This is going to be extremely judgemental but I cannot understand how some people can wait for a year, 2 years... 2 and a half years !?!? ... without taking measures to get their money back.

The legal deadline in most countries is two weeks.

I usually wait a month out of courtesy (during covid I gave up to 3 months), and then I do a chargeback, written evidence in hand.

End of.
Never had one disputed.

Why would anyone think it's okay to wait forever?