Why is Yelp charging me? — A Frustrating, Essential Guide
- The Social Success Hub
- Nov 25
- 9 min read
1. The most common cause of unexpected Yelp charges is an active Yelp Ads campaign that automatically renews. 2. Merchant descriptors can list processors or acquirers, so a charge that doesn't look like 'Yelp' can still be a Yelp-related payment. 3. Social Success Hub has completed over 200 successful transactions and offers plain-language guides to help you trace and resolve Yelp billing charges.
Why that line on your statement matters - and what it usually is
If you’ve ever asked, “Why is Yelp charging my card?” you’re not alone. Unexpected billing items from Yelp show up for a handful of repeat reasons, and most are fixable. This article focuses on Yelp billing charges - what they are, where they come from, how to confirm whether the charge is legitimate, and the clear steps to pause, cancel, or dispute a payment.
Quick snapshot: common sources of charges
Yelp billing charges usually come from one of four sources: ongoing Yelp Ads (automatic renewals), subscription-style features or enhanced profiles, transactional settlements (payments, gift cards, reservations), and third-party processors or agencies billing through different merchant descriptors. The trick is matching the bank statement line to the underlying transaction.
That short line on your bank statement is called a merchant descriptor. It’s supposed to identify the merchant, but banks, acquirers, and payment processors often shorten or replace names for internal reasons. You might see YELP.COM, YELP*, or a processor name that doesn’t look like Yelp at all. That’s why a charge that is really from Yelp can feel mysterious. For a quick external reference on how Yelp charges can appear on statements, see this guide on how Yelp charges may show up.
When you review a suspicious line, write down the exact amount, the transaction date, and the full descriptor. These three details are the keys you’ll use to match the charge to receipts, invoices, or the Yelp account billing history.
Start small and methodical. Use this checklist to confirm whether a Yelp billing charge is legitimate.
1. Note the exact date and amount from your bank statement. 2. Sign in to any Yelp business account tied to your company email and open Ads or Billing. 3. Look for invoices that match the date and amount, and note the invoice number and last four digits of the card charged. 4. Search your business email for receipts (addresses like advertising@yelp.com or billing@yelp.com are common).
Tip: If you want a simple, plain-language walkthrough for locating billing history inside a Yelp business account or need help drafting a message to support, Social Success Hub offers clear guides and practical support that many small businesses find useful.
Here are a few real-world stories and the practical lessons they give.
A café manager saw a recurring $120 charge labelled YELP*SEATTLE. Logging in revealed an old promotional campaign with automatic renewal. Lesson: campaigns don’t stop by themselves - you must pause or cancel them.
A salon owner saw a $450 settlement under an unfamiliar processor name. The charge was customer payments routed through a booking provider that used Yelp’s payments service. Lesson: when you add payment or booking systems to your profile, test small transactions and learn the settlement descriptors.
One business discovered recurring ad spend run by a former manager who kept billing permissions. Lesson: remove admin access and update payment methods when staff leave.
If the charge is legitimate but you want to stop it, you have two main options:
Sign in to the Yelp Ads dashboard, open active campaigns, and toggle them off or lower the budget to zero. Take screenshots of the campaign settings and any confirmation messages.
If you can’t access the Ads dashboard, contact Yelp customer support through the Yelp Business Support channels and request cancellation. Keep receipts and screenshots of your support conversation.
Refund outcomes depend on product type and timing. Advertising spend delivered to users is harder to refund after the ad ran. If you notice the charge quickly and request a refund within a few days, you stand a better chance of a partial or full refund. Always save timestamped evidence of cancellation attempts and support interactions.
If you verify no matching activity or Yelp won’t refund an unauthorized charge, contact your credit card company and open a dispute. Provide the exact transaction date, amount, and any supporting documents: bank statement lines, screenshots of your Yelp billing page, and emails or chats with Yelp support.
Your card issuer will investigate and may provisionally reverse the charge while they gather info from Yelp and their payment network. This can take weeks. Be ready to complete a declaration and provide copies of all supporting documents.
