Do you want to hold a winning hand throughout the credit card dispute process?
In phone conversations, stay calm and never raise your voice -- even if the person on the other end of the phone does.
Do the same with the letters. Be organized, factual and polite. Avoid speculation. Act "like a civil adult," says France.
Be persistent "if it's a legitimate claim," she says. "Especially if it's a high-dollar claim, I wouldn't necessarily take the first 'no' as the final statement."