You cancel auto-renewal, see the confirmation, and expect everything to stop. Then a payment approval notification arrives shortly after. This timing causes immediate panic for many users.
In most cases, this does not mean the cancellation failed. The approval often relates to a charge that was already queued before the auto-renewal was turned off.
A payment alert after cancellation is usually a timing issue, not a new charge.
Why This Happens
- The billing system processed the charge before the cancellation was finalized
- Authorization was completed earlier, but notification was delayed
- Time zone differences caused the alert to arrive after cancellation
- The platform sends approval alerts even if the charge will be reversed
- Subscription cycles close before auto-renewal settings take effect
How to Check If You Were Actually Charged
- Review the transaction status on the billing platform, not just the alert
- Check whether the charge is marked as pending or completed
- Compare the timestamp of cancellation and the billing cycle end
- Wait 24 hours to see if the charge is automatically reversed
What You Should Do Next
- Do not cancel again unless a completed charge appears
- Save the cancellation confirmation screen
- Monitor your payment method for final settlement
- Contact support only if the charge posts as completed
Immediate action without confirmation can create duplicate issues. Most post-cancellation alerts resolve on their own once the billing cycle closes.