Report Within
1–3 working days
Report as soon as you notice the charge. The sooner you report an unauthorized transaction, the stronger your case. For lost or stolen cards, your liability is legally capped at RM250 — but only if you reported the loss promptly. Waiting days or weeks weakens your position.
1. What Type of Dispute Do You Have?
Different disputes have slightly different processes. Identify yours first:
| Dispute Type |
What Happened |
Urgency |
| Unauthorized transaction |
A charge appeared that you never made — fraud, phishing, card cloning, or unauthorized use after loss/theft |
Immediate |
| Duplicate charge |
You were charged twice for the same purchase |
Within 3 days |
| Wrong amount |
Merchant charged RM500 but your receipt says RM50 |
Within 3 days |
| Subscription not cancelled |
You cancelled a service but they kept billing |
Within 60 days |
| ATM didn't dispense cash |
Account was debited but no cash came out |
Same day |
| Unfair bank fee |
Bank charged a fee you weren't informed about or disagree with |
Within 60 days |
2. Step 1 — Report to Your Bank
Always start with your bank. Most disputes are resolved here. You have to exhaust this step before FMOS will hear your case.
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Call your bank's 24-hour hotline immediately
The number is on the back of your card, on your bank's app, or on their website. If the card was compromised, cancel it now — you can replace the card but you can't undo a fraudulent transaction you didn't report.
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Ask for the Disputes or Complaints Department
Not the regular customer service agent. Ask to be transferred to the disputes team or to file a formal complaint. This creates a paper trail.
-
File a formal dispute form
Most banks have a dedicated dispute/transaction dispute form — available at branches, via the app, or by email. Fill it out completely. An incomplete form won't be processed. Get a reference number before you hang up or leave.
-
Follow up in writing (email)
Even if you called, send an email to the bank's complaints address confirming the dispute. State: the transaction date, merchant name, amount, and why you're disputing it. Attach your supporting documents. This creates a written record that timestamps your complaint.
-
File a police report if it's fraud
For unauthorized transactions involving fraud, identity theft, or card cloning — file a police report at your nearest balai polis or via iPolis (reports.police.gov.my). Banks often require a police report reference number for fraud claims. See our Police Report guide for how.
Bank hotlines (major banks in Malaysia):
Maybank: 1-300-88-6688 | CIMB: 1-300-880-900 | Public Bank: 1-800-22-5555
RHB: 1-300-88-9900 | Hong Leong: 1-300-88-1177 | AmBank: 1-300-88-8888
OCBC: 1-300-88-3737 | Standard Chartered: 1-300-888-888 | UOB: 1-300-88-8682
3. What to Say When Calling Your Bank
Use these exact lines. Being clear and specific gets you to the right person faster and creates the right record.
Opening the call
"I'm calling to dispute a transaction on my account and to file a formal complaint. Please transfer me to your disputes department."
Explaining the dispute
"On [DATE], a charge of RM[AMOUNT] from [MERCHANT NAME] appeared on my [account/card number ending in XXXX]. I did not authorize this transaction / I was charged twice / The amount is wrong. I want to file a formal transaction dispute."
Questions to ask before hanging up
- What is my dispute reference number?
- What documents do I need to submit, and where do I send them?
- What is your timeline for investigation?
- If I don't hear back in 14 working days, will a provisional credit be issued?
- What email address should I use to follow up in writing?
4. Documents to Prepare
More evidence = faster resolution. Prepare these before you call.
For all disputes
- Bank statement showing the disputed charge (screenshot or PDF from your app)
- Transaction date, time, merchant name, and amount written down
- Completed dispute form (from your bank)
For unauthorized / fraud transactions
- Police report — file one at the balai polis or via iPolis
- Card cancellation confirmation — proof you reported the loss promptly
- Any phishing messages or suspicious links you received (screenshots)
For billing errors (wrong amount / duplicate charge)
- Original merchant receipt showing the correct amount
- Bank statement showing both charges (for duplicates)
- Any merchant communication (email, WhatsApp screenshot) acknowledging the error
For ATM disputes (cash not dispensed)
- ATM transaction receipt if the machine printed one
- Date, time, and exact ATM location (branch name, address, or the machine's ID number if visible)
- Photos of the ATM if you took any at the time
For subscription / recurring billing disputes
- Cancellation confirmation (email receipt, screenshot of cancellation in the app)
- Bank statement showing charges after cancellation date
5. Bank Investigation Timelines
By BNM regulation, your bank must:
| Milestone |
Timeframe |
| Acknowledge your complaint |
1 business day |
| Resolve simple cases |
5–14 working days |
| Resolve complex cases |
Up to 20 working days |
| Credit card dispute (maximum) |
Up to 180 days for complex fraud investigations |
| Provisional credit (if no response) |
14 working days — bank may credit RM5,000 while investigating |
| Your maximum card liability (lost/stolen) |
RM250 — per BNM Credit Card Guidelines |
Provisional credit: If your bank does not provide an initial response within 14 working days, they may be required to provisionally credit up to RM5,000 to your account while the investigation continues. Ask your bank about this specifically.