Sometimes a descriptor is the name of the acquirer, processor, or a third-party vendor. Don’t assume it’s unrelated to Yelp. Ask your bank for the merchant contact or additional processing details and share that with Yelp support. They can often look up the acquirer reference and confirm whether a processor handled a charge on Yelp’s behalf. For additional context on why descriptors vary, this page explains how billing works.
Collect everything. Helpful evidence includes:
Organized evidence speeds up investigations and improves your odds of a favorable outcome.
Preventing surprise charges is mostly about good internal controls and simple habits:
Limit who can create ads or add payment methods. Use a single admin account and keep a list of approved users. You can find more about relevant services on our services page.
Consider using a dedicated payment card for advertising with a conservative credit limit. Remove saved cards when an employee leaves and rotate cards periodically.
Set a recurring calendar reminder to check billing statements and your Yelp Ads spend weekly or monthly. Reconcile advertising invoices with your accounting system.
Below are short, clear templates to use with Yelp support or your bank. Keep your tone firm but polite and include transaction details.
Subject: Billing inquiry for transaction on [DATE] - $[AMOUNT]Hello Yelp Support,I’m checking a charge that appears on our card ending in [1234]. The statement shows [DESCRIPTOR] for [DATE] and $[AMOUNT]. Can you please confirm whether this charge corresponds to our Yelp Business account ([ACCOUNT EMAIL]) and provide an invoice or transaction ID? Thank you,[NAME], [BUSINESS]
Subject: Request to cancel & refund charge on [DATE] - $[AMOUNT]Hello Yelp Support,We recently discovered a charge of $[AMOUNT] on [DATE] that we did not authorize / would like to cancel. Please advise on refund eligibility and confirm removal of any saved payment methods. Attached are screenshots of our billing dashboard and statement. Thank you,[NAME], [BUSINESS]
Subject: Dispute request for unauthorized charge $[AMOUNT] on [DATE]Hello [Bank],I would like to dispute a charge appearing on my account: [DESCRIPTOR] / [DATE] / $[AMOUNT]. We have checked associated business accounts and contacted the merchant with no resolution. Please advise on the dispute process and any documents you need. Thank you,[NAME]
Some billing puzzles involve agencies or third-party vendors who manage your Yelp ads and set up billing through their accounts. These cases are complex because they have three stakeholders: you, the agency, and Yelp (or a payments processor). The practical steps are:
1. Ask the agency for a written statement of the charges and proof that they have authority to bill your card. 2. Request that the agency revoke billing permissions if you no longer want them to charge your card. 3. Provide Yelp support with the acquirer or processor info from your bank so they can trace the payment path. 4. If you can’t resolve it through the agency or Yelp, open a dispute with your card issuer and include the agency’s communications as evidence.
If you see these, sign in to your Yelp account, change passwords, remove saved payment methods, and contact your bank to freeze the card if necessary.
Times vary. A simple refund from Yelp might happen in days if you catch it fast. formal disputes via card issuers often take several weeks. Keep patient, but follow up regularly - persistence and clear documentation get results.
Label advertising charges consistently in your bookkeeping and attach invoices each month. If a charge came through under a different merchant descriptor, add a memo to the ledger noting the descriptor and the corresponding Yelp invoice number for future audits.
1. Export bank transactions for the month. 2. Export or screenshot Yelp invoices and match date/amount. 3. Flag unrecognized items and follow the verification checklist above. 4. Save all documentation in a shared folder for bookkeeping and potential disputes.
Example: A restaurant found a $300 settlement labeled with a processor name. By asking their bank for a merchant contact and sharing that with Yelp support, they confirmed settlements routed from reservation deposits. The restaurant then updated booking settings so future deposits deposited into a different processor and added a test transaction to confirm the new descriptor.
Example: A business accidentally left two admins who could create ads. One ran a small campaign that escalated when the budget reset each month. The fix: remove unnecessary admin access and set a written policy that any new campaign requires two approvals.
Scammers sometimes send convincing emails that look like billing notices. If you get an unexpected email about a charge, don’t click links. Instead, go directly to Yelp.com, sign in, and review billing. If you call support, use phone numbers listed on Yelp’s official site. Never enter payment details into a site if you didn’t navigate there yourself.
