A CB VINHISTORY charge on your statement almost always comes from VinHistoryUSA, a vehicle history report site run by Global Informatics LLC. It usually begins as a $1 report purchase that converts into a $29.95 monthly subscription after a seven-day trial.1VinHistoryUSA. Pricing If you didn’t realize you were signing up for a recurring plan, you have two ways to stop it: cancel directly with the merchant, and dispute the charges with your bank. Most people who want their money back end up doing both.
Why the Charge Appeared
VinHistoryUSA sells vehicle history reports pulled from insurance records, title databases, and motor vehicle systems, covering things like accident history, title brands, odometer readings, and previous ownership. On your statement the transaction shows up with the “CB” prefix followed by “VINHISTORY” or a close variation.
The typical path in: you searched a VIN, paid $1 for what looked like a one-time report, and a subscription enrollment sat in the checkout flow. Seven days later the $29.95 monthly charges began. Many people don’t notice until two or three months in. Consumer complaints describe the same pattern repeatedly — subscription terms that weren’t obvious at signup, a difficult cancellation process, and refund refusals from customer service.
Cancel With VinHistoryUSA First
Start with the merchant. A direct cancellation stops future billing faster than a bank dispute, and the paper trail helps if you later need to escalate. VinHistoryUSA publishes the following contact information:2VinHistoryUSA. Contact
- Phone: +1 385-452-4101
- Email: contact@vinhistoryus.com
- Address: 851 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33132
Before you contact them, pull together the exact date and amount of each charge, the last four digits of the card that was billed, and any confirmation emails from the original purchase. Ask for two things: cancellation of the subscription, and a refund of every charge beyond the initial report. If the first representative refuses the refund, ask for a supervisor and write down the name and the time of the call. Follow up with an email summarizing what was agreed or refused, so you have it in writing.
Expect resistance. Complaints about this company describe being hung up on, told no supervisor is available, and denied refunds outright. If that happens, move on to your bank.
Dispute the Charge With Your Bank
Credit Card Charges
If the charge posted to a credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act gives you the right to dispute it in writing within 60 days of the statement date that first showed the charge.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors A “billing error” under the statute covers charges you didn’t authorize, charges in an amount you didn’t agree to, and charges for services not delivered as agreed.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors A subscription that was buried at checkout fits.
Your dispute letter should list your name and account number, the amount you’re challenging, the date of the charge, and a short explanation of what’s wrong. Send it to the billing-error address on your statement, not the general payment address. Most banks also let you open a dispute in the app or on their website, which is faster, and you can do both.
Once your card issuer receives the dispute, it has to acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors You don’t have to try the merchant first. Federal regulations say consumers aren’t required to attempt resolution with the seller before notifying the card issuer.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1026.13 – Billing Error Resolution
Debit Card Charges
Debit card rules are different, and generally weaker. If VinHistoryUSA is still pulling recurring payments from your checking account, you can order your bank to stop them. Federal law requires only that you notify your bank at least three business days before the next scheduled charge. A phone call is enough, though the bank can ask for written confirmation within 14 days.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1693e – Preauthorized Transfers
For debit charges that have already posted, the Fair Credit Billing Act’s 60-day billing-error window doesn’t apply. Your bank’s fraud department can still investigate, but the process and the timelines are set by bank policy and card network rules rather than statute. That’s the main reason recurring-subscription problems are easier to fight on a credit card.
Watch the 60-Day Clock
The most common mistake is waiting. The Fair Credit Billing Act’s dispute right expires 60 days after the statement date that first showed the charge.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors If you’ve been billed for four months and just noticed, the most recent one or two charges may still be inside the window while earlier ones have fallen outside. Check the statement dates carefully before you write the dispute.
If you’ve missed the 60-day deadline, you still have options. You can ask your card network (Visa or Mastercard) about a chargeback under its own rules, file a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or file with the Better Business Bureau or your state attorney general’s consumer protection division. None of these guarantees a refund, but they add pressure and build a public record.
What Happens After You File
If the merchant agrees to refund you directly, the money typically appears in three to five business days depending on your bank. A card dispute takes longer, but the law protects you while it runs.
During the investigation, your card issuer cannot try to collect the disputed amount, charge interest on it, or report it to the credit bureaus as delinquent. It can note the amount as “in dispute,” but it can’t damage your credit score while the case is open.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1666a – Regulation of Credit Reports Many banks apply a temporary credit while they investigate, though they aren’t required to. That credit becomes permanent if the bank rules in your favor or fails to resolve the dispute within 90 days.
Save everything: the dispute confirmation from your bank, any emails to or from VinHistoryUSA, and notes from every phone call. If your bank initially denies the dispute, that record is what you use to appeal or to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Cheaper Ways to Check a VIN Next Time
You don’t have to pay $29.95 a month for vehicle history data. Two options draw from the same underlying records that paid services resell.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau runs a free VINCheck lookup that flags whether a vehicle has been reported stolen or declared salvage by a participating insurer. It’s capped at five searches per day, and the bureau itself cautions that the tool “should not be relied upon when purchasing a vehicle,” but it costs nothing and takes a minute.8National Insurance Crime Bureau. VINCheck Lookup
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, maintained by the Department of Justice, is the federal government’s official vehicle history database. It covers title brand history (salvage, flood, junk), odometer readings, insurance total-loss records, and salvage yard sales. Consumers can’t search NMVTIS directly, but the DOJ lists approved data providers authorized to sell these reports, many for less than $10 per lookup.9VehicleHistory.gov. For Consumers10VehicleHistory.gov. Research Vehicle History The portal at vehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov lists every approved provider, and any legitimate buyer or seller will accept a report from one of them.