Disputing unauthorized charges on Apple purchases
charging my card for something I did not purchase
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 14 Plus, iOS 18
Question marked as
You can request a refund. In most cases all transactions in the App Store are final. At times, Apple may offer a compassionate refund, but it should never be expected. Also make sure you do not have a subscription that needs cancelled first. If you do not see the item to refund, then it was not purchased through Apple and you will need to update with the exact description of the charge you see on your billing statement.
Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple - Apple Support
View or cancel app subscriptions on iPhone - Apple Support
The word "unauthorized" may need more explanation as it could mean your account has been compromised and you need to take additional actions. For any in-app purchase, it requires double clicking the side button with the amount showing on the screen, followed by authorization with Face ID or Passcode. That is not something that can be done by accident. For free trials, you will see the trial period on that screen along with the subscription price if not cancelled during the trial.
You are responsible for securing your device and that is done with the Passcode. Think of it as cash in your wallet, if you give it to someone else or lose it, the bank does not give you your money back. Authorizations for transactions will occur if:
- You give someone your Passcode to authorize them to use your device.
- You give someone your Apple Account Password to allow them to sign into your account and make purchase.
- You are the Organizer of a Family Plan that uses Purchase Sharing to authorize transactions by members
- You do not cancel a free trial at least 24 hours before the trial period ends.
After you figure out how the charge occurred, we can advise on how to use many of the tools provided by Apple to prevent purchases. This will depend on your situations and range from Requiring a Password, Preventing In-App purchases, Preventing any downloads in the App Store, and even the option called Ask to Buy to allow purchases.
