How to dispute an unwanted subscription charge
If you were charged for a subscription you canceled or never agreed to, first ask the company for a refund in writing. If that fails, dispute the charge with your card issuer or bank. For credit cards, federal law generally requires your written dispute within 60 days after the statement showing the charge was sent. Gather proof first: cancellation confirmations, screenshots, and emails.
Step 1: Gather your evidence
Before contacting anyone, collect:
- The statement showing the charge (date, amount, merchant name).
- Your cancellation confirmation — email, screenshot, or confirmation number.
- Screenshots of the offer terms, especially if the trial length or price was different from what you were charged.
- Any emails or chat transcripts with the company.
- A short timeline: when you signed up, when you canceled, when you were charged.
Step 2: Contact the merchant
Many problems are fixed fastest by the company itself, and card issuers often ask whether you tried. Contact the merchant through chat or email so there is a written record, and be specific:
Give the company a reasonable deadline, such as a week. Note the date and outcome of every contact.
If you paid through an app store
- Apple: request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com. Apple reviews each request.
- Google Play: Google's help center explains refund options for Play purchases; for some requests you will be directed to the app's developer.
Step 3: Dispute with your credit card issuer
If the merchant will not help, file a dispute with the card issuer. Most issuers let you start a dispute online or in their app; you can also call. The federal Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) gives you specific rights for billing errors, which include charges for goods or services you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed, and unauthorized charges.
Key FCBA rules for billing-error disputes:
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| 60-day deadline | Your written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the error |
| Write to the right address | Use the "billing error" or "billing inquiries" address on your statement, not the payment address, to preserve your full FCBA rights |
| Acknowledgment | The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days, unless it resolves it sooner |
| Resolution | The issuer must resolve it within two billing cycles, and in no case more than 90 days |
| During the investigation | You may withhold payment of the disputed amount, and the issuer cannot report it as delinquent while it investigates |
Filing online or by phone is usually faster and often works, but a written letter to the billing-error address is what triggers the full legal protections. The FTC's guide to disputing credit card charges includes a sample letter.
What to include in a dispute
- Your name, account number, and the charge (date, amount, merchant).
- Why it is an error: "I canceled on [date] before this billing period," or "I never agreed to a recurring charge."
- Copies (not originals) of your evidence.
- A request to remove the charge and any related fees or interest.
Step 4: If you paid with a debit card or bank transfer
Debit cards and bank transfers are covered by the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E, which have different rules than credit cards.
- Report errors within 60 days after the bank sends the statement showing the problem.
- The bank generally must investigate within 10 business days. If it needs more time — up to 45 days in many cases — it usually must provisionally credit your account while it investigates.
- For future recurring payments, you can stop a preauthorized transfer by notifying your bank at least three business days before it is scheduled.
- For charges you never authorized at all, report quickly: your potential liability for unauthorized transfers rises the longer you wait.
Because money leaves your account immediately with a debit card, many consumer advocates suggest using a credit card for trials and subscriptions.
Step 5: If the dispute is denied
- Ask for the explanation and documents the issuer relied on. Under the FCBA, you can request copies of documentation.
- Respond with additional evidence if the merchant's response is inaccurate.
- File a complaint with the right agency (see below).
- Consider small claims court for larger amounts. Filing is usually inexpensive and does not require a lawyer, but rules vary by state.
Where to file complaints
| Problem | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Deceptive trial offers or cancellation tricks | Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Bank or card issuer mishandled your dispute | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint |
| Violations of your state's auto-renewal law | Your state attorney general's consumer protection office |
| A local business | Your state or local consumer protection agency |
Complaints help regulators spot patterns, and CFPB complaints are forwarded to the company for a response.
Avoiding "friendly fraud" accusations
Disputing a charge you legitimately owe can get your account banned by the merchant and is not what the dispute process is for. Always try to cancel and request a refund from the merchant first, and dispute only charges that are genuinely erroneous, unauthorized, or not as agreed. Then make sure the subscription is actually canceled using our cancellation steps, so the same charge does not repeat next month.