How do I stop a company from taking money from my credit card?

Asked by: Sibyl Dare  |  Last update: September 14, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (70 votes)

Stopping a card payment You can tell the card issuer by phone, email or letter. Your card issuer has no right to insist that you ask the company taking the payment first. They have to stop the payments if you ask them to. If you ask to stop a payment, the card issuer should investigate each case on its own merit.

Can I block a specific company from charging my credit card?

Yes, you can block a certain company from charging your credit card. You can contact your credit card issuer and request to block any charges from that specific company. They will provide you with further instructions on how to proceed.

Can you block a company from withdrawing money?

You have the right to stop a company from taking automatic payments from your account, even if you previously allowed them.

How do I stop pre-authorized payments on my credit card?

Contact the Merchant

To cancel an entire series of pre-authorized payments, you have to talk to the merchant. To cancel one payment from the series, you can talk to the merchant or submit a stop payment request online.

Can I tell my bank to block a transaction?

To stop payment, you need to notify your bank at least three business days before the transaction is scheduled to be made and your bank may charge a fee. The notice to stop the transaction may be made orally or in writing. A bank can require written confirmation of an oral stop payment request.

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19 related questions found

How do I block a transaction on a credit card?

To cancel a pending transaction, call the merchant or retailer on your statement. If you suspect fraud, call your issuer or bank immediately.

Can I block a subscription from charging my credit card?

Yes, you can block a company from charging your credit card. You do this by contacting your bank and either revoking authorization for the payment or requesting a stop payment order.

How do I stop a company from using my credit card?

Just call the number on the back of your card, tell the agent that you want to block a merchant, and provide them with details—including the name of the business and your reason for blocking future charges.

How do I revoke authorization for automatic payments?

You can do this over the phone, or you can write the company stating clearly that you are revoking authorization. Then, you'll need to contact the bank or credit union that's associated with the payment and let them know that you've revoked authorization from the company.

How do I stop a payment being taken from my credit card?

To withdraw consent, simply tell whoever issued your card (the bank, building society or credit card company) that you don't want the payment to be made. You can tell the card issuer by phone, email or letter. Your card issuer has no right to insist that you ask the company taking the payment first.

Is it illegal for a company to take money from your account without permission?

Both state and federal laws prohibit unauthorized withdrawals from being taken from your bank account or charges made to your credit card without your express consent having first been obtained for that to occur. Some laws require this consent to have first been obtained expressly in writing.

Can I block purchases on my credit card?

A credit card lock is a security feature that lets you lock certain aspects of your credit card account and prevent new transactions. Often, you can lock a card from your online banking portal or mobile app.

Does freezing your card stop pending transactions?

In general, locking your debit card won't stop transactions that were made and authorized before you locked it but are still pending. In other words, if you made a purchase that's pending, then locked your debit card before it completed, that transaction should still go through.

Can I put a stop payment on an automatic withdrawal?

You can contact your bank and place a stop payment order on the recurring transaction. Generally, a stop payment order is only good for six months. To stop payment, you will need to notify your bank at least three business days before the next payment is scheduled to be made. Notice may be made orally or in writing.

How do you get a company to stop charging you?

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, you should start this process by sending a letter to your bank and subscription company that revokes your payments. Alternatively, you can give your bank a stop payment order. This can be done in writing, over the phone, or in person.

Can a company legally charge your credit card without authorization?

Under the law, businesses must take steps to ensure that charges to customers' credit cards, debit cards, phone bills, and other accounts are authorized. Those principles apply to mobile payments, too.

How do I stop a company from automatic payments?

Contact Your Bank

When you contact the bank, let them know you want to "revoke authorization," meaning you don't want a specific company to automatically take money from your account anymore. Some banks might suggest sending a stop payment order.

How do I stop unauthorized payments?

The bank will not reverse the charges. How can I stop this? Immediately notify the bank and identify by date and dollar amount the transactions that you did not authorize. The bank will review your claim and may ask you to complete an affidavit unauthorized use.

How do you block a company from taking money out of your account?

Call or write the company's billing department and tell them you no longer allow it to take automatic payments out of your account. By doing this you're revoking authorization.

How do I block a company from charging my credit card?

Contact Card Issuer

If the vendor in question continues to take money from your account despite your request that it stop, you'll need to get in touch with your card issuer and ask that they block the company from charging your credit card.

Can I call my credit card company to stop a transaction?

The answer is yes, but while merchants can give back a refund within a few days, banks may take several weeks to work through this operation. In practice, card issuers are more likely and more willing to help call off a transaction that has already been successfully posted, rather than a pending one.

How do I stop someone taking money from my credit card?

Get in touch with your bank immediately – they should be able to put a hold on your account and also reimburse your money provided you haven't contributed to the loss and have protected your card and PIN if there has been fraudulent activity.

How do I unsubscribe from unwanted subscriptions?

Identify all your subscriptions. Check your credit card statements for recurring payments. One easy way to do this is use a subscription tracking tool, such as Rocket Money or OneMain Trim, which finds and then helps you cancel subscriptions you no longer want.

How long do you have to cancel a credit card transaction?

You'll have at least 60 days to dispute a transaction if there's a billing error or fraud. But if there's an issue with a product or service that you bought, you might have up to 120 days to initiate a chargeback.

How to stop ACH payments?

How do I stop ACH payments on my checking account? If you want to stop an ACH payment, you'll need to contact your bank at least three days before the ACH transfer's date. This may involve an ACH payment stop request submitted in writing. A small fee may be involved in halting the payment.