unautherized credit card charges

Question

why is my credit card being billed charges without my permission

Answer 1

1

If you are sure no-one else has access to your banking details, using any Microsoft account you may have, try using the steps they provide on this link to find out what that payment was for.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-investigate-a-billing-charge-from-microsoft-398c5328-364c-d5e4-ea8f-f5ad60562a93

Then use the steps they provide on this link to cancel whatever that payment was for and get a refund (if applicable).

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-get-a-refund-on-a-microsoft-subscription-67dca30b-b323-44d5-acc2-e02f9902c472

2

If you are still unable to resolve that payment problem, this forum is just a user to user forum, no-one here has any account access, you will need to contact Microsoft Support directly, try using this method to contact their support.

Go to this link: https://support.microsoft.com/contactus

Select Microsoft 365

Click 'Get Home Support'.

In the box provided, type billing.

Press Enter, then on the next page, scroll down and click 'Sign in to Contact Support'.

Navigate to Microsoft 365 and Office - Manage my Subscription.

Select the 'Chat with support agent in web browser' option

Answer 2

Common causes of unauthorized Microsoft-related charges include:

1. Recurring billing or auto-recharge
   • A Microsoft subscription may have recurring billing enabled.
   • For Skype, Auto-recharge may automatically add Skype Credit when the balance gets low.
2. A purchase made by someone else using the card
   • A family member or another person with access to the card may have made a purchase.
3. A previously declined charge being retried
   • Some charges can appear later if an earlier payment attempt failed and was processed again.
4. Pre-orders, split orders, or in-app purchases
   • Charges can come from apps, games, or Microsoft Store purchases.
5. Fraudulent use of the card
   • If the charge does not appear in the Microsoft account order history, the card may have been used on someone else’s Microsoft account.

What to do next:

1. Go to the Microsoft account Manage your payments page and select Investigate for the unrecognized charge.
2. Check Services & subscriptions and Order history on the Microsoft account for matching purchases.
3. If the charge is found but still not recognized, contact Microsoft Support through Get Help and select Contact Support.
4. If the charge is not found on the Microsoft account, contact the bank or card provider immediately to dispute the transaction, stop future charges, and consider canceling and replacing the card.
5. If the charge is related to Skype, check whether Auto-recharge is enabled and disable it if no longer wanted.

Important:

• When signing up for a free trial, a pending validation transaction of €1, £1, $1, or equivalent may appear temporarily and then be canceled.
• If payment information has been compromised, reporting it to the bank quickly helps prevent more charges.
• Chargebacks are disputes initiated through the bank or payment provider for payments made without consent.

---

• How to investigate a billing charge from Microsoft
• How to investigate a billing charge from Microsoft
• Why has my credit/debit card been charged when I haven't made a Skype purchase?
• What is a chargeback?
• What to do if your credit or debit card info is stolen