If a card transaction begins with STRIPE * and you do not recognize it, open the dispute with the bank or card company that issued your card, not with Stripe. Stripe commonly processes payments for another business. First try to identify that business. If you recognize the purchase, ask the merchant for a refund, cancellation, or correction. If you did not authorize it, contact your card issuer immediately.
For U.S. credit-card billing errors, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says a written dispute notice generally must reach the issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the error. Calling the issuer can alert it quickly, but do not assume a phone call alone preserves the written-notice protections.
Who handles a Stripe-described charge?
A statement descriptor containing STRIPE * is not proof that Stripe sold you something or that the transaction is fraud.
| Party | Role | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant | Sold the product or service and sets its refund and cancellation terms | Contact it for a recognized purchase, refund request, cancellation, or delivery problem |
| Stripe | Payment processor used by many merchants | Use the descriptor, receipt, and order details to help identify the merchant |
| Card issuer | Bank or card company that issued the credit or debit card | Report unauthorized activity and open a card dispute or billing-error claim |
A chargeback is a dispute handled through the issuer and card network. The merchant may respond through Stripe with records supporting its position, but Stripe does not replace the issuer's dispute process.
Before choosing a dispute reason, check:
- Receipts, order confirmations, and subscription emails
- The exact statement description, amount, and transaction date
- Other email accounts you use for purchases
- Authorized users or family members who can use the card
- Whether the name shown is a shortened business name or trade name
Match the action to the problem
| What happened | Start here | When to involve the issuer |
|---|---|---|
| You recognize the purchase and want to return it | Ask the merchant for a refund under its policy | If the merchant will not resolve a valid problem and a card-dispute option may apply |
| You never authorized the charge | Contact the issuer immediately | Do not wait for the merchant to reply |
| You were charged twice or charged the wrong amount | Ask the merchant to correct it and save both transaction records | Open a billing-error dispute if the issue is not corrected |
| Goods or services never arrived | Contact the merchant first if it is safe and practical | Dispute the transaction if the problem remains unresolved |
| The product or service was materially different from what was promised | Save the listing, agreement, photos, and messages | Give the issuer a clear explanation and supporting records |
| A subscription charged after you canceled | Cancel with the merchant and keep the confirmation | Give the issuer the cancellation date and each later charge |
| A refund was promised but never appeared | Ask the merchant for the refund date and confirmation | Provide the confirmation and later statements if the credit does not post |
Use the reason that accurately describes what happened. A card dispute is not a substitute for a merchant's return policy when you simply changed your mind, and calling a recognized purchase "fraud" can create an inaccurate record.
How to dispute a Stripe charge
1. Save the transaction details
Collect the information before contacting the merchant or issuer:
- Exact statement description, amount, and posting date
- Last four digits of the card used
- Merchant name and contact information, if known
- Order, invoice, or subscription number
- Receipts, delivery records, cancellation messages, and refund promises
- A short timeline of what happened and when
Do not send a full card number through ordinary email or merchant messaging. Use the issuer's secure website or the phone number printed on the card.
2. Contact the merchant for recognized transactions
Write a short request that identifies the charge and states the resolution you want: refund, cancellation, replacement, or delivery update. Keep copies of the request and the merchant's reply.
If the merchant says Stripe handles refunds, ask whether the merchant actually submitted a refund and on what date. Stripe may process the payment, but the merchant generally decides whether to initiate a refund.
Do not wait indefinitely if the charge may be unauthorized or the credit-card billing deadline is close.
3. Notify your card issuer and protect the written deadline
Call the number on the back of the card. Give the representative the transaction date, amount, statement description, and reason for the dispute. Ask what documents it needs and whether it has a secure upload process.
For the federal credit-card billing-error procedure, send written notice to the issuer's billing-inquiries or billing-dispute address. The FTC says the issuer must receive it within 60 days after it sent the first statement containing the error. Do not assume the payment address is the correct address.
If your billing address changed, the FTC says you must have sent the issuer written notice of the new address early enough for it to have it at least 20 days before the billing period ended to use this procedure.
Include:
- Your name and account number
- The disputed amount and transaction date
- The statement description
- A clear explanation of the problem
- The correction you are requesting
- Copies of evidence, not original documents
A simple notice can say:
I dispute the $___ charge from ___ posted on ___. The reason is ___.
Please investigate this billing error and correct my account. I have enclosed
copies of the statement and supporting records.Keep a copy of the notice and all attachments. Use a delivery method that shows when the issuer received it.
