Charged After Canceling a Subscription? What to Do Next

1. Check the cancellation and billing records

Find the cancellation confirmation or request and note when you submitted it, when the merchant says it takes effect, and any renewal or billing date shown in the account. Save confirmation emails, screenshots of the account status, the cancellation instructions you followed, and notes from calls or chats. The FTC recommends keeping cancellation records and watching card or bank statements for charges after cancellation.Sources:Federal Trade Commission

Open the merchant’s invoice and the statement for the payment account. Check the merchant descriptor, amount, transaction date, billing period, and whether the transaction is pending or posted. A pending authorization may change before it posts. Compare the charge with the cancellation effective date and the service period; do not assume from the date alone that the charge is an error.

1. 01

   Save proof

   Keep the cancellation confirmation, account screenshots, terms shown at cancellation, invoice, and payment statement together.

2. 02

   Build a short timeline

   Write down the cancellation request date, effective date, next renewal date, charge date, and any conversations with the merchant.

3. 03

   Identify the exact transaction

   Record the posted amount, descriptor, and statement date. If it is still pending, monitor the account and ask the provider how to handle it.

2. Contact the merchant in writing

Use the merchant’s official support channel or the contact details on its receipt or website. State the subscription account, how and when you canceled, the charge date and amount, and what you want: an explanation, review, refund request, and confirmation that future renewals are stopped. Include the cancellation proof and ask for a written response. The FTC advises following the company’s cancellation instructions and keeping a copy of the request.Sources:Federal Trade Commission

Keep the message factual. A cancellation request and a request to stop payment are separate steps: stopping an automatic debit does not itself cancel a service contract, and canceling a service does not necessarily revoke a bank-account payment authorization.Sources:Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

1. 01

   Use a clear subject

   “Review requested: subscription charge after cancellation.”

2. 02

   Give the dates and amount

   Identify the account, cancellation date, effective date shown to you, and the specific charge you want reviewed.

3. 03

   Make the requested outcome explicit

   Ask the merchant to explain the charge, review a refund if appropriate, and confirm whether another renewal is scheduled.

3. If you paid by card, ask the issuer about a dispute

If the merchant does not resolve the issue, contact the number on the back of the credit or debit card or use the issuer’s official dispute process. Describe what happened accurately and provide the cancellation confirmation, merchant correspondence, and statement. The FTC recommends disputing a charge with the card company when a business keeps charging after you canceled, and following up in writing at the billing-disputes address listed by the issuer.Sources:Federal Trade Commission

For a U.S. credit-card billing error, the CFPB says to send the issuer a written billing-error notice within 60 days after the charge appears on the statement. Follow the instructions and address on your statement, and contact the issuer promptly if you are unsure whether the issue fits its billing-error process. This 60-day guidance is for U.S. credit-card billing-error notices; it is not a universal deadline for every card, payment type, or country.Sources:Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

4. If it came from a bank account, contact the bank too

For an automatic debit from a U.S. bank or credit-union account, the CFPB recommends telling the company that you revoke permission for future automatic payments, then contacting your bank or credit union and following up in writing. Ask the financial institution about its stop-payment process, timing, documentation, and any fee. Keep a record of when each notice was given.Sources:Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The CFPB explains that canceling automatic payments does not cancel the underlying service contract. It also says that after you have clarified revocation with both the company and the bank, additional payments initiated by that company would be errors you can raise with the bank. Contact the bank promptly about any transaction you did not authorize or that occurred after you revoked authorization.Sources:Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

5. Choose an escalation that fits your location and payment issue

In the United States, the FTC lists ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general as places to report problems canceling a subscription or charges for a subscription you did not agree to. The CFPB complaint system accepts complaints about listed financial products, including checking and savings accounts and credit cards; it is a possible route for an issue with the bank or card company, not a general subscription-merchant complaint channel.Sources:Federal Trade CommissionConsumer Financial Protection Bureau

Outside the United States, start with your local consumer-protection authority and payment provider. This guide does not state non-U.S. rights, deadlines, or complaint routes; those depend on where you live and the payment method.