctly, can provide significant protection against aggressive debt collection practices.

What happens if you don't respond to a payment dispute?

If they don't respond, the claim will automatically close in the customer's favor, and a full refund will be issued.

Do credit card companies actually investigate disputes?

What does the credit card company have to do? They must acknowledge receipt of your letter within 30 days. Within 90 days or two billing cycles, they must investigate your dispute.

Are credit disputes worth it?

Disputing credit report inaccuracies doesn't affect your credit, but some changes made in response to disputes can help your credit scores. The removal of inaccurate late payments, new-credit inquiries or bankruptcies could result in credit score increases.

What if credit card dispute is not in my favor?

If the credit card issuer denies the dispute, the customer can request supporting documents and can also appeal the decision or file a complaint with consumer protection agencies. If the dispute is still not resolved, customers can seek legal advice and file a case.

Can you go to jail if a creditor sues you?

The Bottom Line. It's not possible to go to jail simply for having unpaid debt. It also requires many steps along the way before an arrest for contempt of court is possible: The creditor must first sue you and win the lawsuit, and then the judge must award a judgment against you.

Does disputing a debt restart the clock?

However, disputing a debt also forces the collector to restart the clock on when they can sue you.

Which creditors are most likely to sue?

Original Creditors That Sue the Most
  • Capital One Bank. Capital One is known for filing lawsuits against consumers who default on their credit card debts. ...
  • Discover Bank. ...
  • Citibank. ...
  • Bank of America. ...
  • Conns Appliances. ...
  • American Express. ...
  • JP Morgan Chase Bank. ...
  • Synchrony Bank.