6. Step 2 — Escalate to FMOS (Financial Markets Ombudsman Service)
If your bank rejects your dispute or doesn't respond within 60 calendar days — escalate to FMOS. It's free, and their decisions are legally binding on the bank.
When to use FMOS
You want compensation for financial loss
Bank rejected your dispute, or gave no final response within 60 days. You are seeking a refund or compensation (not just regulatory action).
Eligibility
Dispute amount up to RM250,000
Covers unauthorized transactions, billing errors, ATM disputes, and unfair fees. You must have already complained to the bank first.
Filing deadline
Within 6 months of bank's final decision
If the bank issued a final decision letter, you have 6 months to file with FMOS. Don't miss this window.
Cost
Free — FMOS is free for consumers
No filing fees. No lawyers required. FMOS is an independent body funded by the financial industry.
How to file with FMOS
-
Get your bank's final decision in writing
If the bank rejected your dispute verbally, ask for the rejection in writing (email). If they haven't responded after 60 days, you can proceed without a written rejection.
-
Download and complete the FMOS Banking Dispute Form
Available at www.fmos.org.my. Fill in: your complaint details, bank's response (or lack thereof), the outcome you're seeking, and your supporting documents.
-
Submit to FMOS online or by post
Website: www.fmos.org.my | Phone: 603-2272 2811
Address: Level 14, Main Block, Menara Takaful Malaysia, No. 4 Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
-
Wait for a Case Manager to contact you
FMOS will appoint a Case Manager who attempts mediation between you and the bank. If no settlement is reached within 3 months, the Manager issues a Recommendation.
-
If unsatisfied with the Recommendation, escalate to the Ombudsman
You have 30 days to request Ombudsman review. The Ombudsman issues a final, binding decision within 14 days.
7. Step 3 — Escalate to BNM (Bank Negara Malaysia)
BNMLINK handles regulatory complaints — when your bank is not following BNM rules. It does not award compensation. Use it alongside or after FMOS if your bank is breaking the rules.
| Channel |
Use For |
Contact |
| BNMLINK (web form) |
Reporting banks that violate BNM regulations — e.g., ignoring your dispute, charging undisclosed fees |
bnmlink.bnm.gov.my |
| BNMTELELINK (phone) |
Enquiries and complaints about banks' conduct |
1-300-88-5465 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) |
| BNM Fraud Alert |
Report scams, phishing, and financial fraud targeting the public |
bnm.gov.my/fraudalert |
| BNMTELELINK email |
Written regulatory complaints |
bnmtelelink@bnm.gov.my |
FMOS vs BNMLINK — which to use?
Use FMOS if you want money back (compensation, refund). Use BNMLINK if you want to report the bank for breaking rules, or if you want BNM to investigate the bank's conduct. You can use both simultaneously.
8. Common Scenarios — Exact Steps
Scenario A: Unauthorized transaction (fraud / card stolen)
- Cancel your card immediately — call the bank hotline now, don't wait
- File a police report — needed for fraud claims; get the report reference number
- File dispute form with bank — attach police report, card cancellation confirmation, bank statement
- Your maximum liability is RM250 — per BNM Credit Card Guidelines, if you reported promptly
- If bank rejects — escalate to FMOS within 6 months; burden of proof is on the bank, not you
Scenario B: Duplicate charge
- Get your bank statement showing both identical charges
- Get the original receipt showing only one transaction was intended
- Contact the merchant first — many duplicates are merchant errors they'll refund directly and faster
- If merchant won't refund — file dispute with bank. Duplicates are usually resolved in 5–14 working days
- Ask for provisional credit while investigation is ongoing
Scenario C: ATM didn't dispense cash
- Take a photo of the ATM (machine ID, location, time) immediately if you can
- Keep your transaction receipt if the machine printed one
- Call the bank the same day — ATM disputes are time-sensitive as banks pull transaction logs
- Bank will check ATM cash balancing records — if the machine had excess cash that day, it confirms your case
- Resolution usually within 5 working days for ATM disputes
Scenario D: Subscription billing after cancellation
- Screenshot your cancellation confirmation — email, in-app confirmation, or chat log
- Check if there's a required notice period — some services require 30 days notice before next billing cycle
- Contact the merchant directly first — many will refund immediately when you show the cancellation proof
- If merchant ignores you — file a dispute with your bank ("goods/services not received after contract cancellation")
- For persistent offenders — also file a TTPM consumer tribunal claim (up to RM50,000, RM5 filing fee). See our TTPM guide.
