If you just spotted a Facebook charge on your credit card that you didn’t approve, you’re not alone.
This happens more than you’d think — especially if you’ve run ads before, share access to your ad account, or have an old business manager floating around.
Here’s the deal:
Facebook doesn’t make it easy to fix this — but it is fixable.
💡 Here’s what home service business owners need to know:
- Unauthorized Facebook charges can result from old ad accounts, rogue users, or even account hacks
- Meta’s support is slow, but there’s a direct process to dispute charges and get refunded
- If you manage ads for multiple locations or past employees had access, your card info could still be vulnerable
- You can lock down your account moving forward with a few simple settings
This guide will walk you through exactly what to do — in plain English — so you can handle the situation quickly, secure your account, and get back to focusing on growing your business.
Let’s get into it.
1. Start Here: Don’t Panic, But Do Act Fast
First things first — stay calm, but don’t ignore the charge. The sooner you act, the more likely you are to recover your money and stop future issues.
Here’s what to do immediately:
- Take a screenshot of the charge on your bank or credit card statement
- Note the charge details — date, amount, and the exact way it appears (e.g., “Meta*123456789” or “Facebook Ads”)
- Check your email associated with your Facebook account for any ad confirmations or alerts
- Log into Facebook Business Manager and check all ad accounts tied to your profile, even old ones
If you manage marketing in-house or have an agency doing it for you, now’s the time to check with your team to make sure no one accidentally triggered a campaign.
⚠️ Important: If you see campaigns running that you didn’t start — pause them immediately. This stops further charges while you sort things out.
2. Identify the Charge & Where It’s Coming From
Now that you’ve documented the charge, it’s time to figure out where it came from. Even if you’re not actively running ads, your credit card could still be linked to:
- A former campaign that reactivated
- An old employee or agency still listed in your ad account
- A hacker who gained access to your Meta Business Manager
Here’s how to check:
- Go to Meta Business Settings
- Click “Ad Accounts” on the left sidebar
- Review each ad account connected to your profile
- Check Billing > Transactions for recent activity
If you see ads running that you didn’t approve:
- Pause all active campaigns
- Take screenshots of any suspicious ads or changes
- Remove any unknown users or admins under People > Business Roles
⚠️ If the charge came from an ad account you don’t recognize at all — chances are your account’s been compromised.
Next up, we’ll lock things down.
3. Secure Your Meta Account
Once you’ve paused any sketchy campaigns and identified the source, it’s time to lock the doors behind you. Even if you think things are under control, securing your Meta account is non-negotiable if you want to prevent more charges.
Here’s how to do it:
🔑 Change Your Facebook Password:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security and Login
- Choose “Change password” and pick something brand new (not reused elsewhere)
🧱 Turn On Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
- Same area: Settings > Security and Login
- Turn on 2FA with your mobile number or an authenticator app
- This stops most future unauthorized access in its tracks
📲 Review and Remove Unknown Devices:
- In “Where You’re Logged In,” review all active sessions
- If you see devices or locations you don’t recognize, click “Log out of all sessions”
📁 Clean Up Business Access:
- Go to Meta Business Settings > People
- Remove anyone you don’t fully trust or no longer work with
- Check Partners and System Users tabs too — hackers often hide access here
✅ Pro Move: Assign someone on your team to check your Facebook ad settings and billing weekly — like checking your smoke alarms. Boring? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
4. Report the Unauthorized Charge to Meta
Now that your account is secure, it’s time to go after the refund.
Facebook doesn’t make it easy, but if you’re clear, persistent, and have documentation, you’ve got a decent shot.
Here’s the best way to report it:
🧾 Go to Meta’s Billing Dispute Form
Use this direct link:
👉 https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/1856425021037976
Fill out the form with:
- The email address connected to your Facebook account
- The last 4 digits of the credit card that was charged
- The date and amount of the charge
- A screenshot of the charge on your credit card or bank statement
- Optional but helpful: screenshot from inside Facebook’s billing section showing the charge
💬 Be Polite but Direct
Here’s a quick template for what to write:
“I was charged [$$$] on [Date] through my credit card ending in [XXXX]. This charge was not authorized and does not match any ads I created. I’ve already paused all activity and secured my account. Please investigate and issue a refund.”
✅ Follow Up
Meta may take a few days to respond. If they don’t, re-submit the form and document everything — just in case you need to go to your bank next.
5. Report the Charge to Your Bank or Credit Card Provider
If Meta isn’t responding — or they deny your refund request — it’s time to go straight to the source: your bank.
Here’s how to handle it:
📞 Call Your Bank or Credit Card Company
- Ask to dispute the charge as unauthorized or fraudulent
- Mention that you attempted to resolve it with Meta first
- Provide the date, amount, and description of the charge (e.g., “Meta*Ads123456”)
- If possible, share the screenshots you submitted to Meta
💳 Request a New Card Number
If your card was compromised, don’t just wait for it to happen again — get a new one issued.
