It usually happens when you are scrolling through your phone in bed. You open your banking app just to check your balance, and something catches your eye. *”Pending: $49.99 – SQ MYSTERY HOLDINGS.” Your heart skips a beat. You didn’t spend $50 today. You definitely don’t know who Mystery Holdings is. Is it fraud? Is it a hacker? Or is it just that coffee shop you went to yesterday that has a really weird legal name?
The urge to panic is strong. The urge to immediately call the bank and scream “Fraud!” is even stronger. But before you burn your card and wait 7 days for a new one, you need to do a little detective work. The banking system is messy, and transaction names are notoriously cryptic. However, investigating incorrectly can actually be more dangerous than the charge itself.
Here is how to figure out what that charge is without accidentally handing your data to a scammer.
1. The “Pause Button” (Freeze First, Ask Later)
Before you investigate, stop the bleeding. If you see one charge you don’t recognize, there might be ten more queued up behind it. Open your banking app (Chase, Monzo, CommBank, etc.) and hit “Lock Card” or “Freeze.”
This is not permanent. It just blocks new transactions while you figure this out. If it turns out the charge was legitimate (oops, it was just your annual Disney+ renewal), you can unlock it instantly. If it is fraud, you just saved yourself a headache. Rule #1: Freeze first. Think second.
2. The Google Trap (The Most Dangerous Step)
This is where 90% of people mess up. You see a charge like *”PAYPAL HONGKONG LTD” or “AMZN Mktp US.” You are confused. So you go to Google and type: “What is PAYPAL HONGKONG charge phone number?”
Stop. Scammers know you do this. They create fake websites and buy Google Ads for keywords like “Unknown Amazon Charge Support.” When you call the number on that random website, a nice person answers. They say, “Oh yes, that looks like fraud. To fix it, we just need you to download this app so we can connect to your phone…” Boom. You just got played. Never Google a transaction descriptor expecting to find a support number. Only trust the contact info inside your official banking app.
3. Decode the “Descriptor”
Transaction names (Descriptors) are often gibberish because they rely on the merchant’s payment processor, not the store name.
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*SQ : This stands for “Square.” It usually means a small business, food truck, or market stall.
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*TST : This is “Toast.” It’s almost always a restaurant or bar.
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*NYT : New York Times.
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INTL TRANSACTION: This often pops up if a software company bills you from Ireland or London, even if you are in the US.
Look at the Amount. Is it $14.99? That smells like a subscription (Spotify, Netflix). Is it exactly what you paid for dinner last night + 20% tip? Restaurants often authorize the base amount first, then update it with the tip days later. Check your email. Search your inbox for the exact dollar amount (e.g., “$49.99”). You might find a receipt you totally forgot about.
4. The “Pending” Limbo
If the charge says “Pending,” you are in a weird legal gray area. Technically, the money hasn’t left the building yet. It has just been set aside. Banks often tell you: “We can’t dispute a Pending charge. Wait until it posts.”
This is frustrating, but normal. Sometimes, a “Pending” charge is just a Pre-Authorization Hold.
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Gas Stations: You pump $20 of gas, but the pump places a $100 hold to ensure you have funds. The $100 will disappear in 48 hours.
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Hotels: They hold $200 for “incidentals.”
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Uber/Lyft: They authorize the fare before the ride ends. If you see a weirdly round number ($1, $50, $100), wait 24 hours. It might just vanish on its own.
5. The “Card Tester” Warning ($0.00 or $1.00)
This is the one time you should panic slightly. If you see a charge for $0.00, $0.01, or $1.00 from a merchant you don’t know, this is a Card Test.
Fraudsters buy stolen credit card numbers in bulk on the dark web. Before they try to buy a $2,000 laptop, they run a bot script to charge $1.00 on thousands of cards to see which ones are “live.” If you see this tiny charge, it means your card details have been compromised. The big charge is coming next. Keep that card frozen. Call the bank. Request a new card immediately. Do not wait to see what happens next.
6. Calling the Bank (The Safe Way)
Okay, you’ve done the research. You checked your emails. You waited 24 hours. You still have no idea what “CORN *BILLING” is. Now you call.
But don’t just ask for a refund. Ask for Information. Banks have access to backend data that you can’t see on the app. Ask the agent: “Can you tell me the phone number or location associated with this merchant ID?” Sometimes the agent will say: “Oh, the location is ‘Main Street Cinema’.” And you go: “Oh! I went to the movies! They must bill under a different name.” Mystery solved. No card cancellation needed.
If the agent gives you a location you have never visited (e.g., “It’s a gas station in Paris,” and you are currently in Ohio), then you pull the trigger. File the dispute. Permanently cancel the card.
7. The “Subscription” Ghost
Finally, be honest with yourself. Did you sign up for a “Free Trial” 29 days ago? Did you buy a “Just Pay Shipping” skin cream sample? 70% of “Fraud” claims turn out to be “Friendly Fraud” where the customer actually bought the thing but forgot, or the “Free Trial” rolled over into a paid plan. If it is a subscription, do not dispute it with your bank yet. Banks hate “Subscription Disputes.” They view it as a contract issue between you and the merchant. Try to cancel with the merchant first. If they refuse to refund you, then you have a valid case to go to the bank.
Money is emotional. When we see it leave our account without permission, we get defensive. But taking 5 minutes to breathe, freeze the card, and search your email receipt folder can save you the nightmare of updating your payment details on every site you use. Check the digits. Check the date. And if you still can’t find it? Burn the card. It’s better to be safe and inconvenient than compromised and broke.
