A “GDP” charge on your credit card statement is a transaction processed through GoDaddy Payments, the payment processor built into GoDaddy’s e-commerce platform. The charge almost certainly came from a small business that uses GoDaddy to accept card payments, not from GoDaddy itself. The descriptor appears as “GDP*” followed by either “GoDaddy Payments” or the name of the merchant you bought from.
What the GDP* Prefix Means
GoDaddy Payments stamps every transaction it processes with the “GDP*” prefix. While a charge is still pending, especially on American Express cards, it may show as “GDP*GoDaddy Payments” with no merchant name attached. Once it settles, usually within 48 hours, the descriptor updates to “GDP*[Business Name].”1GoDaddy. Why Is GoDaddy Payments GDP Displaying on American Express Bank Statements So a pending “GDP*GoDaddy Payments” line is not necessarily a charge from GoDaddy. The real merchant name just hasn’t populated yet.
The name after “GDP*” is set by the merchant in a “Transaction Descriptor” field inside their GoDaddy Payments dashboard.2GoDaddy. Customize My Store Receipts If the merchant never customized that field, or if your bank truncates long descriptors, you may keep seeing the generic “GDP*GoDaddy Payments” even after the charge settles. That makes the purchase harder to identify but doesn’t by itself mean something is wrong. The situation is similar to the “SQ*” prefix used by Square or “STRIPE*” used by Stripe: one processor sits behind many different sellers.
How To Figure Out Which Business Charged You
If a business name has appeared after “GDP*,” search for it online and check your email for a matching receipt. If the descriptor still reads only “GDP*GoDaddy Payments,” work through a few checks before assuming fraud:
- Wait 48 hours. Pending transactions often display the generic label until they settle.
- Cross-reference the date and amount against your calendar, email receipts, and order confirmations. Even a small purchase from a boutique or a service provider whose site runs on GoDaddy can produce a GDP charge.
- Ask anyone else with access to your card whether they bought something online or at a shop using a GoDaddy card reader.
- Open the transaction in your bank’s app or online portal. Many issuers show expanded merchant details, including a website or phone number.3Forbes. What Is This Charge on My Credit Card
- If none of that works, GoDaddy’s support team is reachable 24/7 by phone at +1 480 366 3549 or by live chat, and may be able to tell you which merchant processed the transaction.4GoDaddy. Contact Us
Getting a Refund When You Recognize the Charge
If the charge is legitimate but you want your money back, contact the merchant directly, not GoDaddy. Under GoDaddy’s Commerce Services Agreement, merchants are solely responsible for customer service, refunds, and dispute resolution.5GoDaddy. Commerce Services Agreement The merchant issues the refund through their GoDaddy dashboard, and refunded amounts typically take five to seven business days to post back to your card.6GoDaddy. Issue a Refund to My Customer
Disputing a GDP Charge You Didn’t Authorize
If you’ve worked through the identification steps and still don’t recognize the charge, or the merchant won’t respond, you can dispute it through your card issuer or bank. Your protections and deadlines depend on whether the charge hit a credit card or a debit card.
Credit Card Charges
The Fair Credit Billing Act caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and many issuers go further with zero-liability policies.7Investopedia. Fair Credit Billing Act To dispute, send written notice to your issuer’s billing inquiry address within 60 days of the statement date. Include your name, account number, the date and amount of the charge, and why you believe it’s an error. Certified mail gives you proof of delivery.8FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Your issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve the investigation within 90 days.8FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges While the dispute is open, you can withhold payment on the disputed amount without being reported delinquent, and the issuer cannot collect on it or charge interest on that specific amount.7Investopedia. Fair Credit Billing Act
Debit Card Charges
Debit card transactions fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E, which run on tighter clocks. Report an unauthorized charge within two business days of discovering it and your liability is capped at $50. Report between two business days and 60 days from the statement date and liability can rise to $500. Wait longer than 60 days after the statement is sent and you can face unlimited liability for later unauthorized transfers.9CFPB. Regulation E, Section 1005.6 The bank, not you, carries the burden of proving the transfer was authorized.10Cornell Law Institute. 15 U.S. Code § 1693g