A charge reading “GRC*PROACTIV SOLUTION” on your bank or credit card statement is a payment for a Proactiv acne skin-care subscription. The “GRC” prefix is a legacy merchant code for Guthy-Renker, the direct-marketing company that originally sold Proactiv, and it still appears on statements even though the brand has changed hands. If you don’t remember agreeing to a recurring charge, the reason is almost always Proactiv’s auto-renewal subscription, which bills each shipment in three monthly installments.
How the Charge Shows Up on Your Statement
Proactiv payments appear under more than a dozen truncated descriptors depending on the card network and product. Common versions include:
- GRC*PROACTIV SOLUTION 8002420364 CA
- GRC*PROACTIV SOLUTION2 800-2420364 CA
- GRC*PROACTIV SOL800-2420364 CA
- TPC*PROACTIV 800-2356050 CA
- TPC*PROACTIV.COM
- PROACTIV.COM
The “GRC” lines embed the number 800-242-0364; the “TPC” lines embed 800-235-6050. Both route to Proactiv customer service. The mix of abbreviations, phone numbers, and state codes is why many people initially flag the charge as fraud when it is actually a subscription payment.1StellarFi. Simple Steps to Cancel Your Proactiv Subscription2Emma. Who Charged Me: Proactiv
Why the Same Charge Keeps Coming Back
Each Proactiv shipment is roughly a 90-day supply, but the company doesn’t bill the full price at once. It splits the order into three equal monthly installments. A single $91.62 order can show up as three separate charges of about $25, spaced a month apart, with tax and shipping added to the first one.3Better Business Bureau. Proactiv BBB Complaints
Two consequences follow. First, even after you cancel, any remaining installments from a shipment that already went out will still hit your card. Second, Proactiv’s terms authorize the company to charge an alternate payment method on file if your primary card fails, and that authorization stays active unless you revoke it at least three business days before the next scheduled payment.4Proactiv. Terms of Service
How to Cancel the Subscription
Proactiv does not offer a self-service cancellation button on its website. You have to call Customer Care at 1-800-309-4796 or use the live chat feature after logging in, available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.5Proactiv. Contact Us A separate line, 888-499-8951, handles refund and return questions.6Proactiv. Refund Policy
When you call, ask for a cancellation confirmation number or an email confirmation. Keep it. If Proactiv later says it has no record of the call, that confirmation is what you’ll show your bank.
Getting a Refund From Proactiv
Proactiv advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee. You can return products within 60 days of receipt, even empty containers, for a full refund of the purchase price. Shipping and handling are not refunded. Send returns to:
Proactiv, 2225 W Cheyenne Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89032
Include the original invoice or, at minimum, your name and shipping address. Refunds are processed within one to two billing cycles after the return arrives.7Proactiv. FAQs
Before assuming a post-cancellation charge is an error, check whether it matches a remaining installment on a shipment you already received. If it does, the charge is contractually valid even though the subscription is closed. If it doesn’t, or if Proactiv refuses to refund it, take the dispute to your bank.
Disputing the Charge With Your Card Issuer
If you paid with a credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act lets you dispute a billing error in writing to the card issuer’s billing-inquiry address within 60 days of the statement that shows the charge. The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days. While the investigation is open, the issuer cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent or try to collect it. Federal law also caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50.8Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends contacting the seller first and asking for a chargeback from your card issuer only if that fails. If the issuer doesn’t resolve the dispute to your satisfaction, you can file a complaint with the CFPB at (855) 411-2372 or through its website.9Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Can I Get a Refund on a Product or Service I Purchased With My Credit Card
If you paid with a debit card, contact your bank right away, but understand that debit dispute rights are more limited than the credit card protections above.
If You’ve Received a Collections Notice
When an installment fails to process and Proactiv can’t charge an alternate card, the balance can be sent to a collection agency called Credit Collection Services (CCS). Customers have reported receiving CCS emails or texts months after they believed their accounts were closed.3Better Business Bureau. Proactiv BBB Complaints
In its Better Business Bureau responses, Proactiv has stated that neither the company nor its collections partner reports these balances to the credit bureaus, so the notices should not affect your credit score. Proactiv has also cleared outstanding balances in individual cases “as a gesture of goodwill.” If you receive a CCS notice for a subscription you canceled, contact Proactiv directly with any cancellation confirmation you kept and ask for the balance to be cleared.3Better Business Bureau. Proactiv BBB Complaints
Your Rights Under Auto-Renewal Laws
California’s Automatic Renewal Law (Business and Professions Code §§ 17600–17606) requires companies to clearly disclose renewal terms before charging you, get your affirmative consent, provide the agreement and cancellation instructions, and offer an easy cancellation method such as a toll-free number or email. If a company fails to obtain proper consent, any products shipped under the auto-renewal agreement are treated as an “unconditional gift” that you may keep with no obligation to pay.10Justia. California Business and Professions Code Sections 17600-17606
At the federal level, the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) prohibits charging you through a negative-option feature unless the seller clearly discloses all material terms, obtains your express informed consent, and provides a simple way to stop recurring charges. ROSCA is enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general.11U.S. Congress. Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act
The FTC’s “click-to-cancel” rule, finalized in October 2024, would have required companies to make cancellation as easy as sign-up, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated it in July 2025 on procedural grounds. As of early 2026, the FTC has begun a new rulemaking to re-establish similar requirements. In the meantime, ROSCA, the FTC Act’s general prohibition on unfair or deceptive practices, and state auto-renewal laws still apply.12Federal Trade Commission. Negative Option Rule
If you believe Proactiv’s billing practices violated any of these rules, you can report the company to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or contact your state attorney general’s office.13Federal Trade Commission. Tried to Cancel a Service and Couldn’t? Learn Steps to Take