A recurring subscription charge isn't automatically fraud. Start by canceling the subscription, asking the merchant for a refund, and saving proof of both steps. If the charge was unauthorized, for the wrong amount, posted after the merchant received your cancellation, duplicated, or tied to a service not provided as agreed, you can also contact your card issuer.

For a qualifying U.S. credit-card billing error, the issuer must receive your written dispute within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, but no later than 90 days. That federal credit-card process doesn't automatically apply to debit cards, ACH payments, prepaid accounts, or every refund request.

Start by identifying the problem

The facts matter. A clearly disclosed renewal that you forgot about isn't the same as a transaction nobody authorized.

• A free trial or subscription renewed unexpectedly: Cancel it and request a refund. Save the trial terms, renewal price, notices, and receipt.
• You canceled but were charged again: Contact the merchant and preserve the cancellation confirmation. Notify the issuer if the merchant doesn't correct the charge.
• You don't recognize the merchant: Check the full statement descriptor and ask whether another authorized user made the purchase. If nobody did, contact the issuer promptly and ask about account security.
• The amount is different from what you agreed to: Ask the merchant to correct the charge and save the checkout page, receipt, terms, and statement.
• You paid for a service you never received: Request a refund and keep the order details, promised delivery or access date, and correspondence.

A merchant refund and a card dispute are separate. The merchant can voluntarily return the money. A card dispute asks the issuer to review the transaction under the applicable card and consumer-protection rules. People often use "chargeback" to describe this process, but card-network procedures aren't identical to the federal billing-error process.

Cancel the subscription and ask for a refund

A dispute won't necessarily end the subscription. Handle the cancellation and the already-posted charge as two separate tasks:

1. Cancel through the account settings or the merchant's support channel.
2. Save the confirmation page, email, ticket number, and exact cancellation date and time.
3. Check whether the account shows an end date or any remaining billing authorization.
4. Write to the merchant about the charge and state why you want a refund.
5. Watch later statements for another recurring charge.

Contacting the merchant may be the fastest way to get the money back, and a written request creates a useful record. Don't wait for the merchant's response if a credit-card dispute deadline is approaching.

You can adapt this message:

I canceled my subscription on [date] and was charged [$ amount] on [date]. Please confirm that the subscription is canceled and that no further recurring charges will be made. I request a refund because [brief, accurate reason]. Please respond in writing.

If the renewal terms were clear and the charge matches the agreed price, the merchant or issuer may treat it as authorized. The merchant might still offer a refund under its policy, but forgetting a disclosed renewal doesn't guarantee one.

How to dispute a subscription charge on a credit card

The FTC's guidance on credit-card billing errors recommends sending the issuer a written dispute.

Find the first statement with the error

The federal 60-day period runs from the date the first statement containing the error was sent, not necessarily from the date the transaction posted. Record:

• The statement date
• The merchant name or billing descriptor
• The transaction date and amount
• The last four digits of the card
• The date you canceled or contacted the merchant, if relevant

Send the letter to the right address

Use the issuer's address for billing inquiries or billing disputes shown on the statement. It may be different from the address used for payments.

Your letter must reach the issuer within the applicable 60-day period. Use a delivery method that gives you proof of delivery, and keep a copy of the letter and everything you enclosed. A phone call may alert the issuer, but don't rely on a call alone when written notice is needed for the federal billing-error process.

Describe the error and attach evidence

State exactly what you dispute and why. Possible billing-error reasons include:

• You didn't authorize the transaction.
• The merchant charged you after receiving your cancellation.
• The amount differs from the agreed price.
• The service wasn't provided as agreed.
• The same subscription charge appeared more than once.

Send copies, not originals. Include enough of the statement for the issuer to identify the charge, while covering unrelated personal information when practical.

A letter could say:

I dispute the [$ amount] charge from [merchant descriptor] shown on my statement dated [date]. The charge is a billing error because [specific facts]. I contacted the merchant on [date] and received [response, if any]. Enclosed are copies of my cancellation confirmation, receipt, and relevant messages. Please investigate and send me the result in writing.

If you've moved, the FTC says you generally must have sent the issuer your change of address in writing early enough for the issuer to have received it at least 20 days before the billing period ended to use this process.

Pay the part you don't dispute

During a qualifying credit-card billing-error investigation, the FTC says you don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges while the issuer investigates. Continue paying every amount that isn't part of the dispute, and follow the issuer's payment instructions.

Track the response

The issuer generally must acknowledge your written complaint within 30 days of receiving it, unless it has already resolved the issue. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving your letter.

A denial doesn't necessarily mean the issuer ignored your evidence. It may have concluded that the renewal was authorized, that the records didn't establish an error, or that the letter missed a procedural requirement. Read the explanation, ask for the case number, and ask whether the issuer has a reconsideration or complaint process. If a merchant later issues a refund, tell the issuer so the accounts can be reconciled.

