Unauthorized charges

Follow these steps to investigate and request a refund for the unauthorized $199 Microsoft charge:

1. Investigate what the charge is for
   • Go to the Manage your payments page of the Microsoft account dashboard: use the link provided in the article How to investigate a billing charge from Microsoft.
   • Select Investigate next to the unrecognized charge.
   • Common causes include:
     • A Microsoft subscription with recurring billing enabled.
     • A purchase made by a family member using the card.
     • A previously declined charge that was later processed.
     • A pre-order or split order that just shipped.
     • An in-app purchase from an app or game.
2. Check order history and invoices
   • Sign in at account.microsoft.com/billing/orders.
   • Select Payment & billing > Order history and filter by the relevant date range.
   • Look for a Completed or Redeemed order matching $199.
   • Select Order details to see what was purchased and, if needed, print the invoice.
3. If it is a subscription you don’t want
   • Follow the guidance in Cancel your Microsoft subscription (linked from the order history article) to cancel it.
   • After cancellation, check refund eligibility using the How to get a refund on a Microsoft subscription article. Not all cancellations result in a refund, but that article provides a self-help tool and steps.
4. If it is an app, game, or digital purchase you didn’t intend
   • Use the steps in Get a refund for apps and games purchased from Microsoft Store to see if the purchase is refundable and to submit a refund request.
5. If you truly did not authorize the charge (possible fraud)
   • Use the Investigate a billing charge flow first to confirm it’s not linked to any of your accounts.
   • If the charge is not associated with your account or appears fraudulent, contact Microsoft Support using the “Help with Microsoft Store purchases” or “Get help with your Microsoft account” paths in the context articles so an agent can review and, where appropriate, reverse charges.
   • If Microsoft and the investigation tools cannot locate the transaction on any of your accounts, contact the bank or card issuer to dispute the charge as unauthorized (a chargeback). Repeated misuse of chargebacks can be considered fraud, so use this only when the charge is truly unauthorized.
6. Secure the account and payment method
   • If there is any sign the account was compromised, follow the guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account (linked from the unauthorized purchase article) and update passwords and security info.
   • Ask the bank whether the card should be blocked and replaced to prevent further unauthorized charges.

References:

• How to investigate a billing charge from Microsoft
• View your Microsoft Store order history
• How to get a refund on a Microsoft subscription
• Get a refund for apps and games purchased from Microsoft Store
• What is a chargeback?
• Cancel an order or pre-order from Microsoft Store
• Unable to cancel your Microsoft subscription
• Get help with your Microsoft account