A charge labeled “freeshpmts.com” on your bank statement is almost always a recurring monthly fee from FreeShipping.com, a cash-back and shipping-rebate subscription that typically runs between $12.97 and $19.00 per month. Most people don’t remember signing up because enrollment usually happens through a pop-up or pre-checked offer at the end of checkout on an unrelated retailer’s site. You can stop the charges and, in many cases, get past ones refunded.
How the Charge Got There
FreeShipping.com partners with more than 1,000 online retailers and offers members cash back, free shipping, and free returns across that network. Enrollment typically happens at the tail end of a purchase on a partner site. A pop-up or embedded offer promises a small rebate or shipping discount on the order you just placed, and accepting it starts a trial membership. When the trial ends, the subscription converts to a paid monthly plan and begins posting to your card as “freeshpmts.com.”
The charge repeats every thirty days until you cancel. It is not a one-time shipping fee, and it is not from the retailer where you originally shopped. The trial period creates a gap between the original purchase and the first bill, which is why the two rarely feel connected.
How to Cancel
The fastest route is calling FreeShipping.com customer service at 1-800-869-5597. Have three things ready: the last four digits of the card being charged, the email address you used at the original retailer, and the exact dollar amount from your statement. If a welcome email came through when the trial started, it may contain a Member ID that speeds things up. Say clearly that you want all future billing stopped, and ask for a cancellation confirmation number before hanging up. Write it down.
You can also cancel by logging into your account at freeshipping.com and following the membership settings. Expect the site to offer discounts or alternative plans before letting you finish. Decline them and confirm the cancellation. Either way, the company may take up to one full billing cycle to stop charging, so check your next statement.
Why Replacing the Card Alone Won’t Stop It
A common instinct is to ask the bank for a new card number so the old one stops working. That is less reliable than it sounds. All four major card networks run “account updater” services that automatically send merchants your new card number and expiration date for recurring billing. FreeShipping.com can keep charging the replacement card without you re-authorizing anything. Cancel the subscription directly, then worry about the card.
Disputing the Charge on a Credit Card
If you cannot get a refund from FreeShipping.com, dispute the charge with your card issuer. The Fair Credit Billing Act covers billing errors on credit card accounts, including charges you did not authorize and charges for the wrong amount.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors
You have to send written notice to your card issuer within 60 days of the statement date that first showed the disputed charge. The notice needs your name and account number, the charge and its amount, and why you believe it is an error. The statute requires the notice to go to the address the creditor has designated for billing disputes, not the general mailing address printed on your statement.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors
Once the issuer receives your dispute, it has two full billing cycles, and no more than 90 days, to investigate and either correct the error or send you a written explanation of why it thinks the charge stands.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. 1666 – Correction of Billing Errors During that window the issuer cannot try to collect the disputed amount or report it as delinquent. Most issuers will also post a provisional credit while they investigate, though that is a bank practice rather than a legal requirement.
Most banks now accept disputes through their app or website, and that is often the fastest way to open a case. The 60-day clock and the written-notice rule still apply, so follow any online filing with a letter to the billing dispute address to lock in your statutory protection.
Different Rules for Debit Card Charges
Debit card charges are not covered by the Fair Credit Billing Act. They fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the timeline is far less forgiving. Your liability for unauthorized debit transactions turns on how quickly you report the problem:
- Within 2 business days of learning about the charge, your maximum liability is $50 or the amount of the unauthorized transfer, whichever is less.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. 1693g – Consumer Liability
- After 2 business days but within 60 days of your statement, liability can climb to $500.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. 1693g – Consumer Liability
- After 60 days, you could be on the hook for the full amount of unauthorized transfers that occur past that window.
The freeshpmts.com situation is tricky on a debit card because if you clicked through a trial offer at checkout, the merchant may argue that the original authorization was valid. Charges that continue after a cancellation attempt, or charges tied to terms that were never properly disclosed, are a separate question. Either way, the 2-business-day and 60-day deadlines are real, and missing them costs you money. If you see freeshpmts.com on a debit statement, call your bank the same day.
What to Have Ready Before You Dispute
Whether the charge is on a credit or debit card, the strength of your case depends on what you can document. Pull these together before contacting the bank:
- The exact date, amount, and descriptor of each freeshpmts.com charge you want disputed.
- Your cancellation confirmation number, plus any email confirmations or screenshots showing you tried to cancel.
- Dates you called or emailed FreeShipping.com, what you were told, and the name of anyone you spoke with.
- If you can identify the original retailer purchase that triggered enrollment, the date and retailer name. That helps show you didn’t knowingly sign up for a separate subscription.
The more of this you hand the bank at the start, the less back-and-forth the investigation takes.
Keeping It From Happening Again
This enrollment model relies on a moment of inattention at online checkout. After you complete a purchase, a pop-up or interstitial offers a discount or rebate that looks like part of the retailer’s own flow. It isn’t. Any post-purchase screen that asks you to agree to something extra, confirm your email or billing information a second time, or accept a “bonus” you didn’t go looking for is a separate transaction. Read it fully before clicking.
Reviewing your bank and credit card statements every month catches charges like this before the dispute deadlines close. Using a credit card rather than a debit card for online purchases also gives you the 60-day Fair Credit Billing Act window instead of the compressed EFTA timeline that can leave you liable for hundreds of dollars.