You check your card and see two charges.
One says pending. The other looks completed.
It feels like you were charged twice—even though one payment was never confirmed.
This happens when a pending authorization overlaps with a finalized payment.
A pending charge isn’t always canceled automatically when a payment completes.
Why Pending and Completed Charges Can Appear Together
- The first payment attempt stayed in pending status
- A second attempt completed successfully
- The system didn’t clear the original authorization hold
- Card networks update slower than billing systems
How to Tell If One Charge Will Disappear
- One charge is marked as pending, not posted
- The amounts and merchant names match
- Only one receipt or subscription exists
- The pending charge drops off within a few days
What You Should Avoid Doing
- Don’t dispute both charges immediately
- Don’t cancel your card right away
- Don’t attempt another payment
When pending and completed charges appear together, it’s usually a timing issue—not a true double charge.