ITEI-D Charge: Ghost Tapping, Liability, and Disputes

If an “ITEI-D” charge for a few dollars has shown up on your credit card, treat it as fraud until proven otherwise. The descriptor is associated with “ghost tapping,” a scheme in which criminals run a small unauthorized contactless transaction to confirm that stolen card data still works before making larger purchases.¹ Call your card issuer now, have the card blocked and reissued, and start a written dispute. The steps below preserve your legal protections and get the money back.

How To Recognize the Charge

The transaction usually posts as a small amount, often around four dollars or less, under a vague descriptor like “ITEI-D.” The point of the odd, abbreviated merchant name is to look like a rounding error or a forgotten small purchase so you scroll past it.¹ Low-dollar test transactions are a documented fraud tactic: if the charge clears without being flagged, the scammer knows the card details are live and moves on to larger unauthorized purchases at multiple merchants.²

Because the test charge confirms the card works, more fraudulent transactions may follow within hours or days. Scroll through your full recent history, not just the newest line.

Why This Charge Appears: Ghost Tapping

Ghost tapping is a form of NFC (Near Field Communication) relay fraud. Criminals obtain stolen card credentials through phishing, malware, or data breaches, then load them onto mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay on burner phones. Relay software transmits the payment data in real time to another device held by a person standing at a checkout counter, producing what looks like an ordinary tap-to-pay purchase.³ The small ITEI-D-style charge is the probe that comes first.

What To Do Right Now

Speed matters. Both federal law and issuer policies tie your out-of-pocket exposure to how quickly you report.

Call your card issuer using the number on the back of the card or in its app. Report the charge as unauthorized, ask to have the card blocked, and request a new card and account number.²
Follow up in writing. For credit cards, send a written dispute to the billing-inquiries address your issuer designates (not the payment address). Include your name, account number, and a description of the error. The written notice is what triggers your Fair Credit Billing Act protections.⁴
Place a fraud alert on your credit file. Contact any one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax (1-800-525-6285), Experian (1-888-397-3742), or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289). The bureau you contact must notify the other two.²
Report the fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or 877-382-4357. If personal information may have been exposed, use IdentityTheft.gov as well.⁵

What You’re Liable For

Credit Cards

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z, your liability for unauthorized credit card charges is capped at $50. For transactions where the physical card was not used (online, phone, or a contactless relay like ghost tapping), liability drops to zero.⁶ Many issuers add voluntary zero-liability policies on top of that. To preserve these rights, send a written dispute to your issuer within 60 days of the statement date on which the error appears.⁷

Once the issuer receives your written notice, it has 30 days to acknowledge the dispute and must resolve the investigation within two billing cycles, capped at 90 days.⁸ During the investigation, the issuer cannot try to collect the disputed amount, charge interest on it, or report it as delinquent.⁷ If the charge is confirmed fraudulent, the issuer must remove it and any related fees. If the issuer sides against you, it must explain in writing, and you have 10 days to respond with additional evidence.⁹

Debit Cards

Debit card rules under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E are more time-sensitive and less forgiving. Report within two business days of learning about the unauthorized charge and your liability is capped at $50. Report between two and 60 days after the statement is sent and the cap rises to $500. Wait longer than 60 days and you can be liable for the full amount of any additional unauthorized transfers the bank can show earlier notice would have prevented.¹⁰ If only your card number was stolen and the physical card was not lost, and you report within 60 days, your liability is zero.⁶

After you report, debit card issuers generally have 10 business days to investigate, or 20 if the account is less than 30 days old. If the review takes longer, the bank must usually issue a provisional credit, less up to $50, while it continues. Final resolution has to come within 45 days, or 90 days in certain cases involving foreign transactions or new accounts.¹¹

If Your Issuer Won’t Fix It

You can escalate an unresolved dispute to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company and generally receives a response within 15 days. File at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or call (855) 411-2372, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.⁴

1
Fox News. Why a Small Charge on Your Statement Could Be Fraud
2
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Credit Card and Debit Card Fraud
3
Recorded Future. Ghost Tapping – Chinese Criminal Ecosystem
4
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How To Fix Mistakes in Your Credit Card Bill
5
Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud FAQ
6
FDIC. Consumer News – Are Fraudulent Charges Showing Up on Your Account
7
FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
8
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card Bill
9
California Attorney General. Credit Cards – Dispute a Charge
10
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation E – Section 1005.6
11
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Get My Money Back After an Unauthorized Transaction