Unauthorized Charges on Your Account: What to Do (Step-by-Step)
Discovered an unauthorized charge? Follow this step-by-step decision tree: identify, contact your bank, file the dispute, and protect against future fraud.
Expert guides to help you understand bank charges, dispute unauthorized transactions, and protect your finances.
Discovered an unauthorized charge? Follow this step-by-step decision tree: identify, contact your bank, file the dispute, and protect against future fraud.
Step-by-step guide to disputing unauthorized bank fees: overdraft fees, monthly maintenance fees, foreign transaction fees, and ATM fees. Most banks waive fees on first request.
Free trials that converted to paid subscriptions, hidden recurring charges, and merchants that won't let you cancel. Step-by-step guide to stopping recurring unauthorized charges and getting refunded.
Bank charges are merchant transactions you authorized; bank fees are amounts the bank itself charges for services. Understanding the difference matters for disputes, refunds, and tax treatment.
Step-by-step guide to identifying mystery charges on your bank statement. Learn how to trace unfamiliar transactions back to their source.
Learn what billing descriptors are, why they often don't match the store name, and how payment processors create the codes on your bank statement.
A complete guide to understanding every section of your credit card statement, from transaction codes and posting dates to interest charges and fees.
Found a mystery charge on your bank statement? Follow this step-by-step checklist before you panic. Most unrecognized charges have simple explanations.
A clear, step-by-step guide to disputing any bank or credit card charge — unauthorized charges, forgotten subscriptions, duplicate charges, bank fees, and free trials. Includes your FCBA rights, timelines, and a free dispute-letter generator.
Decode the 20 most confusing bank statement codes and billing descriptors. Find out what SQ*, TST*, PP*, AMZN MKTP, and other mystery charges really mean.
See an Amazon charge you don't recognize? This guide explains every Amazon billing code — AMZN MKTP US, AMZN DIGITAL, PRIME VIDEO, AMAZON FRESH, and more — and shows exactly how to match it to your order.
Learn how to find every recurring subscription charge on your bank statement and cancel the ones you no longer use. Stop paying for forgotten services.
Learn the red flags that indicate a bank charge is fraudulent, common scam patterns, and exactly what to do if you spot unauthorized transactions on your account.
Understand why the name on your bank statement doesn't match the store you visited. Learn how payment processing transforms merchant names into confusing codes.