9. Your Rights Under Malaysian Law
Under the Financial Services Act 2013 and BNM regulations:
- RM250 liability cap on lost/stolen cards — the bank cannot hold you liable for more than RM250 if you reported the loss promptly and didn't act fraudulently
- Right to a fair investigation — the bank must investigate your dispute and provide a written response
- Burden of proof is on the bank — for unauthorized transaction claims, the bank must prove you made or authorized the transaction, not the other way around
- Right to free redress via FMOS — the ombudsman service is free and its decisions bind the bank
- Protection from unfair charges — banks cannot impose fees that were not disclosed at the time you signed up for the product
- Right to timely response — if the bank ignores you, that itself is a BNM reportable violation
Key point on fraud liability: Under BNM's Credit Card Policy Document, if your card was used fraudulently without your knowledge or participation, your maximum liability is RM250 — regardless of how much was stolen. The bank bears the remaining loss. This is a legal protection, not a favor.
10. Pro Tips
- Get everything in writing. Calls disappear. Emails and reference numbers create a paper trail that FMOS can review. After every phone call, send a follow-up email summarizing what was agreed.
- Note down the date and time of every interaction. If this escalates to FMOS, a clear timeline strengthens your case: "I called on X, received no response, emailed on Y, escalated on Z."
- Don't accept verbal rejections. If the bank says "no" over the phone, ask them to put it in writing. A written rejection is your trigger to escalate to FMOS.
- Provisional credit is possible — ask for it. If the bank is taking longer than 14 working days, ask whether a provisional credit applies to your case while they investigate.
- Don't cancel the dispute prematurely. Banks sometimes ask you to "wait and see if it reverses." Get a reference number and a formal dispute on record first.
- Act within the deadlines. FMOS has a 6-month window from the bank's final decision. Missing it leaves you with only court action as a remedy.
- For recurring unauthorized charges — ask the bank to block the merchant (stop a recurring debit authorization). This prevents future charges while the dispute is pending.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My bank rejected my dispute — what now?
Ask for the rejection in writing. Then file with FMOS (www.fmos.org.my) within 6 months of the bank's final decision. FMOS decisions are binding on the bank. You don't need a lawyer and there's no filing fee.
How much can I recover through FMOS?
FMOS handles disputes up to RM250,000. They can order the bank to refund the disputed amount plus compensation. There's no cost to you.
My card was stolen and used for RM5,000 in purchases. Am I liable for all of it?
No — per BNM Credit Card Policy, your maximum liability is RM250, provided you reported the loss promptly and did not act fraudulently or negligently. The bank bears the remaining RM4,750. File a police report and dispute with your bank.
The ATM didn't give me cash but my account was debited. How long does the bank take to fix it?
ATM disputes are usually resolved within 5 working days. Banks have transaction logs and ATM cash-balancing records that confirm whether cash was dispensed. Report it the same day with the ATM location, date, and time.
Do I need a lawyer to escalate to FMOS?
No. FMOS is designed for consumers to use directly. The process is form-based. Most cases are handled via correspondence — no hearings or lawyers needed.
I clicked a phishing link and my account was drained. Is the bank responsible?
This is a complex area. If you voluntarily shared your OTP or PIN with a fraudster, banks may argue you were negligent — which can affect your RM250 liability cap. However, if you didn't share credentials (e.g., SIM swap attack, bank's authentication was bypassed), the bank bears more responsibility. File a police report and dispute with the bank; escalate to FMOS if rejected. Cases vary — don't accept the bank's first response as final.
What's the difference between FMOS and BNM?
FMOS (Financial Markets Ombudsman Service) resolves disputes between you and your bank — they can award compensation and their decisions are binding. BNM (Bank Negara Malaysia) is the central bank that regulates financial institutions — they investigate regulatory violations but don't award you money. Use FMOS to get your money back; use BNM to report misconduct.
I paid for goods that were never delivered. Can I dispute the bank charge?
Yes — this is called a "chargeback" and applies to credit card transactions. File with your bank using the dispute form; the category is usually "goods/services not received." For debit card transactions, the dispute process is similar but outcomes vary. If the bank won't help, escalate to FMOS or file a TTPM consumer tribunal claim against the merchant.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Bank policies and BNM regulations may be updated. Always verify timelines and procedures directly with your bank, FMOS (www.fmos.org.my), or BNM (www.bnm.gov.my). Last reviewed: March 2026.