If a subscription keeps charging you, cancel it in writing, save the proof, and contact the payment provider before a dispute deadline runs out. A merchant refund request is usually the fastest first step. It is not a bank dispute, and it is not a government complaint.

How you paid changes the rules:

If a legal or network deadline is close, start the payment-provider process even if the merchant has not replied.

What type of recurring charge are you disputing?

Issuers sort these cases differently, so describe what actually happened.

You never agreed to the subscription. That may be an unauthorized transaction.

You canceled, then another charge posted. Call it a post-cancellation charge and give the cancellation date.

You agreed to a trial or subscription, but the renewal terms were unclear. Say what you saw at signup and whether a renewal notice arrived.

You recognized the subscription and forgot about it. The charge may still be valid. You can cancel and ask the merchant for a courtesy refund.

The merchant billed the wrong amount or did not deliver the service. State the amount, what was promised, and what went wrong.

If you originally authorized the account, don't call the charge fraud because you no longer want the service. Tell the issuer you are disputing a renewal, a failed cancellation, or a billing error.

Step 1: Identify the merchant and save the charge details

Write these down before you contact anyone:

The statement may show a processor rather than the brand you remember. Search email for "subscription," "renewal," "trial," and "receipt." Check the account, app store, or wallet where you enrolled.

If the charge looks completely unfamiliar, use the number on the back of your card or the bank's official website. Don't give a suspicious caller your password, one-time security code, or full account number.

Step 2: Cancel the subscription and request a refund

Cancel through the same account, app, website, or wallet you used to enroll. Screenshot the cancellation page and save the confirmation email. If there is no working cancel option, document every path you tried.

Then send the merchant a written request. Email is useful because it leaves a time stamp. Keep the message, attachments, and any reply.

Factual wording works better than anger:

Subject: Cancellation and dispute of recurring charges

I am requesting immediate cancellation of the subscription associated with [email or account number].

I dispute these recurring charges: [dates, amounts, and statement descriptor]. The reason is [I did not authorize the subscription / I canceled on date / the renewal terms were not clearly disclosed / the service was not provided].

Please confirm that no further charges will be made and refund the disputed amount of [$amount] to the original payment method. Please respond by [date].

Attached are copies of the relevant statements and cancellation records.

Sincerely,
[Name]

An unwanted renewal does not automatically create a refund. The agreement, merchant policy, applicable state law, and payment method all matter. No federal rule hands every consumer a full refund, and no single notice period applies in every state.

The FTC announced a negative-option rule in 2024 covering automatic renewals and free trials. Its Click-to-Cancel announcement describes the agency's approach. That announcement is not a refund decision on your charge. Check the current rule status and your state's law before you rely on a specific requirement.

Step 3: Stop future payments separately

Canceling the service and blocking the payment are different jobs. Cancellation ends the merchant relationship. A bank or card block is meant to stop the next debit.

Ask the payment provider:

For an ACH or other debit from a bank account, revoke authorization with the merchant and notify the bank or credit union. For a debit card, contact the issuer promptly and ask how it handles an unauthorized electronic transfer or a canceled recurring payment.

A stop-payment request generally does not decide whether an earlier charge was valid. It also may not cancel a contract or erase an amount you still owe. Keep paying any undisputed service or balance under the agreement.

Step 4: Dispute the charge through the correct payment channel

Credit card billing disputes

For a qualifying credit-card billing error, send a written dispute so it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent to you. Use the billing-dispute address on the statement or the issuer's instructions. That address is often different from the payment address.

Include:

You can call or use the issuer's online system to start the process. The FTC's credit-card billing guidance explains why a written notice is what the law's billing-error protections require.

For a qualifying FCBA dispute, the issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It generally must complete the investigation within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving the dispute. You generally do not have to pay the disputed amount and related finance charges while that investigation is open. Pay the rest of the bill on time and follow the issuer's instructions. Don't stop paying the entire account.

The 60-day FCBA deadline is not a card-network chargeback window. Visa, Mastercard, and issuers can apply different clocks depending on the transaction and dispute reason. Don't rely on a generic "120-day" rule. Ask your issuer for its deadline immediately.

Some disputes that are not billing errors may still fall under a longer federal claims-and-defenses process, with extra conditions. The California Attorney General's credit-card dispute guidance is one official summary of that distinction. Ask your issuer which process it is applying.

Debit card and bank-account disputes

FCBA billing-error rules apply to credit cards, not every debit-card or bank-account transaction.

Call the bank as soon as you notice the charge and ask:

  1. Is this being treated as an unauthorized transfer, a recurring debit, or a merchant dispute?
  2. What written notice does the bank require?
  3. What deadline applies to this type of transaction?
  4. Can the bank block future debits?
  5. What is the case number and expected next step?

If the card or account information may have been stolen, say so clearly and ask about securing the account. Prompt notice matters. Waiting can change the protections or procedures available to you.

Payment wallets and third-party processors

If the charge ran through PayPal or another wallet, open a dispute through that service if the transaction qualifies. Also contact the underlying card issuer or bank when that is appropriate. A processor named on the statement may not be the party that decides your card dispute.

Don't wait for a wallet or merchant response if your card issuer's written-dispute deadline is approaching. Tell each provider about any refund or temporary credit so you don't receive duplicate recovery.

