What is an AMAZON or AMZN MKTP Charge on Your Bank Statement?

If you’ve noticed a charge on your bank statement with descriptors like “AMAZON,” “AMZN,” “AMZN MKTP,” or similar, it generally indicates a transaction made with Amazon or one of its services. These charges can cover a wide range of purchases, subscriptions, or services offered by the e-commerce giant.

Common Amazon Charge Descriptors You Might See

Amazon charges can appear on your bank statement in various ways. Some of the most common descriptors include:

• AMZ*Prime Shipping Club amzn.com/bill
• AMAZON PRIME*A1B2C3D4E amzn.com/bill
• Amazon.com*PMT SVC 866-749-7545
• AMZ*(Company Name - e.g., Build, Age of Learning, ABC Mouse, etc.)
• amzn pmts (checkout)
• amzn.com/pmts, Kickstarter
• Amazon.com
• AMZN.COM/BILL
• Amazon Bookstore
• POS Amazon
• Amazon Merchandise
• AMAZON MKTPLACE PMTS
• AMZN Mktp US *A1B2C3D4E
• Amazon Digital Svcs amzn.com/bill (for MP3s, Kindle books, app downloads, video downloads, etc.)
• Video on Demand
• AmazonFresh amzn.com/fresh
• Amazon Retail LLC (for Amazon Books purchases)

Why Do These Charges Appear?

Most of the time, these charges are legitimate and can be attributed to:

• Purchases from Amazon.com: This is the most common reason, reflecting items you’ve bought from the website. Sometimes, an order might be split into multiple shipments, resulting in separate charges for each part as it ships.
• Amazon Prime Subscriptions: If you are an Amazon Prime member, you’ll see a recurring monthly or annual charge for your membership benefits.
• Digital Services: Charges can be for digital content such as Prime Video channel subscriptions, Kindle Unlimited, e-books, music downloads, app purchases, or software. These are often recurring monthly charges.
• Amazon Pay Transactions: If you’ve used Amazon Pay to make a purchase on a third-party website, the charge will appear on your statement. These order numbers typically begin with ‘P01’.
• Orders by Family or Friends: Someone with access to your payment card (like a family member) might have placed an order.
• Shipped Pre-orders or Back-orders: An item that was pre-ordered or on back-order might have recently shipped, triggering the charge.
• Gift Orders: A gift order you sent might have shipped.

What to Do If You Don’t Recognize an Amazon Charge

While most Amazon charges are valid, occasionally you might encounter one you don’t recognize. Here’s how to investigate:

1. Check Your Amazon Order History: The first step is to log in to your Amazon account and review “Your Orders” or “Your Transactions”. This section provides a detailed list of your recent purchases, including dates and amounts, which you can match against your bank statement.
2. Review Digital Subscriptions: For charges related to digital services, check “Your Digital Orders” in your Amazon account. This will show active subscriptions like Prime Video Channels, Kindle Unlimited, etc.
3. Examine Amazon Pay History: If you suspect an Amazon Pay transaction, log in to your Amazon Pay account to review your order history there.
4. Consider Bank Authorizations: Sometimes, what appears to be a charge is actually a temporary authorization hold from your bank. This often happens when an order is first placed or if an order was cancelled before shipping. These authorizations typically disappear from your statement after a few days.
5. Check with Family Members: If you share your Amazon account or payment methods with family members, ask if they made the purchase.

Steps for Suspected Unauthorized or Fraudulent Amazon Charges

If you’ve gone through the steps above and still can’t identify the charge, or if you strongly suspect it’s fraudulent:

1. Contact Amazon Customer Service Immediately: Amazon has a dedicated customer service team that can help you identify charges. You can reach them through the “Help” or “Customer Service” section of the Amazon website or app. They can investigate the transaction and assist if it’s unauthorized.
2. Report to Your Bank: If you cannot resolve the issue with Amazon or are certain the charge is fraudulent, contact your bank or credit card issuer without delay. Report the unauthorized transaction. They can guide you through the dispute process, which may include a chargeback, and will likely advise blocking your current card and issuing a new one to prevent further fraudulent activity.
3. Secure Your Amazon Account: If you suspect your Amazon account has been compromised, change your password immediately. It’s also highly recommended to enable Two-Step Verification on your Amazon account for an added layer of security. Review any payment methods and personal information linked to your account.

Wrapping up

An “AMAZON,” “AMZN,” or “AMZN MKTP” charge on your bank statement is usually for a legitimate purchase or service from Amazon. If you don’t recognize it, your first port of call should be your Amazon account’s order and transaction history. If the charge remains a mystery or appears fraudulent, promptly contact Amazon Customer Service, followed by your bank, and take steps to secure your account.