At check the charge we explain all those strange charges that appear on your bank or card statement. Don’t live in the dark any more!
We get it – those strange charges, while annoying, can also be anxiety-provoking. I personally wonder why merchants can make the names actually relate to their business or the product or service you are buying.
Why do unknown charges occur?
Here are the common reasons for unknown charges:
- Subscriptions or memberships: You might have signed up for a trial period that converted into a paid subscription without realising it.
- Shared accounts: An authorised family member might have made a purchase that you don’t recognise.
- One-time purchase: You may have purchased something impulsively and forgot about it.
- Duplicate charges: It could be a clerical error during the transaction wherein the charge is unintentionally processed incorrectly.
- Fraudulent activity: You might have fallen victim to a phishing scam and accidentally shared your card details to make unauthorised transactions.
- Travel charges: Some charges from foreign merchants and currency conversions may appear unclear.
- Unrecognised service fee: This could be convenience fees for services you might not remember agreeing to.
How can I use this website to identify unknown charges?
To identify an unknown charge, use the search field located on the right side of this page. Just enter the name of the charge as it appears on your bank statement, then click the search button.
Can’t find the unknown charge you’re looking for?
- Ensure that the name of the charge is spelled correctly.
- Visit the website of your bank or credit card issuer. They may have information about specific transactions or merchants.
- If you suspect that it is a fraudulent transaction and cannot identify it, call your bank or credit card issuer to notify them and discuss the possibility of disputing the charge.
- Secure and monitor your account. Change your password and setup alerts for new transactions. Keep an eye on any pattern related to the charge.