Can I ask my bank to block a specific merchant from charging my credit card?

Yes, most banks can block charges from a specific merchant. Call the number on the back of your card and request a 'merchant block' or 'stop payment' for that company. This works for most recurring charges but may not work for all payment processors.

How long do I have to dispute a credit card charge?

In most countries, you have 60-120 days from the statement date to dispute a charge. In India under RBI guidelines, you should report unauthorized transactions within 3 working days for full protection. The sooner you dispute, the better your chances of getting a refund.

Will cancelling my credit card stop all recurring payments?

Getting a new card number will stop charges on the old number, but some merchants may obtain your new card details through Visa/Mastercard's Account Updater service. This is designed to prevent service interruptions but can also allow unwanted charges to continue. Always cancel with the merchant directly first.

What if a merchant charges me after I cancelled?

If you have proof of cancellation (screenshot, confirmation email) and the merchant charges you anyway, file a chargeback with your credit card issuer. Provide your cancellation proof — banks almost always rule in the customer's favor when you have documentation.

How to Stop Credit Card Recurring Payments

Recurring credit card charges can pile up quietly — a forgotten gym membership here, an unused streaming service there. If you've spotted unwanted recurring charges on your credit card statement, this guide covers every way to stop them, from cancelling with the merchant to requesting a chargeback from your bank.

What you'll learn

How to identify all recurring charges on your credit card
Cancelling through the merchant vs through your bank
When to request a chargeback for unwanted charges
Setting up transaction alerts for recurring payments
RBI guidelines on recurring payments in India

Best approach: Always cancel with the merchant first, then monitor your next statement. Only contact your bank if the merchant continues charging after you've cancelled.

Step 1: Cancel Directly with the Merchant

The fastest and cleanest way to stop recurring charges is to cancel your subscription directly with the service provider. This avoids disputes and ensures your account is properly closed.

Log in to the service's website or app and look for subscription/billing settings
Look for 'Cancel subscription', 'Manage billing', or 'Account settings'
Follow the cancellation flow — some services require you to click through retention offers
Take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation
Check your email for a cancellation confirmation message
If there's no online cancellation option, contact customer support via chat or phone

Step 2: Remove Your Card from the Merchant's Site

After cancelling, remove your credit card from the merchant's payment settings. This prevents reactivation or accidental charges if you log back in. Go to the merchant's payment or billing section and delete your saved card information.

Step 3: Contact Your Credit Card Issuer (If Merchant Won't Stop)

If you've cancelled with the merchant but charges continue, contact your credit card issuer. Here's what you can request:

Block the merchant: Ask your bank to block future charges from that specific merchant. Most major banks (Chase, HDFC, ICICI, SBI) can do this
Request a new card number: This stops ALL recurring charges on the old card number. Use this last resort since you'll need to update legitimate subscriptions
File a chargeback: Dispute the unauthorized charges. Your bank will investigate and typically credit your account within 7-10 business days
Set up transaction alerts: Ask for notifications for any charge over ₹100/$1 so you catch unwanted charges immediately

How to File a Credit Card Chargeback

1Call the number on the back of your credit card or use your bank's app
2Tell the representative you want to dispute a recurring charge
3Provide the merchant name, charge amount, and date
4Explain that you cancelled the subscription but are still being charged
5Provide any proof of cancellation (screenshots, confirmation emails)
6The bank will issue a temporary credit and investigate (usually 30-60 days)
7If the dispute is resolved in your favor, the credit becomes permanent

In India, you can also complain to the RBI Banking Ombudsman if your bank doesn't resolve the dispute within 30 days. Visit rbi.org.in for details.

How to Find All Recurring Charges on Your Credit Card

Download your last 3-6 months of credit card statements (PDF or CSV)
Look for charges that appear monthly or annually with the same amount
Common recurring charge labels: 'RECURRING', 'AUTO-PAY', 'SUBSCRIPTION', or the merchant name
Check for charges from parent companies — e.g., 'Google' may be YouTube Premium or Google One
Small charges (₹49-199 / $1-5) are easy to miss — pay special attention to these
Use RecurStop to track all subscriptions in one dashboard and get reminders before charges

India-Specific: RBI Auto-Debit Rules (2021)

Since October 2021, the RBI requires banks to send a notification before every recurring credit card charge over ₹5,000. You must approve each transaction via OTP or your bank's app. For charges under ₹5,000, the bank can auto-debit but must notify you. This gives Indian credit card holders more control over recurring payments than most other countries.

Charges over ₹5,000: Bank must get your approval (OTP/app notification) before each charge
Charges under ₹5,000: Auto-debited but bank must send a pre-debit notification
You can refuse the pre-debit notification to block the charge
Register for e-mandates through your bank's net banking portal to manage all recurring authorizations

Prevention Tips

Use virtual credit card numbers for free trials — services like HDFC and Kotak offer this
Set up spending alerts for any recurring charge
Review your credit card statement every month (takes 5 minutes)
Keep a list of all subscriptions using RecurStop — free for up to 5
Before signing up for any trial, set a calendar reminder for the end date
Use a dedicated credit card for subscriptions so they're easy to track

Never lose track of your subscriptions again. RecurStop sends you reminders before every renewal so you can decide to keep or cancel — before you're charged.