If an Afterpay charge isn't yours, report it to Afterpay and the card or bank that shows the transaction on the same day. Afterpay can investigate the order and account, but your card issuer or bank controls the payment dispute. One report doesn't replace the other.

This guidance focuses on U.S. consumers. Afterpay's procedures and legal protections can differ by country, account type, and payment method.

Do these things first

1. Check whether the transaction is pending or posted. Compare the amount, date, merchant descriptor, and payment method with your Afterpay app and bank statement. A pending authorization may disappear without a refund being issued, while a posted transaction needs a formal dispute.
2. Secure your accounts. Change your Afterpay password and the password for the email account connected to it, especially if you reused either password elsewhere. Sign out of unfamiliar devices, turn on available multifactor authentication, and remove unfamiliar payment methods if the account allows it.
3. Contact the card issuer or bank. Use the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not a number from an unexpected text or call. Report the exact transaction as unauthorized and ask whether the card or account should be frozen or replaced.
4. Report the transaction to Afterpay. Use the official app or website and the order's help or support option. If the charge does not appear in your account, explain that clearly and provide the statement details.
5. Save everything. Keep screenshots, emails, case numbers, bank notes, and a timeline. Don't send your password, one-time security code, or full account number through an unsecured message.

Don't wait for Afterpay to answer before notifying your bank or card issuer. The issuer may have its own reporting deadline.

First identify what kind of problem you have

The correct dispute reason matters. Calling every unfamiliar transaction “fraud” can slow an investigation if you actually authorized the purchase.

A charge missing from the Afterpay app doesn't prove that it is fake. It may be linked to another account, a different descriptor, a wallet, or direct misuse of the card. Treat it as a real account-security issue until the bank and Afterpay explain it.

How to report an unauthorized Afterpay order

Sign in by opening the official Afterpay app or typing the website address yourself. Avoid support links in suspicious emails, social media messages, or search advertisements.

For a visible order, open its help or report-a-problem option and choose the reason that best describes unauthorized use. App labels can change, so use the account's current instructions rather than relying on an old step-by-step path.

For an order that is not visible, contact Afterpay through the official support route and include:

• The transaction date, amount, currency, and statement descriptor
• The merchant name and order number, if available
• The email address or phone number connected to your Afterpay account
• A screenshot of the bank or card statement with unrelated information redacted
• When you noticed the charge and why you know you didn't authorize it
• Any evidence of an account takeover, such as a changed email address or unfamiliar device
• Copies of messages from the merchant, bank, or Afterpay

Ask Afterpay for a case number and written answers to these questions:

• Has the account or order been restricted while the investigation is open?
• Will scheduled installments continue during the review?
• What should you do about an installment due before a decision?
• Will amounts already paid be returned to the original payment method or applied another way?
• Is there an appeal or evidence-review process if the claim is denied?

Don't assume that opening a report automatically cancels future payments or late charges. Get written instructions and keep monitoring the account.

A message you can use

I am reporting an unauthorized Afterpay transaction. I did not make or authorize the purchase. The amount is [amount], the date is [date], and the statement descriptor is [descriptor]. The order number is [number, if available]. Please secure the account, investigate the transaction, explain what happens to scheduled installments, and provide a case number and secure method for submitting evidence.

Include only the information needed to identify the transaction. Afterpay should not need your password or a one-time login code.

Dispute the payment with your bank or card issuer

Afterpay investigates its order and account records. Your financial institution investigates the entry on the credit card, debit card, prepaid account, or bank account. Contact both when both records show the transaction.

Credit card

Call the issuer and say that you are reporting an unauthorized transaction. Ask how to submit a formal billing-error or fraud dispute. The issuer may require written notice sent to the billing-disputes address printed on the statement, so follow its instructions and keep proof of delivery.

Traditional credit-card protections are not automatically identical to protections for every buy now, pay later arrangement. The applicable rules can depend on how the Afterpay plan and the underlying payment were set up. The National Consumer Law Center's BNPL rights explainer discusses why consumers should not assume that every BNPL account is treated exactly like a conventional credit card.

Debit or prepaid card

Report the transaction promptly through the bank's fraud department. Ask whether the card should be blocked and replaced, whether the bank needs a written statement, and what happens to any pending transactions.

Debit and prepaid disputes follow a different process from credit-card billing disputes. The bank may ask when you noticed the transaction, whether the physical card was lost, and whether your login credentials were used. Give complete and accurate information.

Bank-account debit

If an installment is scheduled to come from a checking account, ask the bank about its procedures for stopping future recurring debits and disputing the completed transaction. Stopping a future debit doesn't by itself cancel the Afterpay order or resolve money already withdrawn, so report the account issue to Afterpay as well.

If the payment appears in a digital wallet, report the unauthorized activity to the wallet provider too. Use the provider's official app or the number on its statement.

Don't rely on the 14-day or 30-day claims in older guides

There is no single universal U.S. rule requiring every consumer Afterpay fraud report to be filed within 14 days or decided within 30 days.

