unauthorized Fraudulent Charges

Users sign up for a low-cost service, then are charged higher amounts for unwanted subscriptions. Cancellation is made difficult, and unauthorized small charges may occur.

An unauthorized recurring charge of $16.74 for a dental plan, with another complaint mentioning a $46.50 unauthorized charge.

Charges users for Spotify Premium subscriptions without their consent, often recurring and difficult to cancel. This descriptor is used by Spotify itself.

While Spotify is legitimate, this descriptor appears in cases of unauthorized charges, often after cancellation attempts or due to compromised card details.

A magazine clearing house or third-party agency that signs users up for subscriptions without their explicit consent. Some users report being charged, leading to fraud concerns.

Users reported unauthorized recurring charges from Surfshark due to auto-renewal, with difficulties in canceling and obtaining refunds despite attempts to do so.

Older or legacy Norton accounts might show 'SYMANTEC' as the descriptor. Scammers exploit this by sending fake renewal notices, similar to Norton/LifeLock scams, leading to attempts to defraud users of $200 or more through refund scam tactics.

A user reported an unauthorized charge from THAAT Inc. for a product that was not as advertised.

A recurring charge for a Trulia-branded insights subscription that the consumer did not authorize.

Multiple unauthorized ACH transactions appearing as 'Venmo Payment' on bank statements, often starting with small amounts and escalating to drain the account.

Legitimate merchant name used for unauthorized subscription renewals or unexpected price hikes, often difficult to cancel.

Users report being charged for Yousician subscriptions after canceling free trials or having difficulty canceling auto-renewals.

Charges from Zoosk appearing on credit card statements without authorization, often due to forgotten free trials or deceptive subscription practices.

Combined company and platform descriptor for Steam, can appear in unauthorized transactions if an account is compromised.

This descriptor is a misspelling of legitimate Amazon charges, used by fake merchants to process unauthorized transactions. The typical amounts are estimated to be between $10 and $50.

Mentioned in consumer complaints regarding unauthorized charges for newspaper subscriptions.

Charges related to the Ancestry mobile application, possibly for in-app purchases or subscriptions.

Charges appearing as 'APL*APPLE.COM/BILL' on statements that users do not recognize or authorize.

Charges for Audible subscriptions made through Apple's ecosystem, often reported as unauthorized or forgotten by users.

Birchbox UK descriptor for an April charge, frequently appearing in complaints about unexpected renewals.

Birchbox UK descriptor for a December charge, similar to the above, and linked to persistent billing problems.

Birchbox UK descriptor for a December charge with location, often appearing in reports of unexpected or unauthorized charges.

Birchbox UK descriptor for a February charge, often reported as an unexpected or unauthorized charge.

Birchbox UK descriptor for a March charge, similar to other monthly descriptors, and linked to persistent billing problems.