If you see an unexplained transaction on your debit card or credit card statement, what should you do? If you don't know, don't feel bad. A lot of people don't know what steps they need to take if an unknown charge appears on their account. 

Fortunately, there are ways to discover whether a charge on your account was authorized or not, and even dispute any unauthorized changes to your account.

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The first thing to know about resolving unknown charges is that working directly with the merchant  who is the source of the unexplained transaction is easier and faster than working through your financial institution. Most of the time, the merchant can resolve  the unexplained transaction for you, either through a refund or other options based on their policies. Below is a list of the contact information for some of the top online merchants whose transactions are disputed. If the merchant is unable to help you for some reason, your next step is to contact your financial institution.

Secondly, not every unexplained transaction signifies a stolen identity. More often than not we see kids who have made purchases online without their parents knowledge or many time people forget to cancel subscriptions after a free trial. If you even remotely suspect that you have  fraud on your credit card or debt card, however, it's imperative that you contact your financial institution right away so that they can help you resolve those issues as quickly as possible. You may need to be issued a new card.

Contact Information for Filing a Debit Card or Credit Card Dispute with the Top Online Retailers

How to Dispute Charges from Amazon 

If you have a charge to dispute from Amazon their toll free number is (888) 280-4331 and their customer support team is (866) 216-1072. Amazon's customer support is amazing and should be able to resolve your issue relatively quickly.

How to Dispute Charges from Pay Pal

Pay Pal's customer service number is (888) 221-1161 or you can file a dispute online:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Open a dispute in the Resolution Center within 180 calendar days of your purchase.
3. Click “Dispute a Transaction.”
4. Select item dispute.

How to Dispute Charges from HULU

You will need to call their customer service number, (888) 265-6650

How to Dispute Charges from Netflix

You will need to call their customer service number (866) 579-7172 or you can live chat with them from their website.

How to Dispute Charges from iTunes

There are several options for contacting the support team at Apple regarding iTunes charges:

• Submit an Online Request: https://getsupport.apple.com/ 

• Live Chat can also be initiated from the link above

How to Dispute Charges from Google Play

Google Play has a link for you to use to request a refund for accidental and unauthorized charges that are not fraud. Follow the instructions below. 

1. Login to your Google Play account: https://play.google.com/store/account
2. Scroll down to "Order History" and find the order you want to return. If you don't see the order listed, you may have bought it on a different Google Account so check all of your accounts.
3. To the right of the order, click "More"
4. Select Request a refund or Report a problem and choose the option that describes your situation.
5. Complete the form and note that you would like a refund.
6. You will see a message saying "thank you for sharing your concerns." You'll then get an email with your refund decision. You’ll usually get this within 15 minutes, but it can take up to two business days.

If you have multiple refund requests, repeat these steps for each thing you bought. All Google Play purchases will appear on your statement under the following names:

• GOOGLE*App developer name (for Android apps)
• GOOGLE*content type (i.e., GOOGLE*Music)

If the charge in question isn't in one of these formats, it didn't come from Google Play.

Protect Your Accounts With First Alliance Credit Union

If you discover an unauthorized charge on your account, you need to notify the merchant as soon as you discover it. If too much time passes you may lose your opportunity to dispute the charges. If you suspect fraud or a stolen identity, you should also contact your financial institution as well.

You can also get additional help watching over your accounts by becoming a member of First Alliance Credit Union. The My Cards feature of our mobile app will alert you whenever your credit or debit card is used, and you even limit what types of businesses can use your care, the dollar amount of purchases on your cards and the geographical area in which your card can be used. You can also sign up for our free Fraud Alert Text Message service that sends you a text message if there has been any suspicious activity on your debit card, as well as purchase enhanced identity theft protection through our partners at LegalShield to even further reduce the risk that unauthorized charges will be made to your account.  

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