You see a charge you don’t recognize.
No alert. No context. Just a merchant name that means nothing.
And now you’re stuck on one question:
Is this fraud… or something you actually authorized and forgot?
Start Here: The 60-Second Reality Check
- Is it pending or posted? Pending charges can disappear. Posted charges usually won’t.
- Does the merchant name look “wrong”? Many subscriptions bill under a parent company or payment processor.
- Is the amount typical for a subscription? If it matches a monthly pattern, treat it as recurring until proven otherwise.
- Did you sign up for anything recently? Trials often convert quietly when the clock runs out.
Green Flags (Often Legit)
- The charge matches a service you use (even if the name is different)
- You find an email receipt, invoice, or account billing entry
- The charge repeats on the same date each month
- The merchant shows up inside Apple/Google/PayPal billing history
Red Flags (Treat as Fraud Until You Confirm)
- Multiple small charges from different merchants you’ve never seen
- A sudden “test” charge followed by a larger posted charge later
- A location/country you never use appears on the transaction
- You can’t find any matching account, email, or receipt anywhere
What to Do Next (In the Right Order)
- Step 1: Search the exact merchant text from your statement (copy/paste it).
- Step 2: Check Apple/Google/PayPal/Amazon billing history if you use them.
- Step 3: Look for receipts in email using keywords: “receipt”, “invoice”, “subscription”, “trial”.
- Step 4: If it still makes zero sense, contact your bank and ask if it’s a known descriptor or processor.
Rule of thumb: If you can’t tie the charge to an account, an email receipt, or a billing page, don’t “wait and see.”
That’s how small unknown charges turn into recurring surprises.