Double charged? What to do next
Short answer
First make sure it's not a pending hold that will drop off on its own. Then ask the store to refund the duplicate, with your receipt in hand. If the store won't fix it, dispute the charge in your banking app or by calling the number on the back of your card, within 60 days of the statement.
Skip the hassle next time. Scan your receipt with Dupe Detective before you leave the store. It takes a few seconds, and a double charge caught at the register is fixed on the spot.
You found an item rung up twice, or the same payment on your statement twice. Here's how to get the money back, starting with the quickest option.
1. Make sure it's a real duplicate
If one of the two charges is still marked pending, wait a few days. Temporary holds from restaurants, gas stations and hotels often drop off on their own. If you bought two of an item, both lines are correct. Common reasons you see two charges.
2. Ask the store
Go back with the receipt, or call. Most stores refund a double-scanned item on the spot. For a payment that went through twice, ask the manager to reverse one transaction. Write down the date, who you spoke with and what they agreed to.
3. Dispute it with your card issuer
If the store won't fix it, open your banking app, tap the charge and choose Dispute, or call the number on the back of your card. Say you were charged twice for one purchase, and have the receipt and transaction dates ready.
- Credit cards (US): Dispute within 60 days of the statement that shows the charge.
- Debit cards (US): Report it within 60 days of the statement, and sooner is better because the money has already left your account. Debit card timelines.
Our dispute guide walks through it step by step.
4. Keep the paperwork
Keep the receipt and any notes until the refund shows up on your statement. A scanned copy in Dupe Detective works if the paper fades.