Hello everyone! My name is Brenda Butnick and I’m a Financial Coach at Jewish Family Service in Dallas. I work one-on-one with clients to help them achieve financial self-sufficiency.
We discussed the 7 types of Mystery Credit Card Charges in my last 2 Blogs, and today we will discuss How to Investigate Mystery Credit Card Charges.
“Mystery” credit card charges usually refer to charges on your statement that you don’t immediately recognize. They can come from a variety of legitimate sources—but they can also signal fraud.
How to Investigate a Mystery Charge
Step 1: Look Up the Merchant Descriptor
Search the exact billing descriptor from your statement—often it reveals the real merchant.
Step 2: Check Your Email Receipts
Look through: Email receipts
- App subscriptions
- Recent online purchases
- Family member purchases (kids, partners, shared accounts)
Step 3: Identify Linked Subscriptions
Check platforms such as:
- Apple App Store / Google Play subscriptions
- Amazon subscriptions
- PayPal recurring payments
- Streaming services
We will discuss more steps on How to Investigate Mystery Credit Card Charges in my next post on Friday, March 27th.
That’s all for your Financial Fitness today!
Until next time – take care and stay financially fit!
