You canceled the payment.
You expected the transaction to disappear.
But then another authorization appears.
Same amount.
Same merchant.
It feels like you were charged again.
Most repeat authorizations are system revalidations — not duplicate charges.
Why Reauthorization Happens After Cancellation
- Merchant system auto-retries authorization
- Payment gateway revalidates the transaction
- Original authorization expired
- Cancellation processing overlapped with settlement
Reauthorization ensures payment validity — even during cancellation.
Authorization vs Actual Charge
- Authorization: temporary hold
- Charge: posted transaction
Only posted transactions move funds permanently.
When It Becomes a Duplicate Charge
- Both transactions are posted
- Refund wasn’t submitted
- Cancellation failed
Posted duplicates require merchant resolution.
What You Should Do
- Monitor pending vs posted status
- Confirm cancellation completion
- Check refund submission
Most reauthorizations expire without settlement.
Repeat approvals look alarming — but often clear automatically.