What should I do if I am charged twice for a purchase?

A duplicate charge means your account shows the same purchase billed two or more times. It is common and usually fixable, but the right steps depend on whether the extra charge is still pending or has already posted to your account.

What is happening

There are two main causes. The first is an authorization hold: when you pay, the merchant asks your bank to reserve the amount. If the payment terminal times out or you retry, a second hold can appear. These are not final charges and normally disappear within a few business days. The second is a genuine double posting, where the merchant actually submitted the transaction twice. Only posted charges need a formal dispute.

Step by step

1. Confirm the duplicate. Log in to your bank or card app and look at both pending and posted transactions. Two identical amounts on the same day, or one pending and one posted, is the pattern to look for.
2. Wait a few days if it is pending. Pending authorizations typically clear or drop off within 3 to 5 business days. Do not dispute a pending hold, because it can resolve on its own and a dispute may complicate things.
3. Gather your evidence. Note the merchant name, date, order or receipt number, and the exact amounts and times of both charges. Screenshot the transactions.
4. Contact the merchant first. Use their customer service chat, phone or email. Say clearly: "I was charged twice for order number X on this date. Please refund the duplicate." Ask for a reference number and a timeframe.
5. Follow up in writing. If the phone call does not resolve it, send an email or message so you have a written record of what was promised.
6. Dispute with your bank or card issuer. If the merchant does not refund you, file a dispute. Many banks let you do this in the app or online; otherwise call the number on the back of your card. Provide your evidence and the merchant contact attempts.
7. Track the refund. Refunds can take 5 to 10 business days to appear, and disputes can take longer. Check your statement until the credit shows.

What NOT to do

• Do not dispute a pending authorization hold before giving it time to clear.
• Do not cancel or close the card to "fix" a duplicate charge; that can make the refund harder to process.
• Do not send money, gift cards or crypto to anyone who contacts you offering to reverse the charge. That is a scam.
• Do not throw away receipts or delete confirmation emails before the issue is resolved.

When to escalate

If the merchant is unresponsive, refuses to refund a clear duplicate, or the amount is large, escalate to your bank or card issuer and keep a written timeline. If you suspect fraud, such as charges from a merchant you never used, report it to your bank immediately and consider filing a report with your local consumer protection authority.

How to prevent it

• Do not click "pay" twice if a checkout page seems slow; wait for a confirmation screen.
• Use one payment method per order and check your app before retrying a failed payment.
• Keep order confirmations until the charge settles on your statement.

Start by checking whether the extra charge is pending or posted. If it is posted and the merchant will not fix it, file a dispute with your bank and keep following up until the refund appears.