Apple Pay recurring charge not visible in Wallet Pre-authorized Payments.. how can users stop this?

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Apple Pay recurring charge not visible in Wallet Pre-authorized Payments.. how can users stop this?

Hi everyone,

I would like to understand how Apple Pay is supposed to protect users in cases like this, because I am honestly shocked by my recent experience.

A few days ago I saw an ad for an IQ test and paid a small amount of about €1 through Apple Pay to see the result. I chose Apple Pay because I believed it was safer than entering my card details directly on a website.

However, a few days later the merchant charged me €33.99, apparently as a subscription or recurring payment. I did not knowingly approve this second payment. I only intended to pay the small one-time amount for the test result.

The most confusing and frustrating part is that this subscription or authorization is not visible anywhere in Apple’s system:

- It is not shown in Apple Subscriptions.

- It is not shown in Wallet → Pre-authorized Payments.

- The Pre-authorized Payments section is empty.

- There is no visible option in Wallet to revoke or cancel anything related to this merchant.

I contacted Apple Support. They told me that Apple cannot see the details of this third-party Apple Pay transaction and that I need to contact the bank or the merchant.

I contacted my bank. The bank says they cannot dispute or reverse the charge because it was made through Apple Pay and is considered confirmed by the user. They suggest contacting the merchant or replacing/blocking my card.

The merchant is not responding so far.

So now I am stuck in a strange situation: Apple says to contact the bank or merchant, the bank says they cannot help because it was Apple Pay, and the merchant can simply ignore me. My only practical option seems to be blocking or replacing my card just to stop possible future payments. As for getting the money back, it feels almost hopeless.

This is very disappointing. I always thought Apple Pay gives users more safety and control. But in practice, it seems the opposite happened: if I had paid directly with my card, my bank might have been able to block the merchant or open a normal card dispute more easily. Because I used Apple Pay, both Apple and the bank are saying they cannot do anything.

My question is:

How can a merchant continue charging through Apple Pay if there is no visible subscription, no visible pre-authorized payment, and no user-facing way to revoke the authorization?

Apple Pay should provide full transparency for recurring or subscription-based payments. If a merchant can charge users again, that authorization should be clearly visible in Wallet and users should be able to cancel or revoke it.

Is there any Apple Pay setting, hidden token, or merchant authorization that can be removed without replacing the entire card?

[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Jul 7, 2026 12:02 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jeff Donald

Community+ 2026

Level 9

54,052 points

Jul 7, 2026 2:03 PM in response to emilbaku

Let’s work backwards and answer your question.

I understand how frustrating this can be, and Apple could make the preauthorized payments feature more universal and visible. But based on current design and the bank/merchant relationship, the only reliable ways to stop future charges are, revoke the authorization via the merchant.

Get your bank to block the merchant and/or issue a new card. For refunding the €33.99, a formal dispute with the bank citing “unauthorized recurring charge after a one time test” is your best path, even if they initially say Apple Pay is confirmed was used and confirmed. The banks will almost always deny responsibility for the fraudulent transactions the first time you call tier one support. Escalate your dispute if necessary.

HEre’s what’s going on. The merchant created a recurring billing agreement on their side using the Apple Pay encrypted token. That agreement is not required to be reported to Apple as a preauthorized payment, so it may never appear in Wallet. Apple’s role is to secure the transaction, not to manage or cancel merchant billing agreements. The banks actually insist Apple not get involved in the bank/merchant relationship. Revocation is intended to happen via the merchant’s site/app or, if needed, via the card issuer. That’s the way the banks insist on Apple Pay working.

In many jurisdictions, consumers have rights against hidden or poorly disclosed recurring charges, regardless of payment method. The fact it was Apple Pay does not legally remove those rights, though banks use it as a script with their support team.

This may be the first step the bank will walk you through. Contact the merchant (clearly state you want to cancel the recurring agreement). Even if they’re slow, send a written request (email is best) to cancel all recurring billing and stop any future charges. Ask them to confirm in writing that the recurring agreement has been terminated. Save the emails as they may be useful if you later dispute with your bank. Some merchants will refund if you’re polite but firm and reference “unauthorized recurring charge after a one time test.” It’s key that you use that exact language in your written request.

If necessary and merchant doesn’t comply with your request to cancel dispute with your card issuer (this is the key step). Even though they said “Apple Pay is confirmed,” you still have grounds. Tell them the charge was not authorized as a recurring subscription. You only authorized a one‑time test. Explain that the merchant did not clearly disclose or obtain explicit consent for a €33.99 recurring charge. Ask them to file a fraud/unauthorized recurring charge dispute, Block that merchant from using your card token again, and isssue a new card if necessary.

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