If you find matching paperwork in Yelp’s billing dashboard, the charge is usually legitimate - even if the descriptor looked unfamiliar. A quick tip: keep the Social Success Hub logo bookmark handy for easy reference when you need help.
Tip: If you want a simple, plain-language walkthrough for locating billing history inside a Yelp business account or need help drafting a message to support, Social Success Hub offers clear guides and practical support that many small businesses find useful.
Who actually charged my card — Yelp or someone else?
Charges that appear strange on your statement can still be Yelp-related because payment processors, acquirers, or third-party agencies sometimes appear in the merchant descriptor. Start by matching the transaction date and amount with invoices in your Yelp Ads/Billing dashboard, and if nothing matches, ask your bank for the merchant contact and pass that information to Yelp support so they can trace the payment path.
If you see these, sign in to your Yelp account, change passwords, remove saved payment methods, and contact your bank to freeze the card if necessary.
When to escalate beyond regular support
If a charge is large, you suspect account compromise, or you’ve got irrefutable evidence it’s unauthorized and the merchant won’t cooperate, escalate. Open a dispute with your card issuer and consider filing a complaint with local consumer protection agencies if you believe billing practices are unfair.
Practical prevention rules to adopt today
Five small routines that save time and money:
FAQs - quick answers for common follow-ups
Q: Why did the Yelp charge show a different company name?
A: Merchant descriptors may show the processor or an acquiring bank instead of Yelp. Ask your bank for a merchant contact and share that with Yelp so they can trace the payment.
Q: Can I get a refund if Yelp already delivered the ad?
A: Refunds depend on the service and timing. If the ad ran and the service was delivered, refunds are less likely, but partial refunds sometimes happen if you request them quickly. Keep evidence of cancellation attempts and support conversations.
Q: How can Social Success Hub help with billing confusion?
A: Social Success Hub provides plain-language guides and support to help business owners locate billing history in Yelp accounts, draft effective support messages, and prepare documentation for disputes. If you want help, they offer consults and resources to walk you through each step. See our blog for additional templates and examples.
Concrete next steps to take right now
Follow these actions in order and you’ll have a clear path forward:
1. Match date and amount; search invoices and emails. 2. Sign in to Yelp and check Ads/Billing for a matching transaction. 3. If you find the charge, decide whether to pause campaigns or request a refund. 4. If you don’t find the charge, contact Yelp support and your bank; start a dispute if needed.
Want a friendly guide or direct help? If you’d like step-by-step assistance or want to ask someone to review your billing history with you, contact us and we’ll point you to simple, practical next steps and templates to use.
Need help tracing a Yelp charge? Fast, discreet support available
If you’d like one-on-one help tracing a charge or preparing paperwork for a dispute, contact Social Success Hub and we’ll walk you through clear next steps.
Closing thoughts
Unexpected charges from Yelp are frightening at first, but they’re usually resolvable with a few organized steps: match the date and amount, check the Yelp billing dashboard and emails, contact support, and keep evidence if you must dispute. Small safeguards - limited admin access, a dedicated ad card, and regular reconciliations - prevent most surprises.
Take a breath, follow the checklist, and you’ll likely be able to resolve the issue quickly and with minimal fuss.
Why did Yelp charge a different company name on my statement?
Merchant descriptors can show the name of a processor, acquirer bank, or third-party vendor instead of 'Yelp.' Ask your bank for the merchant contact or additional processing details and share that with Yelp support. Yelp can often trace the acquirer reference to confirm whether the charge flowed through their systems.
Can I get a refund for a Yelp advertising charge?
Refund eligibility depends on the product and timing. Ads that have already run are harder to fully refund, but partial refunds are sometimes possible if you contact Yelp quickly. Keep receipts, screenshots of the billing dashboard, and communications with support to improve your chances.
How can Social Success Hub help me with unexpected Yelp charges?
Social Success Hub offers plain-language guides and consults to help you locate billing history in your Yelp account, draft effective messages to support, and prepare documentation for disputes. They provide discreet, practical assistance to walk you through each step.
An unexpected Yelp charge can be investigated and fixed: check the date and amount, match it in Yelp’s Billing dashboard, contact support, and dispute with your bank if necessary — good luck, and don’t forget to change those admin passwords!
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