One of the benefits of using credit cards compared to other payment options is purchase protection. You’re protected from things like credit card fraud and situations where you’re charged more than you should have been.

Being overcharged by a retailer doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a victim of fraud (sometimes there are technical errors for example). But how do you take advantage of this extra security and protect yourself from these mistakes as well?

Let’s look at a few things you can do to get your money back if your credit card is overcharged and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

3 Things You Can do if Your Credit Card is Overcharged

Here are some steps you can take to work with both retailers and your credit card company to reverse and prevent overcharges.

1. Contact the seller and request a refund. – If you believe that your credit card was overcharged, your first action should always be to contact the seller. This is often the fastest route to a resolution, and your credit card company may even require it before they’ll intervene.
2. Cancel future credit card access. — If you’re overcharged on a subscription (such as for an online service), it’s possible the technical issue isn’t fixed. To stop yourself from repeated overcharges, de-authorise your credit card for automatic subscription payments. See if you can pay manually instead to cut some of the risk of the problem occurring again.
3. File a dispute with your credit card company. — If you can’t get the seller to assist you, then it’s time to contact your credit card issuer. They should help you dispute the charge and get a refund. When you do this, just remember to provide as much documentation as possible.

   For example, provide any receipts or subscription agreements. If you can’t demonstrate that what you were supposed to be charged is different from what you were actually charged, it can be more difficult to resolve things.

If a seller overcharges your credit card for any reason — from technical error to human error — you have several options to fix the situation. The best things you can do are to document all purchases well, stay calm when dealing with the seller and requesting a refund, and then bring matters to your credit card company’s attention if the retailer won’t help.

Also don’t forget to protect your credit card information in the first place. It’s only as safe as you make it, so stick to trusted sellers in the future. Even better, increase your protection with cards like the Citibank Gold credit card which offer purchase protection cover if your items are lost, stolen, or damaged.