If a subscription keeps hitting your card, put the cancellation in writing first. Then dispute the charge through the payment rail you used. Don't rely on the company's chat window alone.
The payment method decides the outcome, not the merchant's cancel page. For credit cards, the Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z give you a written dispute right. You have 60 days from the statement that first showed the error. Debit cards, ACH withdrawals, and app store bills run on different tracks. Their deadlines don't swap.
The FTC announced a final Click-to-Cancel rule in October 2024 (FTC press release), and the full text ran in the Federal Register. But the Eighth Circuit vacated that rule in 2025 on procedural grounds. In March 2026, the FTC moved to restart the rulemaking process, as Gibson Dunn summarizes. What still applies is older law: the FTC Act's ban on deceptive practices and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, or ROSCA. A merchant can't hide recurring terms or make cancellation a maze just because the 2024 rule is on hold.
Which rule applies to your payment method
| Payment method | Main rule or process | Key deadline | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit card | Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z Section 1026.13 | Send a written billing error notice within 60 days of the first statement showing the error | Card issuer |
| Debit card or ACH | Bank error-resolution process under Regulation E | Ask your bank for the written deadline; it can be shorter than card network windows | Bank |
| PayPal, Apple, Google, Amazon | Platform refund policy, then card or bank rules if funded by card or bank | Platform windows are often shorter | Platform, then issuer |
| Merchant refund policy | Contract terms | Whatever the terms say | Merchant |
Turns out, the payment method decides more than the merchant's cancellation page. A credit card dispute is a legal billing error process. A PayPal refund is a platform policy.
A debit card or ACH withdrawal goes through bank error-resolution rules that you should confirm with your bank in writing. The table is not a ranking. You can use a platform refund and a card dispute at the same time, but don't let a platform denial push you past the FCBA window.
How to dispute a subscription charge step by step
- Put the cancellation in writing. Go through the account page, then email or send a support message that says you cancel right away. Keep the confirmation. If you cancel by phone, write it down the same day.
- Pin down the first statement with the charge. The 60-day FCBA clock runs from that statement date, not the day you bought the subscription. Most people miss that.
- Collect the basics. A statement, a cancellation confirmation, and one clear sign the renewal wasn't authorized will do more than a long explanation.
- Request a refund from the merchant in writing. Be brief. Name the charge, the date, and what you want. If they say no, hold onto that refusal.
- File a written billing error dispute. Use your card issuer's online form or mail a letter. A phone call alone isn't enough. Under Regulation Z Section 1026.13, the issuer generally has 30 days to acknowledge your claim and up to two billing cycles, max 90 days, to resolve it.
- Track provisional credit and the final letter. If the issuer turns you down, ask why in writing. Then appeal with whatever evidence was missing.
- Escalate if you need to. The CFPB and your state attorney general accept complaints, but they won't process a single chargeback for you.
What evidence actually helps
| Evidence | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Statement showing the first error | Starts the 60-day FCBA clock for credit cards. |
| Cancellation confirmation | Shows you ended the agreement before the charge. |
| Account screenshots | Shows the subscription status, missing consent, or a broken cancel button. |
| Emails with the merchant | Proves what you asked for and what they said. |
| Timeline log | Keeps dates straight if the bank or issuer asks. |
If you have a confirmation email, a screenshot of the subscription page, a bank statement, and maybe a note that says 'called on Tuesday, they said no,' that is usually enough to start. Keep the file small and readable. A single PDF with the key pages beats 40 screenshots. Label each item with the date.
Deadlines and limits that get confused
The FCBA 60-day window is a legal right for credit card billing errors. Card network chargeback windows are separate. Visa's published rules, as summarized by Chargebacks911, list 120 days for many dispute categories.
That number is for the bank-to-bank process. It does not replace the FCBA clock, and it is not a promise that your issuer will accept a late claim. Platform refund windows are shorter still. Apple, Google, and PayPal each set their own deadlines. Missing one does not erase your card dispute rights if the charge was made with a credit card.
Thing is, people mix up complaints with disputes. An FTC complaint can flag a pattern. It will not refund your $12.
A CFPB complaint can get a response. It will not always reverse the charge. The bank dispute is the route that can move money.
What does not control the outcome
A merchant's refund policy is not the same as federal billing law. A 'no refunds' clause can shape a customer service request, but it does not erase a timely FCBA dispute for a billing error. The vacated Click-to-Cancel rule is not a standalone tool right now. ROSCA and Section 5 still apply, but you do not file a private lawsuit under them just to get one charge reversed. Your bank's dispute process is the practical route for a single subscription charge.
If the merchant refuses or ignores you
Put the refusal in writing. Then file or continue the bank dispute. If the bank denies the claim, ask for the specific reason and appeal with the missing evidence. You can also file a complaint with the CFPB or your state attorney general. Those complaints create a record and can prompt a second look, but they do not guarantee a refund.
PayPal, app stores, and streaming services
Start with the platform because it controls the account and may refund faster. PayPal has a Resolution Center. Apple and Google have subscription report flows.
Amazon and Netflix have billing support pages. Use them, but do not wait past your card issuer's written dispute deadline. To be honest, a platform denial is not the end of the line if you paid by credit card.
Questions people ask after a denial
Can I dispute a charge if I forgot to cancel? Yes, but the dispute is harder. You need to show the merchant billed after you canceled or that the renewal terms were not clearly disclosed. A forgotten calendar reminder is not the same as unauthorized billing.
What if a free trial converted to a paid subscription? Check the terms you saw at signup. If the trial terms were hidden or the cancel button did not work, that supports a dispute. For credit cards, file within 60 days of the first unwanted statement.
Does cancelling with the merchant end the bank dispute? No. Cancelling stops future charges. The bank dispute is about the charge already taken.
Can I dispute a charge after 60 days? The FCBA written dispute right is tied to the 60-day window. After that, you can still ask the issuer, but you may lose the statutory right to force an investigation. Card network windows may be longer, but they are not guaranteed.
Open your last two statements, find the first date the charge appeared, and put your cancellation in writing today. That date controls more than the merchant's support queue.