Debit card, ACH, and prepaid charges use different procedures

Don't copy the credit-card process automatically to another payment method.

For a debit-card transaction, contact the bank or credit union as soon as you notice the problem and ask for its unauthorized-transaction or billing-error procedure. For an ACH debit, contact both the bank and the merchant. Explain whether you canceled the subscription or revoked authorization, then ask the bank which deadlines, return options, and stop-payment steps apply.

The answer can depend on:

• Whether you authorized the original subscription
• Whether the disputed debit occurred after cancellation or revocation
• When you noticed the transaction
• Whether it was a debit-card purchase or an electronic bank transfer
• The bank's procedure and account agreement

Ask the bank how to stop future debits, but cancel with the merchant as well. If you don't recognize a debit, treat it as a possible account-security problem and ask what steps will protect the account. A prepaid account also has its own provider process; ask the provider which error procedure and deadline apply.

Build a focused evidence file

A short timeline is easier to use than a folder full of unrelated screenshots. Gather:

• The subscription price, renewal frequency, and trial terms
• The checkout page or confirmation email showing what you accepted
• Any pre-renewal notice
• The cancellation request and confirmation
• The statement showing the disputed charge
• Refund requests, support tickets, and merchant replies
• Proof that the service wasn't delivered, if that is your reason
• Account-access or usage records that clarify what happened

Put the events in date order:

Keep the description accurate. If automatic renewal was disclosed, say that the renewal was unexpected rather than calling it fraudulent. If you never gave permission, state that directly.

Cases that need extra care

A forgotten free trial

Cancel the service and ask for a one-time refund. Include the trial and renewal information in any issuer dispute. The issuer may consider the charge authorized if automatic renewal was clearly disclosed and the price matched the terms.

A charge after cancellation

Your position is stronger when the merchant received the cancellation before the charge date. Include the confirmation and explain whether you used the service after canceling. Ask the merchant for a refund and ask the issuer how to submit the dispute.

A price increase

Compare the new amount with the subscription terms and any notice you received. A higher charge isn't automatically invalid. Describe the problem precisely if the amount doesn't match the agreement or a promised price.

A service you never received

Request a refund from the merchant first. If the service or product wasn't delivered as agreed, the FTC's billing-error guidance explains how a credit-card dispute may apply. Keep order, delivery, access, and communication records.

A merchant name you don't recognize

Review the full statement descriptor and check with family members or other authorized users. If nobody authorized the charge, contact the issuer promptly rather than waiting for the merchant to reply.

Keep the deadlines and rule systems separate

Several processes may appear in the same subscription complaint:

• The FTC guidance above describes a written billing-error process for qualifying U.S. credit-card disputes.
• The merchant's refund policy controls voluntary refunds for charges the merchant considers valid.
• Debit-card and ACH disputes have different procedures and deadlines.
• Visa and Mastercard network procedures are separate from the federal credit-card billing-error process. Any response window or recurring-billing requirement can depend on the network, issuer, acquirer, transaction type, and applicable agreement.
• A renewal reminder may help show transparency, but don't assume that a seven-day reminder is a universal consumer deadline.

There isn't a guaranteed dispute outcome. The most useful submission connects a specific reason to dated evidence and identifies the exact amount being contested.

If the dispute remains unresolved

Work through these steps:

1. Confirm that your written notice went to the billing-dispute address and arrived within the applicable period.
2. Ask the issuer for the case number and current status.
3. Send a concise follow-up with any missing cancellation, receipt, or correspondence records.
4. Request the issuer's written reason if it denies the dispute.
5. Tell the issuer if the merchant later issues a refund.
6. If you suspect deceptive enrollment or fraud, preserve your records and consider reporting the conduct to the FTC.

If the issuer missed its acknowledgment or resolution timeline, mention that in your written follow-up. Keep the statements, letters, emails, delivery records, and responses together.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a subscription charge after canceling?

You can ask the merchant for a refund and contact the issuer if the charge occurred after the merchant received your cancellation or otherwise appears to be an error. Cancellation alone doesn't reverse an earlier charge that matched the subscription terms.

Do I have to contact the merchant before contacting my card issuer?

No. Contacting the merchant is useful, but don't delay a written credit-card dispute while waiting for a response. The 60-day period can continue to run.

Does disputing the charge cancel the subscription?

No. Cancel through the merchant and keep the confirmation. Tell the issuer that you canceled if a later recurring charge is part of the dispute.

How long do I have to dispute a credit-card subscription charge?

For a qualifying billing error, the issuer must receive your written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. The issuer generally has 30 days to acknowledge the complaint and up to 90 days to resolve it.

What if I paid from my bank account?

Contact the bank or credit union promptly. ACH and other electronic-transfer disputes don't automatically use the credit-card deadline described here, so ask which process and deadline applies to your transaction.