Reason code · American Express

Amex C28: canceled recurring billing

C28 means the Card Member says they canceled, or tried to cancel, a subscription or other recurring charge and you kept billing them. Proof they didn’t cancel and kept using the service is one of the answers Amex accepts.

By the Dispute Daddy team, built on 10 years of fighting chargebacks · Updated

What C28 means

C28 is Amex’s recurring-billing code: subscriptions, memberships, monthly plans and automatic renewals. The Card Member says they canceled, or tried to, and the charges kept coming. Amex’s guide lists causes such as:

  • The cancellation hasn’t been processed, or was processed too late.
  • The customer tried to cancel and couldn’t.
  • They canceled after an automatic renewal, or don’t understand your billing or renewal terms.
  • They were billed for an introductory offer.

Amex’s reference page carries a longer title that also mentions “not as described” and “damaged,” but the reason it describes is canceled recurring billing.

What the customer told Amex

“I canceled months ago and they kept charging me.” Or “I signed up for a trial and never agreed to pay.”

Time limit

Processor guides list 120 days from the transaction date. Each recurring charge is its own transaction, so a run of monthly charges can turn into a run of disputes.

Your side of the clock is short. Amex’s own guide tells merchants to respond within 20 days. If you accept Amex through a processor such as Stripe or Square, the processor sets its own date, often a shorter one. The due date on your notice is the one that counts.

What proof matters

Amex accepts your cancellation policy with how you disclosed it and how the customer didn’t follow it, or a refund that already offsets the charge. It also accepts proof the Card Member hasn’t canceled and continues to use the service. Usage after the date they claim they canceled is about as clear as recurring evidence gets.

Introductory offers carry extra rules

Free trials and intro pricing get their own checklist in Amex’s guide. For a charge tied to an introductory offer, Amex asks for proof that you clearly disclosed the offer’s terms with a simple way to cancel before the first charge, got the customer’s express consent, sent a written confirmation at enrollment, and sent a written reminder before the first recurring charge with reasonable time to cancel. Miss the reminder and the rest may not save you.

The common mistake

Stopping the visible plan but not the pipeline. Amex’s guide tells merchants to cancel all pending and future billings when a customer asks. One stray charge after a confirmed cancellation is hard to defend, so refund it.

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Questions

What is Amex reason code C28?

C28 is Canceled Recurring Billing. The Card Member says they canceled or tried to cancel recurring charges for goods or services and were still billed.

How long does a customer have to file an Amex C28?

Processor guides list 120 days from the transaction date. Each recurring charge has its own date, so each can be disputed within its own window.

What does Amex accept for a C28?

Your cancellation policy with how you disclosed it and how the Card Member didn’t follow it, proof the Card Member has not canceled and continues to use the service, or proof of a refund.

What are Amex’s rules for free trials and introductory offers?

Amex asks for proof you disclosed the offer’s terms clearly, got the Card Member’s express consent, sent a written confirmation at enrollment, and sent a written reminder before the first recurring charge.

Sources

  1. American Express: How to Manage and Help Prevent Disputes (US disputes reference guide), version 2024PROP; Chargeback Code C28, causes, accepted responses, Introductory Offer items and prevention; Recurring Billing tips; read October 25, 2026.
  2. Chase Merchant Services: Chargeback Timeframes and Reason Codes (REF-CHG-001), processor guide, content dated 2018 with revisions to 2021; American Express time frames, C28 120 calendar days from the transaction; read October 25, 2026.
  3. Stripe: Dispute reason code categories, Stripe groups Amex C28 under Subscription canceled; read October 25, 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Network and processor rules change; the due date on your own dispute notice always governs.

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