A card claim may help when you have paid for a purchase and the seller does not resolve the problem. Complain to the seller first. Then send the bank a documented claim for money. Your protection depends on how the payment was made.
When can you make a card claim?
You can investigate a card claim when a purchase from a business goes wrong and the seller does not resolve the problem. This may concern goods that never arrive or a refund that does not come.
This guide concerns purchases you authorised yourself. If somebody used your card without permission, different rules apply. SamfunnPrep has a separate guide to fraud losses and claims against your bank.
Forbrukerrådet, which provides guidance on consumer rights, explains purchase protection on its card claims page. The guidance was checked on 4 October 2026.
The bank can consider a claim for money. It is not a shop that can deliver replacement goods or repair the product. Therefore, state the amount you are claiming and why.
Which payment method did you use?
A credit card and an ordinary bank card do not provide exactly the same basis for a claim. Also check which payment network was used for this particular purchase.
A credit card means you use credit from the card issuer. Finansavtaleloven § 2-7, the Financial Contracts Act, provides statutory protection for credit purchases when the conditions are met. A debit card takes money from your account. Visa and Mastercard also have schemes for these purchases, but these follow the card terms.
| Payment method | What should you investigate? | Who do you contact? |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card | Claims under the Financial Contracts Act and card terms | The card issuer |
| Visa or Mastercard debit card | The card scheme's conditions and deadlines | The bank that issued the card |
| BankAxept | This does not provide the same card-based purchase protection | The seller, and the bank for clarification |
| Direct bank transfer | This is not a card purchase | The seller, and the bank for payment errors |
A card can have both Visa and BankAxept. The logos on the card therefore do not decide the case on their own. DNB explains the differences between payment methods. Ask the bank to check the actual transaction if you are unsure.
Complain to the seller first
Give the seller an opportunity to resolve the matter in writing before forwarding the claim. Include the order number, what went wrong and what you are claiming.
Write to the address in the order confirmation or use the shop's complaint form. Keep a copy before sending it. If you call first, afterwards send a short message recording what you discussed.
For example, you can write that the goods have not been delivered within the agreed time and ask for a specific solution. Do not demand your money back merely because you are tired of waiting. The conditions for cancelling the purchase must also be met.
Forbrukerrådet provides complaint letters for problems including delays. Choose the letter that fits your problem and keep both the claim and the reply.
How to put your documents together
A good set of documents shows the purchase, the payment and your attempt to resolve the matter. The bank needs to understand how the documents relate to each other.
Collect:
- The order confirmation showing the goods, price and seller's name.
- Payment information showing the date and amount charged.
- The agreed delivery date or the promise of a refund.
- Your complaint to the seller and any replies.
- Tracking information or other documentation of the problem.
- A short timeline with the main dates.
For a partial refund, show what has already been repaid. If you bought several items, explain which item the claim concerns. Do not base your claim on the entire shopping basket when only one purchase is disputed.
Give files clear names. Send documents through the bank's approved channel and avoid sending card numbers or personal information to an unfamiliar email address.
How do you send the claim to the bank?
Use the bank's card claims form or ask customer service to show you the correct channel. Contact the bank promptly when the seller rejects the claim or does not resolve the matter.
There is no single deadline you can safely use for all cards, banks and problems. Forbrukerrådet particularly warns about short deadlines for debit cards. Therefore, ask for the specific deadline for your transaction.
State that you authorised the purchase but believe the seller has not fulfilled the agreement. Give the amount you are claiming and attach your documents. Describe the matter in ordinary language; you do not need to write a long legal letter.
Keep confirmation that the bank received the claim. Note the case number and anything the bank asks you to send later.
An example of a clear claim
A clear claim explains why you believe the money should be returned and refers to the documents. The following example is hypothetical and does not guarantee a refund.
You buy an item with a Visa debit card. The seller later confirms that the purchase has been cancelled and promises a refund. The money does not arrive, even after a written reminder.
You can write: “I request a card claim for the purchase in the attached order confirmation. The seller has confirmed a refund, but I have not received the amount. The attachments show the payment, the seller's promise and my reminder.”
Add the date and amount from your own case. The bank still has to assess the conditions. A refund promise and receipt provide better documentation than simply writing that the shop is dishonest.
What do you do if the bank refuses?
Ask for a written reply explaining the refusal and how to complain. Complain through the bank's own complaints procedure first.
Check whether the refusal concerns the payment method, the documents or the claim itself. If the bank is missing an attachment, you can send it with a clear explanation. If it considers the deadline expired, ask which deadline it is relying on.
If you still disagree, the case may be suitable for Finansklagenemnda, which handles disputes between consumers and financial businesses. Forbrukerrådet's guidance explains this complaints route.
SamfunnPrep's overview of consumer complaints and complaints boards helps you distinguish a complaint against the bank from one against the seller. Keep the two cases clearly separate.
Keep track until the case is finished
Follow messages from both the bank and seller until you receive a final answer. Tell the bank if the seller refunds you while the card claim is being processed.
Check whether a credit to your account is provisional or final. Ask for an explanation if the message is unclear. With a credit card, also clarify how a disputed amount is handled on the card bill; do not assume the complaint stops all payments.
Keep the documents together with the decision. You can then pursue the matter without reconstructing every email and date.
Want an overview of accounts and payments when starting out? Use SamfunnPrep's first-week checklist to support the practical steps.
