CONSUMER

Can a company keep charging me after I cancel a subscription?

SHORT ANSWER

Generally no — charging you after a valid cancellation is usually improper. Once you’ve cancelled following the stated method, continued charges can be disputed with your bank and may violate consumer-protection and auto-renewal laws. The key is proof: cancel in a traceable way and keep the confirmation.

A company generally isn’t entitled to keep billing you once you have properly cancelled. The friction usually comes from cancellation methods designed to be confusing, so the burden falls on you to cancel in a way you can prove — through the account settings, in writing, or however the terms require — and to keep the confirmation. If charges continue after that, you can dispute them with your card issuer, and the practice may run afoul of auto-renewal and unfair-billing laws that increasingly require easy cancellation and clear consent for recurring charges.

What to do, in order

  1. Cancel using the method the terms specify, and capture a confirmation.
  2. Watch the next billing cycle to confirm charges actually stop.
  3. If billed again, contact the company in writing citing your cancellation.
  4. Dispute the post-cancellation charge with your bank or card issuer.
  5. Report persistent improper charges to consumer-protection authorities.

Common questions

What if they charge me after I cancelled?

Continued charges after a valid cancellation can be disputed with your bank and may violate auto-renewal laws. Keep your cancellation confirmation as proof.

How do I make sure a cancellation sticks?

Cancel through the required method, save the confirmation, and check the next billing cycle. Proof of cancellation is what protects you.

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This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it doesn’t create a professional relationship. Rules have exceptions and change over time. For advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed professional.