4. Send evidence that fits the dispute reason
A concise, dated record is more useful than a large set of unrelated screenshots.
| Dispute reason | Helpful records |
|---|---|
| Unauthorized charge | Statement, date you noticed it, records showing you did not make or approve the purchase, and any fraud report made to the issuer |
| Duplicate charge | Statement showing both charges, receipts, and evidence that only one purchase was made |
| Incorrect amount | Order confirmation, agreed price, invoice, and amount posted |
| Goods or services not received | Order confirmation, promised delivery date, tracking information, and messages with the merchant |
| Not as described | Original listing or agreement, photos, and a short explanation of the difference |
| Refund not processed | Merchant refund confirmation, promised refund date, original charge, and later statements |
| Subscription billed after cancellation | Cancellation request, confirmation, signup terms, and dates of post-cancellation charges |
For an unauthorized-transaction claim, a merchant may submit records such as address-verification results, card-security-code results, 3-D Secure authentication records, or device information. Stripe lists such records in its chargeback reporting guidance. Those records may be considered during the issuer's review, but they do not prevent you from reporting a charge you genuinely did not authorize.
5. Follow the case through the final decision
Save the dispute number, notices, temporary credits, supporting documents, and final decision letter.
The FTC says that, under the credit-card billing-error process, the issuer generally must acknowledge a written complaint within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It generally must resolve the dispute within 90 days.
The merchant's response period is separate. Stripe says issuers typically give merchants 14 to 45 days to respond, depending on the card network and reason code. That does not extend the consumer's 60-day written-notice deadline.
A temporary credit is not necessarily a final result. Keep paying the undisputed portion of the bill on time and follow the issuer's instructions while the investigation remains open.
Debit cards, prepaid cards, and bank withdrawals follow different rules
The 60-day written-notice rule above applies to the U.S. credit-card billing-error procedure. It is not a universal deadline for every transaction processed by Stripe.
Debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH debits, and other bank-account withdrawals can involve different federal rules, account terms, and reporting requirements. For an unrecognized debit-card transaction or bank withdrawal, contact the bank or credit union immediately. The FTC's guidance on lost or stolen credit, ATM, and debit cards also advises reporting unrecognized withdrawals and charges as soon as you discover them.
Tell the financial institution how the payment was made. A credit-card dispute form may not be the right process for an ACH debit, prepaid-card transaction, or other bank withdrawal.
Recurring charges and subscriptions
Disputing a charge does not automatically cancel the underlying subscription. Cancel directly with the merchant and save the cancellation confirmation, date, time, and billing terms shown at signup.
If another charge appears after cancellation:
- List every unwanted charge separately.
- Contact the merchant in writing and request correction.
- Give the issuer the cancellation date and proof.
- Ask the issuer whether it can stop or reject future recurring charges.
- Keep monitoring the account for further transactions.
Do not rely on replacing the card to end the service agreement. Cancel with the merchant as well as reporting disputed charges to the issuer.
If the issuer denies the dispute
Read the decision carefully. Check whether the issuer used the wrong dispute type, missed a document, or relied on evidence you can answer.
You can then:
- Ask for the reason for the decision and the records considered.
- Send a focused response with new or overlooked evidence.
- Provide a dated timeline rather than repeating the original complaint.
- Ask whether the issuer offers reconsideration or an appeal process.
- Keep proof of every submission and notes from phone calls.
If the merchant has already issued a refund, tell the issuer so there is no duplicate recovery. If the charge involved an impersonation scam or other fraud, you can also report it through the FTC's ReportFraud.gov guidance. That report does not replace notifying your card issuer.
Common questions
Can I dispute a Stripe charge directly through Stripe?
Not as a substitute for a card dispute with your issuer. Stripe is commonly the merchant's payment processor, while the bank or card company that issued your card handles the dispute. For a recognized purchase, contact the merchant about a refund or cancellation.
Should I contact the merchant before my bank?
Contact the merchant first when you recognize the charge and need a refund, service correction, or delivery update. If the charge is unauthorized, contact the issuer immediately rather than waiting for the merchant.
Does the 60-day deadline apply to debit cards?
Do not assume it does. The FTC's 60-day written-notice guidance applies to the U.S. credit-card billing-error procedure. Report debit, prepaid, and bank-account transactions to the financial institution promptly because different rules may apply.
Will a chargeback guarantee a refund?
No. The issuer reviews the facts, evidence, and applicable card-network process. A truthful dispute reason, clear timeline, and relevant documents give the issuer the information it needs, but neither Stripe nor the merchant can guarantee the outcome.
Open the statement now, note the exact STRIPE * description, amount, and date, and contact the issuer immediately if you do not recognize the charge.