How to Get a Refund for Subscription Money Deducted via AutoPay

The SMS lands at 6 in the morning: ₹499 debited, for a subscription you were sure you had stopped months ago. The money is gone, the app shows nothing useful, and nobody tells you where to complain. There is a proper refund ladder for AutoPay deductions in India, and it works — if you climb it in order.

Step 1: Note three things from the SMS

Before you complain anywhere, open the notification and write down:

1. The merchant name, exactly as it appears.
2. The amount, with date and time.
3. The UPI mandate reference number and the transaction reference number.

Your post-transaction notification must carry all of this — merchant name, amount, date and time, transaction reference number, e-mandate reference number, the reason for the debit, and your bank's grievance redressal details. Screenshot it before it gets buried.

Step 2: The refund escalation ladder

1. Start in your UPI app. Open that exact transaction and go to Help → Report an issue. Say clearly whether the debit was unauthorised or the mandate was already revoked.
2. No resolution in about 3 days? Complain to your bank. Banks have a defined turnaround time to settle payment complaints.
3. Still stuck after 30 days? Escalate to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in, with your screenshots and both reference numbers.

Step 3: Ask the merchant directly, in parallel

Write to the merchant's support the same day. For a genuinely unused subscription, many merchants refund voluntarily. Give the date, the amount, and say plainly that you did not use the service.

Be realistic. A refund is likely where the debit was unauthorised, where the mandate was already revoked, or where the merchant's own refund policy covers it. If you simply forgot to cancel a valid subscription, the refund is at the merchant's discretion.

One important note

Getting a refund and stopping the next debit are two separate jobs. Revoke the mandate today, otherwise the same amount goes out next month while your complaint is still open.

Short FAQ

Will cancelling the mandate return my money? No — cancelling stops future debits; the refund needs a separate complaint.

Can the bank refuse? Yes, if you validly approved the mandate — that is when the merchant route matters more.

AutoPay money is recoverable more often than people assume, provided you move fast and keep your reference numbers. Complain in the app, then the bank, then the Ombudsman — and revoke the mandate while you wait.