The often-cited deadlines come from merchant-facing or payment-processing workflows. For example, Adyen's Afterpay and Clearpay chargeback guidance describes certain regional workflows in which a merchant has a limited period to defend a dispute. The Afterpay dispute documentation also describes statuses and response steps for merchants. Those pages don't create a guaranteed deadline or refund promise for every U.S. consumer.

A 120-day period sometimes mentioned online is also not a universal deadline for every Afterpay payment. Your issuer's rules, the payment rail, the transaction date, and the type of dispute can control. Report the charge immediately and ask the issuer for the exact deadline that applies to your account.

What happens while the claim is being reviewed?

The result depends on which company accepts responsibility and whether the charge is still pending.

• Afterpay accepts the report: Ask for written confirmation that the order is canceled or adjusted, future installments are addressed, and any money already collected will be returned.
• The merchant issues a refund: The refund may first be credited to Afterpay, which then updates the plan. Check both the Afterpay ledger and your bank statement.
• The bank gives provisional credit: Treat it as temporary until the bank completes its investigation. Don't spend the money before the bank confirms the final result.
• The charge is only pending: It may fall off rather than appear as a separate refund. The issuer can explain its authorization timeline.
• Afterpay denies the claim: Request the reason, ask what evidence was considered, and submit a concise appeal if one is available. If the transaction appears on your card or bank account, continue with the issuer's dispute process rather than treating Afterpay's decision as the end of the matter.

Keep paying any unrelated, undisputed obligations. For an installment connected to the disputed transaction, ask Afterpay and the issuer what payment is required while the investigation is open. Ignoring all scheduled payments can create a separate account problem.

If the dispute is denied or stalls

Follow this order:

1. Request the decision in writing. Ask for the case number, reason for denial, and any appeal deadline.
2. Send focused evidence. Use the statement, order details, account-security records, and a dated timeline. Avoid long emotional explanations or duplicate submissions.
3. Follow up with the issuer. If the charge posted to a card or bank account, make sure the issuer opened the correct unauthorized-transaction claim.
4. Escalate a poor response. Ask the bank for its final written position and complaint process. For a contractual dispute with Afterpay, review the current U.S. Terms of Service, including its dispute-resolution provisions.
5. Protect the account while waiting. Replace compromised cards, change reused passwords, and watch for small test charges or new orders.

A regulator complaint can document a pattern or a failure to respond, but it doesn't extend the deadline for filing a bank or card dispute.

Refunds, fees, and account balances

Don't assume that an approved fraud claim will always produce one immediate credit to your bank account. Afterpay may need to cancel an order, reverse unpaid installments, and route amounts already paid back through the original payment method.

Ask for a written breakdown showing:

• The amount Afterpay says was unauthorized
• Which installments were canceled
• Which payments have already been collected
• Where each refund will be sent
• Whether any fee or balance remains
• Whether the account is restricted or can be used again

The current Afterpay U.S. Terms of Service governs the account relationship, but it doesn't replace your bank's process for disputing a debit or card transaction. Don't rely on broad claims that every unauthorized Afterpay charge has zero liability, a guaranteed full refund, or a universal 120-day window. Those outcomes depend on the payment method, facts, applicable rules, and company investigation.

How to avoid another unauthorized charge

• Use a unique Afterpay password and a unique email password.
• Turn on available multifactor authentication.
• Review orders, payment methods, and account alerts regularly.
• Use the bank's transaction alerts for card and checking-account activity.
• Never share a verification code with a caller or message sender.
• Contact support through the official app or website, not an unsolicited link.
• Be skeptical of anyone who requests a recovery fee, remote device access, or your full login details.
• Replace a compromised card instead of only watching for another charge.

If your Afterpay account is outside the United States, use the terms and support process for that market. For example, Afterpay's Australian Customer Terms are separate from the U.S. terms, and local bank procedures may differ.

Frequently asked questions

Should I contact Afterpay or my bank first?

Contact both as soon as possible. Afterpay handles the order and account investigation; the bank or card issuer handles the transaction on the payment account.

What if the unauthorized charge isn't visible in Afterpay?

Report it to the bank or card issuer using the statement details, then tell Afterpay that no matching order appears in the account. A missing app record is a reason to investigate, not proof that the bank charge can be ignored.

Can I simply stop making Afterpay payments?

Don't stop every payment without instructions. Ask Afterpay what happens to installments tied to the disputed order and ask the issuer about any related debit. Continue handling unrelated and undisputed obligations.

How long will an Afterpay fraud dispute take?

There is no universal consumer timeline. Afterpay's process, the bank's investigation, and the payment method all matter. The 14-day, 30-day, and 120-day figures repeated online may refer to specific merchant or network workflows rather than your case.

What if I actually made the purchase but want a refund?

Use the merchant's return or cancellation process and Afterpay's order-support process. An item, delivery, or refund disagreement is different from an unauthorized-transaction claim and should be described accurately.