Credit-card dispute letter template

Send this to the issuer's billing-dispute address, not the merchant:

[Date]

[Issuer name and billing-dispute address]

Re: Billing error dispute for account ending in [last four digits]

I dispute the following recurring charge as a billing error:

  • Merchant: [name or statement descriptor]
  • Date: [date]
  • Amount: [$amount]

The first statement showing this charge was sent on [date]. The reason for my dispute is [unauthorized transaction / charge after cancellation / incorrect amount / service not provided].

I contacted the merchant on [date]. Its response was [brief description], or it did not respond. Please investigate the charge and send me the result in writing.

Enclosed are copies of my statement, cancellation confirmation, correspondence, and other supporting records.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address]
[Phone or email]

Keep the description accurate. If you signed up and later canceled, don't claim you never authorized the original account.

Evidence that gives your complaint a better chance

Put the documents in date order:

Highlight the relevant transactions rather than sending an unmarked statement. Redact unrelated account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and full card numbers.

A short timeline is often clearer than a long narrative:

Date Event Evidence
March 3 Trial or subscription started Signup email
April 2 Renewal charge posted Statement
April 3 Subscription canceled Confirmation screenshot
April 4 Refund requested Email
April 12 Issuer dispute opened Case number

What happens after you file?

The merchant may issue a direct refund. If the issuer opens a dispute, it may post temporary credit while it investigates. That credit can be reversed if the merchant later shows the charge was valid.

Expect questions about whether you authorized the original subscription, used the service after the claimed cancellation, canceled before the renewal date, saw the recurring price and terms, already received a refund or account credit, or had an authorized user make the charge. Answer each one precisely and meet the issuer's response deadline. Upload the cancellation proof and identify every disputed transaction instead of describing the problem in general terms.

If the issuer denies the claim, ask for the decision and the supporting evidence in writing. The California Attorney General's credit-card page says that if you disagree with the determination, you have 10 days to write back and include any other evidence. Send a focused reconsideration with anything missing, such as the original cancellation timestamp or the first statement date. An appeal does not guarantee a different result, but a clear record can correct a classification mistake.

When to file a CFPB, FTC, or state complaint

A regulatory complaint is an escalation tool. It does not replace a card or bank dispute.

CFPB complaint

Use the CFPB complaint portal when the problem involves a bank, credit-card issuer, credit union, payment provider, or another financial company covered by the agency.

Include the company's name, your account or case number, the dates you contacted the company, the response or denial, the remedy you want, and relevant statements and correspondence.

The CFPB can send the complaint to the company for a response. It does not guarantee a refund and does not act as a court. File the payment dispute separately so you don't lose a deadline while waiting for a complaint response.

FTC report

Report deceptive subscription marketing, hidden renewal terms, or a pattern of cancellation problems through the FTC's current reporting channel. The FTC uses reports to identify enforcement patterns. It generally does not resolve each person's billing dispute or promise a personal refund.

State consumer-protection office

A state attorney general or consumer-protection agency may be useful when a merchant repeatedly uses misleading renewal or cancellation practices. Auto-renewal requirements differ by state, so identify the state connected to the transaction. Don't assume another state's notice rule applies.

If a credit-card issuer is involved, a state consumer-protection office may also publish procedural guidance. The California Attorney General page linked above explains the written-dispute process under federal law.

Court or arbitration as a last resort

For a large balance or repeated conduct, read the subscription agreement for an arbitration clause, a required pre-suit notice, a class-action waiver, governing law and venue, and any stated refund or cancellation procedure.

Small-claims limits, filing fees, service requirements, and appeal rights vary by state. A demand letter and organized evidence can help, but court or arbitration takes time and does not guarantee recovery. Consider local legal aid or a licensed attorney if the amount or facts justify it.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting through several more charges before acting is the most expensive one. Other frequent problems: treating the merchant's reply window as the bank's legal deadline; calling a valid subscription "fraud" because you forgot it; relying only on a phone call when written notice is required; disputing the latest charge while ignoring earlier eligible ones; stopping payment without canceling the service; stopping payment on the entire credit-card bill; assuming a CFPB or FTC complaint produces a refund; sending unredacted financial or identity documents; and using a generic chargeback deadline instead of asking the issuer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a subscription charge I forgot about?

You can ask the merchant to cancel and refund it. Forgetting a subscription does not automatically make the charge unauthorized. Explain whether the renewal terms were unclear, the service went unused, or you canceled after noticing it. The issuer decides whether those facts support a billing dispute.

Does a bank stop-payment request refund an earlier charge?

Usually its immediate purpose is to prevent a future debit. Request a separate refund from the merchant and dispute the earlier transaction with the bank or card issuer.

Is a merchant complaint enough?

No. It may resolve the issue quickly, but it does not necessarily preserve a credit-card billing-error deadline. Contact the issuer promptly and keep proof of your merchant request.

Will the CFPB or FTC get my money back?

Neither agency guarantees an individual refund. The CFPB can refer a complaint to a financial company for a response. The FTC uses reports to identify possible violations and enforcement patterns. Your bank or card issuer is the main route for disputing a payment.

What if the charge is still pending?

Cancel the subscription and contact the merchant immediately. Ask the issuer whether it accepts disputes before the transaction posts. Once it posts, follow the issuer's normal dispute procedure and keep the original pending-transaction details.

This guidance is for U.S. consumers. If your card, bank, merchant, or residence is outside the United States, the applicable deadlines and complaint agencies may be different.

Pull today's statement, note the date the first disputed charge appeared, cancel in writing if you have not already, and if you paid by credit card, send the written billing-error notice to the issuer's dispute address before the 60-day clock runs out.