Banks will often:
- Reverse the charge provisionally while they investigate
- Send you a new card with a new number
- Flag your account for suspicious activity going forward
🚨 Quick Warning:
Disputing the charge with your bank can get your Facebook ad account disabled or frozen, even if you’re the victim. If you rely on Facebook Ads for your business, use this as a last resort — after trying Meta support.
6. Audit All Linked Ad Accounts & Payment Methods
After handling the immediate issue, it’s time to do a full sweep. You’d be surprised how many business owners still have:
- Old ad accounts floating around
- Payment methods tied to past employees
- Access granted to third-party vendors they haven’t worked with in years
Here’s how to run a quick audit:
🔄 Review All Ad Accounts
- Go to Meta Business Settings
- Under Ad Accounts, click into each one and review activity
- Archive or deactivate accounts you’re no longer using
💳 Remove Unused Payment Methods
- In Billing > Payment Settings, scroll to Payment Methods
- Remove any cards or PayPal accounts you’re no longer using
- Only leave payment methods that are current and actively monitored
👥 Audit Users, Partners, and Admins
- In Business Settings > People and Partners, review who has access
- Remove anyone who shouldn’t have it — old staff, past agencies, etc.
✅ Bonus Move: Add payment alerts through your bank or credit card — this gives you real-time updates anytime Meta charges your card again.
Cleaning house here is critical. If you’ve been in business for a while, this 10-minute audit could save you thousands over time.
7. Future-Proof Your Facebook Account
Once you’ve cleaned everything up, don’t just walk away and hope for the best. Set up a few safeguards now to make sure this never happens again — especially if you’re running a legit operation with multiple team members or ad accounts.
Here’s how to lock it down:
✅ Set Monthly Ad Spend Limits
- Go to Billing > Account Spending Limit inside Ads Manager
- Set a hard ceiling on ad spend — even if your card info is compromised, Facebook can’t charge above that amount
🛡️ Assign Specific Roles, Not Full Admin
- Limit who gets full access inside Business Manager
- Assign team members roles like “Advertiser” or “Analyst” instead of “Admin” if they don’t need billing access
📅 Schedule Monthly Billing Reviews
- Add a recurring calendar reminder to check your Facebook billing
- Or assign a team member to report on charges weekly
🔐 Use a Dedicated Business Card for Ads
- Keep Facebook charges separate from your main bank account
- Easier to track, dispute, and isolate if anything ever happens again
📣 Keep Track of Who Has Access
- If you hire outside help, set a reminder to remove them when the engagement ends
- Use an internal offboarding checklist to make this part of your SOP
Even if this whole mess was just a fluke, setting these boundaries makes sure you stay in control — and never deal with surprise charges again.
Why This Happens (And Why It’s More Common Than You Think)
It’s easy to assume a rogue Facebook charge means your account was hacked — but the truth is, there are a few sneaky ways this can happen that have nothing to do with full-on fraud:
1. Old Ads Still Running
You may have set up a campaign months ago, paused it… but forgot to turn off recurring rules, auto-boosts, or audience expansion features.
2. Shared Card, Forgotten Access
If your credit card is tied to more than one Facebook ad account — like one for a past employee, agency, or even a past business — it can still get billed if that account becomes active.
3. Employees or Vendors With Too Much Access
Someone on your team may have launched something without telling you — especially if you’ve given multiple admins full access with no accountability process.
4. Meta System Errors (Yes, It Happens)
Sometimes a billing bug does cause unexpected charges. Facebook has been known to re-bill old campaigns or double-charge — which is why a monthly billing audit is a smart move.
Don’t Let Platform Glitches Create Business Fires
In the fast-moving world of home services, it’s easy to treat platforms like Facebook as “set-it-and-forget-it” tools — especially when you’re busy managing crews, quotes, and customer calls.
But here’s the hard truth: platforms don’t care about your bottom line like you do. A small billing error, a forgotten ad campaign, or a rogue user with access can quietly burn through your budget without any warning.
That’s why it’s crucial to treat these tools like an extension of your financial system — not just your marketing. Just like you’d review payroll or vendor invoices, checking on your ad spend should be part of your regular rhythm.
⚙️ Here are a few ways to build that rhythm into your operations:
- Treat Facebook Ads like a utility bill — check it monthly and flag anything unusual
- Create a “responsibility owner” on your team who gets visibility into billing and access control
- Don’t assume your agency or freelancer is watching for fraud — they might not see charges on your card
- Review payment methods every quarter to make sure old accounts or vendors are removed
It’s not about paranoia; it’s about running a tighter, more efficient business — one that’s not wasting a dime on anything that doesn’t serve your goals.
Keep Your Ad Spend in Check
Dealing with unauthorized Facebook charges is frustrating — especially when you’re trying to keep your business running smoothly. But with a clear process, you can resolve the issue, secure your account, and prevent it from happening again.
Quick recap:
- Identify where the charge came from
- Secure your Meta account
- Report the issue to Facebook (and your bank if necessary)
- Audit your ad accounts and remove any unused payment methods
- Put guardrails in place to protect your account going forward
Staying on top of these things might not be glamorous, but it’s part of protecting the business you’ve worked hard to build.
