PanicStation.org
UK USA
us Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
you are billed for a subscription you cancelled and the company will not reverse the charge

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Save your cancellation proof, send the company a short written notice, and contact the relevant payment provider now to stop future charges and open a dispute. Use the route that matches how the payment was taken.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t wait for several more charges before contacting the payment provider.
  • Don’t delete cancellation emails, screenshots, chat messages, or statement entries.
  • Don’t close a bank account or card account in a panic unless the provider advises you to do so.
  • Don’t give the company a new card number or new bank details just to discuss the existing charge.
  • Don’t rely only on phone calls; keep at least one written record with dates.

What to do now

  1. Record the charge and the payment route.

    • Save the amount, date, merchant descriptor, and the next expected billing date.
    • Note whether the charge came from a credit card, debit card, bank-account automatic debit, or PayPal.
    • Save the cancellation confirmation, cancellation date, and any account page showing that the subscription is canceled.

  2. Send the company one short written notice.

    • Write: “I canceled this subscription on [date]. I was charged [amount] on [date]. I revoke authorization for future automatic payments. Please refund the charge and confirm the cancellation in writing.”
    • Save a copy and note when you sent it.

  3. Ask the payment provider to stop the next charge.

    • Bank-account automatic debit or recurring debit-card transfer: Contact your bank or credit union. Tell them that you revoked the company’s authorization and ask what they need to block future payments. For a preauthorized electronic fund transfer from your account, you can give a stop-payment notice orally or in writing at least three business days before the scheduled transfer. If the bank or credit union requires written confirmation after an oral stop-payment request, send it within 14 days and ask where it must be sent.
    • Credit-card recurring charge: Contact the card issuer. Ask whether it can block future recurring charges from that merchant and ask it to open a dispute for the charge already posted.
    • PayPal automatic payment: In PayPal, go to Settings, then Payments, then Subscriptions and saved businesses or Automatic Payments. Select the merchant and cancel the automatic payment. This does not replace canceling the subscription with the company.

  4. Dispute the charge promptly.

    • Credit card: Ask the issuer to open a dispute. For federal billing-error protections where applicable, send a written notice to the issuer’s billing-inquiries address so it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first bill reflecting the charge was sent. Include your name, address, account number, the amount, the date, and why you believe the charge is wrong. Keep a copy.
    • Debit card or bank-account electronic transfer: Report the error to your bank or credit union promptly. For the federal electronic-fund-transfer error process, make sure the notice is received no later than 60 days after the statement first showing the transfer was sent. If you report the error orally, the bank or credit union may require written confirmation within 10 business days. Ask where to send it.
    • PayPal: If the company does not resolve a completed payment, use the PayPal Resolution Center on the website. In the app, open the transaction and select Report a Problem.
    • Ask for a case number and save any written confirmation.

  5. Monitor the next billing date.

    • Check the account around the next expected charge date.
    • If another payment appears after you revoked authorization, report it promptly and refer to your earlier case number and written notice.

  6. Use complaint routes only if the first steps stall.

    • If a bank or card issuer is mishandling the dispute process, you can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
    • If you think the company is using deceptive or suspicious billing practices, you can report the issue to the Federal Trade Commission.

What can wait

  • You do not need to write a long narrative before opening the dispute.
  • You do not need to decide today whether to seek legal help.
  • You do not need to cancel every card or account you have.
  • You do not need to keep contacting the company repeatedly after you have created a clear written record and contacted the payment provider.

Important reassurance

You do not need to solve every part of this today. Stopping the future payment route, saving the cancellation proof, and opening a dispute are useful first steps. Stopping an automatic payment does not necessarily cancel a separate contract or remove an amount that is still owed, so keep the cancellation record.

Scope note

These are first steps to limit further charges and start the appropriate dispute route. If the company says the subscription remained active, claims you agreed to new terms, or disputes your cancellation record, later decisions may need tailored consumer or legal help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, or professional advice. Processes can vary by payment route, provider, and the facts. If the charge creates immediate difficulty paying for essentials, tell your bank or credit union promptly and ask what support options may be available while the issue is reviewed.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

Support us