Cancel a subscription directly with the merchant first
The fastest way to stop a recurring charge on your Truist card is to contact the company charging you and cancel the subscription through their website or customer service. Most merchants — streaming services, gyms, software companies, subscription boxes — have a cancellation process that removes your subscription and stops future charges before they hit your card.
Log into the merchant's website or app, find your account settings or subscription section, and look for a "Cancel Subscription" or "Manage Subscription" button. If you cannot find it online, call their customer service number and ask them to cancel. Get confirmation of the cancellation in writing — an email or reference number — so you have proof the subscription ended.
This approach works because it stops the charge at the source. Once the merchant cancels your subscription, they will not send a charge to Truist, and you will not see the recurring payment on your statement.
Key Takeaways
- Contact the merchant directly through their website, app, or customer service phone number to cancel the subscription before Truist receives a charge.
- Save a confirmation email or reference number from the merchant showing the cancellation date so you can prove the subscription ended.
- If a charge appears after you cancel, dispute it with Truist as an unauthorized transaction within 60 days of the charge date.
- Truist can block future charges from a specific merchant if you ask, but this does not cancel the subscription itself — only the merchant can do that.
- Check your Truist statement for 30 to 60 days after cancellation to confirm no more charges appear.
Dispute the charge with Truist if the merchant will not cancel
If you cancel the subscription with the merchant but the charge still appears on your Truist statement, or if the merchant refuses to cancel, you can dispute the charge directly with Truist. This is called a chargeback or dispute.
Contact Truist within 60 days of the charge appearing on your statement. You can call the number on the back of your card, use the Truist mobile app, or visit a branch in person. Tell them the charge is unauthorized or that you cancelled the subscription and the merchant charged you anyway. Provide the confirmation email or reference number from the merchant showing you cancelled.
Truist will investigate the charge and typically reverse it within 10 business days while the investigation continues. The full process can take 30 to 60 days. During that time, the merchant may contact Truist to defend the charge, but your cancellation confirmation usually wins the dispute.
Block future charges from a merchant through Truist
If you want to prevent a specific merchant from charging your card in the future, Truist can place a block on that merchant's code. This is different from cancelling the subscription — it stops Truist from accepting charges from that company, but the merchant may still think your subscription is active.
Call Truist at the number on the back of your card and ask them to block charges from the merchant by name or by their merchant code. Truist will add a note to your account. Any charge from that merchant will be declined, and you will see a notification on your statement or app.
Use this option only if the merchant is unresponsive or if you have already cancelled but want extra protection. It is not a substitute for cancelling the subscription directly, because the merchant may still try to charge you, and declined charges can sometimes trigger late fees or account suspension on the merchant's side.
Check your statement regularly for recurring charges
After you cancel a subscription, monitor your Truist statement for the next 30 to 60 days to make sure no more charges appear. Set a phone reminder for 30 days after the cancellation date if the subscription was monthly.
Log into your Truist online banking or mobile app and review the transactions list. Look for the merchant's name or a charge that matches the amount you used to see. If a charge appears after you cancelled, dispute it when ready — the sooner you report it, the faster Truist can investigate.
Some merchants charge on different days of the month or have a grace period before the cancellation takes effect, so seeing one more charge after you cancel is sometimes normal. But if you see two or more charges after the cancellation date, contact both the merchant and Truist.
What to do if the merchant charges you after cancellation
If the merchant continues to charge your card after you cancelled the subscription, gather your evidence first. Save the cancellation confirmation email, take screenshots of your account showing the subscription is no longer active, and note the dates of each unauthorized charge.
Contact the merchant's customer service again and reference your original cancellation confirmation. Explain that charges are still appearing and ask them to refund the post-cancellation charges. Many merchants will issue a refund when ready if you have proof of cancellation.
If the merchant refuses to refund, dispute each charge with Truist separately. Provide Truist with your cancellation confirmation and the dates of the charges. Truist will reverse the charges while investigating, and the merchant will have to prove they had permission to charge you — which they cannot, since you have cancellation proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a cancelled subscription to stop charging?
Most merchants stop charging within one billing cycle after you cancel. If your subscription renews on the 15th of each month and you cancel on the 10th, the last charge usually appears on the 15th. If you cancel after the charge has already processed, you may see one more charge before it stops. Contact the merchant if charges continue beyond one full billing cycle.
Can Truist cancel my subscription for me?
No. Truist can dispute charges and block a merchant from charging your card, but only the merchant can actually cancel a subscription. You must contact the merchant directly to end the subscription. Truist's tools are for stopping charges that should not have happened, not for managing active subscriptions.
What if I do not have a confirmation email from the merchant?
Call the merchant's customer service and ask them to email you a cancellation confirmation. Provide your account number or email address and ask them to send written proof that the subscription was cancelled and the date it ended. If they refuse or cannot find your account, tell Truist this during the dispute — the merchant's failure to provide proof works in your favor.
Will disputing a charge hurt my credit score?
No. Disputing a charge with Truist does not affect your credit score. A chargeback is a consumer protection tool, not a missed payment or default. Your credit report will not show the dispute unless the merchant reports it separately, which is rare for subscription disputes.
Can I cancel a subscription by just closing my Truist card?
Closing your card will stop charges to that specific card number, but the merchant may still think your subscription is active and may try to charge a new card if you update your payment method with them. The subscription itself remains active. You should always cancel directly with the merchant to fully end the subscription.