A charge labeled “Google AVG Mobile” on your bank or credit card statement is a Google Play subscription payment for AVG antivirus or security software. Google appears on the statement because it processes the payment on the developer’s behalf, not because Google itself sold you anything. If you didn’t mean to sign up, or you thought uninstalling the app would end the billing, the fix runs through Google Play, not through AVG.
Why the Charge Says Google Instead of AVG
When you subscribe through the Google Play Store, Google acts as the merchant of record under its Developer Distribution Agreement, so your statement carries a Google-branded descriptor rather than the developer’s name.1Google Play. Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement Play charges typically start with “GOOGLE*” followed by the app or developer name, which is why an AVG subscription can show up as “GOOGLE*AVG Mobile,” “GOOGLE*AVG,” or a truncated version depending on your bank.2Google Help. Understand Google Charges on Your Bank Statement
The AVG brand itself now sits under Gen Digital, the company formed when NortonLifeLock completed its merger with Avast in 2022; Avast had acquired AVG back in 2016.3Gen Digital. NortonLifeLock Completes Merger with Avast For billing purposes, though, the party you deal with first is Google.
Confirming the Charge Is Yours
Before canceling or disputing, match the statement entry to a Google Play receipt. Open the Google Play app, tap your profile icon, then go to Payments & subscriptions and select Budget & history. Legitimate Play purchases carry an order number that starts with “GPA” followed by digits. Line up the date and amount with a transaction in that list.
To see whether AVG is still billing you, go to Payments & subscriptions and then Subscriptions.4Google Help. Manage Recurring Payments and Subscriptions The screen lists every active and expired subscription tied to that account, along with the renewal date and price. If you have more than one Google account, check each one, because subscriptions live on whichever account was signed in at the time of purchase.
Canceling the Subscription
Deleting the AVG app does not stop the billing. Google Play subscriptions keep renewing on schedule until you cancel them through the subscription management screen, whether or not the app is still installed.5Google Play Help. Cancel, Pause, or Change a Subscription on Google Play
On Your Phone
Open Google Play, tap your profile icon, go to Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions. Tap the AVG entry and select Cancel subscription. Google will ask why and may offer to pause instead; keep going until you see a final confirmation that auto-renewal is turned off. A confirmation email follows. You keep access until the end of the billing period you already paid for.
From a Browser
If you no longer have the Android device, sign in at play.google.com with the account tied to the subscription and open the subscriptions page. Google also runs a self-help cancellation tool that walks through the steps.5Google Play Help. Cancel, Pause, or Change a Subscription on Google Play If you can’t find the AVG entry, sign out and try each of your Google accounts in turn.
Getting a Refund
Google reviews refund requests case by case through its Help Center. Pick the specific transaction from your purchase history and give a reason. For credit and debit card payments, approved refunds usually reach your statement in three to five business days, though issuers can take up to ten.6Google Play Help. Refund Timelines for Google Play Purchases Mobile carrier billing can take one to two billing cycles.
If Google declines or too much time has passed, contact AVG through its support portal. You’ll need the GPA order number from the Play receipt and the email address on the account. AVG says it will email you once the request is processed but does not promise a specific turnaround.7AVG. Requesting a Refund for an AVG Subscription
Disputing the Charge With Your Bank
If Google and AVG both come up empty, your card or bank rights kick in, and which law applies depends on how you paid.
For credit card charges, the Fair Credit Billing Act lets you dispute billing errors with your card issuer. Send a written dispute to the issuer’s billing inquiry address within 60 days of the statement date that first showed the charge.8Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges The issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, and during the investigation it cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent or send it to collections.9Federal Trade Commission. Fair Credit Billing Act
For debit cards and bank account charges, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act lets you stop future preauthorized recurring transfers by telling your bank at least three business days before the next scheduled payment.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1693e – Preauthorized Transfers The notice can be oral, but if you call, the bank may require written confirmation within 14 days, and the stop-payment order expires if you don’t send it. Banks generally charge a fee for stop-payment orders, often between $15 and $35.
If You Truly Didn’t Authorize the Charge
Not every surprise charge is a forgotten subscription, but Google recommends ruling out the ordinary explanations first: a family member or child using the device, or a pending authorization from a recently added payment method that will drop off on its own within a few days.11Google Help. Report Unauthorized Charges
If none of that fits, report the transaction through Google’s payments center; Google also runs a troubleshooter specifically for unrecognized Google Play charges. Change your Google account password right away. Then turn on purchase verification so that every future Play transaction requires your fingerprint, face, or password before it completes.12Google Play Help. Purchase Verification for Google Play In the Play app, go to Payments & subscriptions, then Purchase Verification, enable biometric verification, and set the frequency to “Always.” The “Every 30 minutes” and “Never” options leave a window where anyone holding your unlocked phone can buy on your account.