How to Dispute Facebook Ad Charges
Seeing an unexpected charge from Facebook on your bank statement can be an unsettling moment. Your first instinct might be to panic, but disputing an ad charge is a manageable process if you know the right steps to take. This article provides a clear, step-by-step guide to help you investigate the charge, gather the necessary evidence, and file a formal dispute with Meta.
First, Understand Why You Were Charged
Before you file a dispute, it’s important to play detective and figure out what the charge is for. More often than not, there’s a logical explanation. Jumping straight to a dispute without investigating can waste time and even flag your account unnecessarily. Here are the most common reasons you might see an unexpected charge:
You reached your billing threshold: Facebook doesn't charge you after every single ad impression. Instead, it bills you when your ad spend hits a certain amount, known as a billing threshold (e.g., $25, $50, $250), or on your monthly bill date, whichever comes first. You might have several smaller campaigns that, when added together, triggered this threshold sooner than you expected.
Facebook’s budget flexibility: You might set a daily budget of $20, but Facebook may spend up to 25% more on some days (so, $25) if it sees better opportunities. It balances this out by spending less on other days, but it can lead to a day's charges being higher than your strict daily budget. Your average daily cost over a calendar week, however, shouldn't exceed your set budget.
Your ad account was hacked: This is the most serious possibility. If a scammer gains access to your account, they can run up huge ad bills on your saved payment method. Telltale signs include ads for products you don't sell (often sunglasses or gadgets), campaigns targeting unusual countries, or changes to your admin permissions.
Delayed billing: Sometimes, billing can lag. A charge you see today might be for ad activity that happened several days or even a week ago.
An authorized user made a mistake: If you have partners, employees, or an agency with access to your ad account, someone may have launched a campaign without your knowledge, forgotten to turn one off, or set an incorrect budget.
Inclusive taxes and fees: Depending on your country and local laws, Facebook is required to add Value-Added Tax (VAT) or other taxes to your ad costs. This will be added on top of your final ad spend on your bill.
How to Match the Charge to Your Ad Account
Your bank statement will show a charge from "FACEBK" followed by a string of characters. To find out exactly what this charge was for, you need to dig into your Ads Manager Billing section.
Step 1: Navigate to the Billing Section
Log in to your Meta Ads Manager. Look for the main menu icon (often three horizontal lines or a grid of dots) in the top-left corner and click on it. Select “Billing" from the menu. If you manage multiple ad accounts, make sure you've selected the correct one from the dropdown menu at the top of the page.
Step 2: Review Your Transactions
In the "Payment Activity" tab, you'll see a list of your most recent transactions. You can adjust the date range to match the date of the charge on your bank statement. Look for a transaction that matches the exact amount in question.
Step 3: Dive Into the Details
Once you find the matching charge, click on the Transaction ID. This will open up a detailed receipt showing a breakdown of every campaign that contributed to that specific bill. This is your primary source of information. You can see:
The names of the campaigns.
How much each campaign spent.
The date range that the spending occurred.
If you see campaigns here that you don’t recognize, it’s a strong sign your account may have been compromised. If the campaign names are familiar, double-check their budgets and schedules to see if a simple mistake was made.
Gathering Your Evidence for the Dispute
Before contacting Facebook Support, you need to have all your evidence ready. Having everything organized will make the process much smoother and increase your chances of a successful outcome.
Prepare the following:
The Transaction ID: This is the most crucial piece of information. Copy the full ID for the charge you are disputing from the Billing section.
A Screenshot of the Facebook Receipt: Take a clear screenshot of the receipt in your Billing section that shows the offending campaign(s).
A Screenshot of Your Bank Statement: Grab a screenshot of the charge as it appears on your online credit card or bank statement. Make sure the date, amount, and Facebook's billing name are visible.
A Clear Summary of the Issue: Write a brief-but-detailed summary of why you believe the charge is incorrect. Is it an unrecognized ad campaign? Were you double-charged? Is it from a hacked account? Be concise and polite.
