An auto shop botched my repairs so I disputed the charge with my credit card company and got a refund — but now the shop owner is sending me threatening messages. What do I do?

It’s an unsettling, but not uncommon, situation. In cases like this, the customer is getting squeezed – stuck between paying for shoddy or unauthorized work and standing up for themselves, only to face intimidation. While it’s easy to feel powerless when a merchant reacts badly to a dispute, you have rights and there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

Why you can dispute a credit card charge

In a tariff environment when everything costs more, auto parts in particular aren’t cheap. And when you consider vehicle owners spend nearly 10 cents a mile on repairs – or about $1,450 annually – it’s important to get them fixed right the first time.

Credit card chargebacks exist to protect consumers from unfair billing. If you’re billed for goods or services you didn’t authorize or didn’t receive as promised, you typically have the right to dispute the charge with your card issuer. Common reasons to file a dispute include being charged for work you didn’t approve, receiving substandard or incomplete services, or being billed incorrectly.

In this scenario, the car owner agreed to certain work but claims the shop did additional repairs without clear approval and refused to fix the resulting damage. When the business wouldn’t issue a fair refund, disputing the charge was a reasonable next step.

Most credit card companies encourage you to try resolving the issue with the merchant first. If that fails, the Fair Credit Billing Act allows for 60 days from the date your credit card statement is issued to dispute a billing error. The card issuer will investigate, which may involve reviewing receipts, contracts, messages or other evidence.

Banks often side with customers in clear-cut cases of unauthorized charges or failure to deliver agreed-upon services. But disputes aren’t guaranteed wins: Merchants can fight them by submitting their own evidence, which can result in the bank deciding against you. Additionally, too many disputes – especially those perceived as weak or unjustified – can negatively impact your relationship with your card issuer.

What to do if a business is threatening you

It’s stressful enough to deal with a payment dispute without being harassed or threatened. But you have options if the repair shop starts making intimidating phone calls, sends aggressive messages or threatens legal action that seems retaliatory.

First, document everything. Save voicemails, texts, emails or call logs. Take notes on any conversations, including dates, times and what was said. This evidence could be helpful if you need to escalate things later.