An “SC Global” charge on your bank statement almost always comes from one of two places: a StarTimes streaming subscription, which is billed under the corporate name Star China Global Limited, or a transaction run through Standard Chartered Bank, which abbreviates itself “SC” across its international operations. Neither company puts “SC Global” on its consumer-facing products, which is why the line item looks foreign even when the underlying charge is one you agreed to. A few minutes of checking will usually tell you which one it is.
Figuring Out Which One Is Yours
Start with the amount and the pattern. StarTimes subscriptions are small and recurring, typically between roughly $5 and $30, and they hit on the same date each month. Standard Chartered activity looks different: one-off banking fees, international transfer charges, or account maintenance costs, with amounts that vary.
Next, search your email, including the spam folder, for messages from StarTimes, Star China Global, or Standard Chartered. Welcome emails, payment receipts, and renewal notices almost always exist somewhere, and they usually carry an account or subscription number you can line up against the bank entry.
If nothing turns up by email, check your app store. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. On Android, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, then Payments & Subscriptions. A StarTimes ON subscription purchased through either store will show the billing amount and renewal date, which is often enough to confirm the match.
Still no answer? Call the number on the back of your card and ask the bank for the full merchant descriptor, phone number, or reference ID attached to the transaction. Banks store more detail than what prints on the statement, and that extra data usually settles it.
Canceling a StarTimes Subscription
Where you cancel depends entirely on how you signed up. A subscription purchased through the Apple App Store has to be canceled inside your Apple account, not on the StarTimes website or app.1Apple. If You Want to Cancel a Subscription From Apple The same goes for Google Play: open the Play Store, go to Payments & Subscriptions, select StarTimes, and tap Cancel.2Apple. Subscriptions and Billing
Deleting the app does not stop the billing. The subscription agreement sits with the app store, not with the app on your phone, which is why people see charges keep arriving months after they thought they had canceled.
If you subscribed directly through the StarTimes website or a set-top box, log into your account on the StarTimes platform and look for subscription management or auto-renewal settings. Switch off auto-renewal and the service will expire at the end of the current billing cycle without another charge.
If You Never Signed Up for Anything
If the charge is genuinely unauthorized, the law you rely on depends on which card it hit.
Debit Cards
Debit card transactions fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Report an unauthorized charge within two business days of learning about it and your maximum liability is $50.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1693g – Consumer Liability for Unauthorized Transfers Miss that two-day window but report within 60 days of the statement date and your exposure rises to a maximum of $500.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation E – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers Wait longer than 60 days and you risk losing the entire amount, because the bank is no longer required to reimburse transfers that happened after that cutoff.
Once you report, the bank generally has 10 business days to investigate. It can take longer, up to 45 days, but then it has to provisionally credit your account within those first 10 business days so you aren’t out the money while it works.5eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.11 – Procedures for Resolving Errors
Credit Cards
Credit cards carry stronger protection. Under the Truth in Lending Act, your liability for unauthorized use of a credit card tops out at $50 regardless of when you report, and most major card issuers waive even that as a matter of policy.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1643 – Liability of Holder of Credit Card You still have a reporting deadline: 60 days from the date the statement containing the error was sent, to dispute the charge in writing.7Federal Trade Commission. Sample Letter for Disputing Credit and Debit Card Charges
Filing the Dispute
Call the customer service number on the back of your card first and tell them you see a charge you didn’t authorize. Note who you spoke with and when. Then follow up in writing to the billing inquiry address on your statement or the issuer’s website. Include your name, account number, the dollar amount and date of the disputed charge, and a short explanation of why it’s wrong.7Federal Trade Commission. Sample Letter for Disputing Credit and Debit Card Charges Send it by certified mail with a return receipt if you can, and keep copies.
You can also ask the bank to place a merchant block on the “SC Global” descriptor so future charges from that entity are refused. Some banks do this for free. Others charge a stop-payment fee that typically runs $20 to $35, which is worth it when a merchant keeps billing after cancellation.
Watch for Phishing Around the Charge
An unfamiliar charge often draws phishing texts and emails that pretend to be from your bank. A typical one reads something like “Suspicious SC Global charge detected — click here to verify your account,” and the link leads to a fake login page. Real banks send fraud alerts through their own app or from verified numbers and never ask for your full password or PIN through a text link.8Standard Chartered. Cyber Security and Fraud Safety If a message like this reaches you, ignore the link and call the number printed on your card.
Key Deadlines at a Glance
- 2 business days (debit cards): report within this window to cap your liability at $50.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1693g – Consumer Liability for Unauthorized Transfers
- 10 business days: the bank must finish investigating or provisionally credit your account while it keeps looking.5eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.11 – Procedures for Resolving Errors
- 60 days (debit and credit cards): the outer limit for reporting an error on your statement. Miss it and you may lose the right to recover the money.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation E – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
The 60-day clock starts when the bank sends or makes the statement available, not when you open it. Checking statements regularly is the simplest protection, because every day you wait after spotting something odd is a day closer to losing your dispute rights.