Discover: dispute with a merchant through the bank

Collect

• statement showing the charge
• receipt or order
• record of contact with the merchant

Steps

1. Contact the merchant first and keep proof.

2. Call Discover customer service or sign in to start the dispute.

   PhoneDiscover customer service (1-800-DISCOVER) +1-800-347-2683 Account holder only

3. For a billing error, send a written notice to the address in the Billing Rights Summary on your statement.

4. If Discover does not resolve it, complain to the CFPB.

   RegulatorConsumer Financial Protection Bureau +1-855-411-2372

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Process

  The Discover by Capital One card agreement refers to the Billing Rights Summary on your statement for dispute rights.

  Source: ecm.capitalone.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Policy

  Discover says card accounts will move to Capital One throughout 2026 and early 2027, and cardmembers keep their Discover card and rewards.

  Source: discover.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Policy

  The Discover by Capital One card agreement lets either party elect binding AAA arbitration; either side may instead use small claims court. It does not apply to covered members under the Military Lending Act.

  Source: ecm.capitalone.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  Before arbitration, a personally signed Claim Notice with name, address and account number must be sent at least 30 days before starting the proceeding.

  Source: ecm.capitalone.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)
  12 CFR 1026.13; 12 CFR 1026.12(c) (Regulation Z)

  For credit card and other open-end credit accounts, a written billing-error notice that the creditor receives within 60 days after it sent the first statement with the error starts a dispute process. The creditor must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within 2 complete billing cycles (no later than 90 days). Until then, the consumer need not pay the disputed amount and the creditor may not collect it or report it as delinquent. A separate rule lets a cardholder assert claims and defenses about a card purchase against the card issuer.

  Source: consumerfinance.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  2 citable points

  • Policy

    Claims and defenses (12 CFR 1026.12(c)): when a merchant does not resolve a dispute about property or services bought with a credit card, the cardholder may assert against the card issuer all claims (other than tort claims) and defenses from the transaction, and may withhold payment up to the amount of credit outstanding for that purchase plus related charges. The issuer may not report that withheld amount as delinquent until the dispute is settled or judgment is rendered.

    Source: consumerfinance.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Limit

    Claims-and-defenses limits: the cardholder must first make a good faith attempt to resolve the dispute with the merchant, the purchase must exceed $50, and it must have occurred in the same state as the cardholder's current designated address or within 100 miles of it. The $50 and location limits do not apply when the merchant is the card issuer, is controlled by or controls the issuer, is a franchised dealer in the issuer's products, or got the order through a mail solicitation the issuer made or took part in.

    Source: consumerfinance.gov, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneDiscover customer service (1-800-DISCOVER) +1-800-347-2683 Account holder only

2. Written complaint

   MailCustomer service, general inquiries Capital One, PO Box 71083, Charlotte, NC 28272-1083

   For billing errors use the address in the Billing Rights Summary on your statement.

3. Federal regulator

   RegulatorConsumer Financial Protection Bureau +1-855-411-2372

4. State agency

   Your state’s financial regulator. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

5. Arbitration

   MailClaim Notice before arbitration (Discover by Capital One agreement) Capital One, P.O. Box 30035, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0035

   Either side may elect AAA arbitration under the Discover by Capital One agreement; small claims court is allowed.

Watch out

Related

• Dispute with a merchant through the bank at other companies
• Banks and card issuers — how complaints work
• Discover: unauthorized charge