There's an unauthorized charge on my account — what to do, step by step

A charge you don't recognise feels like fraud, but most of the time it isn't — it's a real purchase wearing a confusing name. The order below handles both cases without panic: it identifies the charge first (so you don't dispute your own subscription), and moves fast on the ones that are genuinely fraudulent, where the clock matters.

1. Identify it before you call it fraud

Statement descriptors rarely name the shop you actually paid — they often show the payment processor (SQ *, PAYPAL *, TST*) or a legal holding-company name instead. Before anything else, paste the exact descriptor into the identifier: it decodes the prefix and resolves the likely merchant. Also check your email and app-store receipts for the amount, and ask anyone else on the account. A huge share of "fraud" is a pending charge with a provisional name, a converted free trial, or a family purchase.

2. If it's genuinely not yours, secure the card first

Once you're confident it's unauthorised, freeze or replace the card before you even file the dispute — most banking apps let you lock it in a tap. This matters most for tiny test charges (a few cents or a dollar from an unknown name): that's often fraudsters checking a stolen card still works before a larger hit, so disputing the one charge while leaving the card live invites the big one.

3. Report it inside the window

Contact your bank or card issuer and report the transaction as unauthorised. Report promptly — consumer protections are strongest when you act quickly, and both card schemes and banking rules put time limits on disputes (commonly measured from the statement date). Ask them to (a) block or reissue the card and (b) open the dispute. Follow up any phone call in writing so there's a dated record.

Debit vs credit: your protection differs

With a credit card, the disputed amount is the bank's money until it's resolved, so you're not out of pocket while they investigate. With a debit card, the money already left your account, so you're waiting on a refund — which is exactly why reporting speed matters more on debit. Protections vary by country, so your bank's stated policy is the authority; the practical takeaway is that credit gives you more breathing room on a disputed charge.

What happens next

The bank typically issues a provisional credit while it investigates, then makes it permanent if the dispute holds — or reverses it if the merchant proves the charge was yours. Timelines and why a credit can bounce back are covered in how long a chargeback takes. If it turns out the charge was legitimate after all, the calmer route is a proper dispute or a word with the merchant rather than a fraud claim — a chargeback on a real charge you forgot can get your account closed.