You find a charge you don’t recognize.
You want your money back immediately.
So you request a refund.
Before canceling anything.
And that’s where the mistake happens.
Why Refunding First Can Backfire
- The subscription may still be active
- The billing cycle may already be locked
- The system can process another renewal
- Refund requests do not stop future charges
Refund and cancellation are separate processes.
What Actually Happens Behind the System
- The refund reviews a past transaction
- The subscription status remains unchanged
- Access and billing permissions stay active
- Renewal triggers continue unless canceled
This is why users get charged again after refunds.
The Correct Order to Handle Unknown Charges
- Identify the service first
- Cancel the active subscription
- Confirm cancellation status
- Then request a refund
Stopping future billing comes before recovering past charges.
When Refunds May Be Denied
- The subscription is still active
- Usage was detected after billing
- The refund window has passed
- No cancellation request exists
Many refund rejections happen because cancellation was never completed.
If you see an unknown charge, don’t rush the refund first.
Cancel the billing source before requesting your money back.
That order prevents repeat charges.