Proof of a Hacked Account (if applicable): If you suspect a hack, include any evidence you have, such as screenshots of the unauthorized ads, emails from Meta about suspicious logins, or a list of unrecognized users who had access to your account.
Step-by-Step Guide to Contacting Facebook Ads Support
Now that you have your evidence, it's time to submit your case. The primary method is to go through Meta's official support channel.
Option 1: Use the Official Meta Business Help Center
This is the best and safest way to resolve the issue. While navigating the Help Center can sometimes feel like a maze, this method ensures your request is logged and handled internally by the right team.
Go to the Meta Business Help Center. The easiest way to get there is to log into your account and navigate to facebook.com/business/help.
Find the "Contact support" Button. This can sometimes be hard to find. Often, you need to click on a help topic first. Scroll down and look for a button that says "Get started" or "Contact Advertising Support." If you don’t see it, try clicking on a billing-related FAQ first, which will often lead to a contact link.
Select Your Issue. The system will prompt you to choose what you need help with. Select the appropriate ad account. Then, choose a topic like "Billing and payments," followed by a sub-topic like "I have a question about a charge" or "I need a refund."
Start a Chat or Submit a Form. Depending on your account and issue, you may have the option to start a live chat with a support agent or fill out an email support form. Chat is usually faster if it's available.
Present Your Case. In the chat or form, clearly explain your problem. Use the summary you wrote earlier. Start with the most important details:
Your Ad Account ID.
The Transaction ID of the charge in question.
The amount and date of the charge.
A polite explanation of why you are disputing it.
Upload Your Evidence. Attach all the screenshots and documentation you gathered. The support agent will almost always ask for this, so having it ready speeds things up.
Take Note of Your Case ID. Once you submit your request, you'll receive a Case ID. Keep this number safe, as you'll need it to follow up. You should receive a confirmation email in your Facebook Support Inbox.
Option 2: Filing a Chargeback (Use as a Last Resort)
A chargeback is when you ask your bank or credit card company to reverse a transaction. While this may seem like an easy fix, it should be your absolute last resort.
Warning: Initiating a chargeback against Meta will almost certainly result in your ad account - and potentially your entire Business Manager - being permanently disabled. They see it as a violation of their payment terms. Once an account is disabled for this reason, it is extremely difficult to get it reinstated.
Only consider this option if a very large amount of money was stolen from a hacked account and Facebook Support has been completely unresponsive for an extended period.
What to Do While You Wait
Once your dispute is filed, don't just sit back. Take these actions immediately to protect your account from further damage, especially if you suspect it was compromised.
Change Your Password: Immediately change the password for your personal Facebook profile.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This is the single most effective way to secure your account. If you haven't already, set up 2FA in your account's "Security and Login" settings.
Review Account Admins and Users: Go to your Ad Account Settings and your Business Settings to review everyone who has access. Remove anyone you don’t recognize or who no longer needs access.
Turn Off All Campaigns: If your account was hacked, pause all active campaigns immediately to stop the financial bleeding while Facebook investigates.
Follow Up: Keep an eye on your Support Inbox for updates. Respond promptly to any questions the support team asks.
Final Thoughts
Disputing a Facebook ad charge requires a methodical approach, but it is far from impossible. By understanding the charge, carefully collecting your proof, and using Meta’s official support channels, you can formally present your case and protect your finances. The key is to act quickly to secure your account and communicate clearly.
Staying on top of your marketing and sales data in real-time is the best way to catch spending anomalies before they escalate. Instead of discovering an issue weeks later on a credit card statement, you can spot oddities as they're happening. That’s why we built Graphed to make monitoring your accounts effortless. We let you connect data sources like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and Shopify in a few clicks, so you can ask plain-English questions like, "Show me my Facebook ad spend vs. revenue for this week." Graphed instantly builds a live dashboard, giving you a clear view of your performance and helping you ensure your budget is always under control.