You checked the settings.
Everything looked correct.
Auto-renew was off.
The plan looked inactive.
Then a charge appeared.
That’s when it becomes confusing.
In many cases, the settings were changed on a different account.
Why This Happens
- You have multiple accounts with the same service
- You were logged into a secondary or old account
- App and web accounts were not the same
- A work, family, or guest account was active
How to Confirm Which Account Was Charged
- Check the email address listed on the receipt
- Compare account IDs if the service shows them
- Log out and back in using each known email
- Check whether the charged account still has active access
What This Is Usually Not
- Not a system error
- Not a failed cancellation
- Not unauthorized billing
When settings look correct but charges continue, the issue is often account mismatch, not billing failure.