A charge labeled “petco.com 6989” on your credit or debit card statement is a transaction run through Petco’s online store at petco.com. The four-digit suffix is an internal store, location, or transaction reference number used by Petco’s payment system, not a separate merchant. In most cases the charge traces back to an online purchase, a recurring subscription such as Repeat Delivery (Autoship) or Vital Care Premier, or, less often, an unauthorized transaction.
Recurring Subscriptions That Bill as Petco.com
Petco runs two subscription programs that post recurring charges under the petco.com descriptor. Either can surprise a customer who forgot they enrolled or didn’t realize the billing cycle had renewed.
Repeat Delivery, also called Autoship, ships pet food, litter, medications, and other supplies on a schedule you set. Petco places a temporary hold on your payment method when an order is created; the actual charge posts once the order ships. Subsequent orders come with a five percent discount off the current online price. You can skip, reschedule, or cancel through “My Account” on petco.com, but a cancellation submitted after an order has already been processed will not stop that order from shipping and being charged.1Petco. Autoship & Repeat Delivery
Vital Care Premier is Petco’s paid membership. It costs $19.99 per month for a dog or cat and $9.99 per month for a companion animal such as a bird, fish, reptile, or small pet. Enrollment carries an annual commitment, so monthly charges continue for a full year after you sign up. A separate free tier, Vital Care Core, does not generate charges.2Petco. Petco Unifies Customer Memberships Under Vital Care Program
How To Stop Further Charges
For either program, log in at petco.com, open “My Account,” and find the active subscription. Repeat Delivery orders can be canceled, skipped, or rescheduled from there. Vital Care Premier memberships can also be managed through the Petco app.3Petco. Autoship & Repeat Delivery If you no longer have account access or can’t locate the subscription online, call Petco customer service at (844) 300-2655.4Petco. Petco Perks
If You Didn’t Authorize the Charge
If no one in your household made a Petco purchase and no active subscription exists, the charge may be fraudulent. That possibility is worth taking seriously in light of a Petco data breach disclosed in late 2025. The company reported that an inadvertent software setting had made certain customer files accessible online starting around July 7, 2025, in some cases including Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and credit or debit card numbers.5PYMNTS. Petco Files Data Breach Reports and Blames Inadvertent Software Setting Petco filed breach notifications in California, Massachusetts, and Texas in early December 2025.6TechCrunch. Petco Confirms Security Lapse Exposed Customers Personal Data The company has offered affected individuals a complimentary year of credit and identity-theft monitoring through Epiq’s Privacy Solutions ID service, which includes up to $1,000,000 in unauthorized-transfer reimbursement and identity-theft expense coverage.7Montana Department of Justice. Consumer Notification Letter
If you suspect fraud, take these steps:
- Contact your card issuer and report the charge as unauthorized. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability for unauthorized credit card charges is capped at $50 if written notice reaches the issuer within 60 days of the statement containing the charge. The issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days, and cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent while the investigation is open.8Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
- Contact Petco at (844) 300-2655 to check whether an account exists in your name, or call the dedicated breach-related line at (855) 720-3172 if you think the charge is connected to the data exposure.7Montana Department of Justice. Consumer Notification Letter
- Report identity theft to the FTC at identitytheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338, and consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze with Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. Contacting one bureau about a fraud alert automatically notifies the other two.7Montana Department of Justice. Consumer Notification Letter
Debit Card Disputes Follow Different Rules
If the charge appeared on a debit card, the dispute process is not the same. Debit transactions fall under Regulation E of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which covers unauthorized electronic transfers and errors such as duplicate charges or incorrect amounts, but generally does not cover disputes over the quality of goods or services.9Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Credit and Debit Card Issuers Obligations When Consumers Dispute Transactions Contact your bank directly with the transaction details. The sooner you report, the lower your potential liability for any unauthorized use.