What is the COSTCO* charge on my bank statement?

The COSTCO* charge is a payment processed by Costco Wholesale. It can represent an in-store purchase, an online order from Costco.com, an annual membership fee, or a purchase at a Costco gas station, pharmacy, or optical center.

Why does the charge say COSTCO* instead of just Costco?

The COSTCO* format — with an asterisk — is how Costco's transactions appear through payment processors. The asterisk is a standard truncation character and does not indicate anything unusual or fraudulent about the charge.

Can I get a refund on a COSTCO* charge?

Yes. Costco is known for its industry-leading return policy. You can return most items in-store at any Costco warehouse or initiate a return online at Costco.com, and the COSTCO* charge will be refunded to your original payment method.

How do I cancel my Costco membership to stop recurring charges?

You can cancel your Costco membership at any time by visiting the membership counter at any Costco warehouse or by calling 1-800-774-2678. Costco will refund your unused membership fee, and no further COSTCO* annual charges will occur.

How do I stop future unauthorized COSTCO* charges?

If you suspect unauthorized COSTCO* charges, contact Costco at 1-800-774-2678 to check for any accounts linked to your payment info, and contact your bank to dispute the charge and request a new card number.

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COSTCO* Charge (What It Is + Is It Legit?)

✓ Legitimate

The "COSTCO*" charge is from Costco. Costco warehouse purchase or membership.

🌍 US✅ Verified by 1 user🕐 7 min read📅 Updated May 22, 2026

Costco

Costco warehouse purchase or membership.

COSTCO*

Why does this charge appear?

When Costco processes payments through their point-of-sale systems at warehouse locations or through their membership billing platform, the transaction is submitted to card networks using a truncated identifier format, which is why your statement shows "COSTCO*" rather than the full company name. The asterisk following COSTCO is a standard delimiter used by their payment processing system to separate the merchant name from additional transaction details such as a warehouse location number or membership account reference, though these trailing details are sometimes stripped by your bank before the final statement is generated. If you recently made a purchase at a Costco warehouse or paid your annual membership fee, the COSTCO* charge is almost certainly legitimate and nothing to be concerned about.

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Your next steps

Identify the Costco purchase

Log into your Costco account at costco.com and review your recent order history or warehouse receipts to match the COSTCO* charge on your bank statement to a specific purchase or membership renewal.

Check your Costco membership status

Visit costco.com/account to confirm whether the COSTCO* charge corresponds to your annual membership renewal, as Costco automatically bills members each year and this is a common source of expected charges.

Review your Costco receipt or email confirmation

Check your email inbox for a Costco order confirmation or locate your in-warehouse receipt to verify the exact amount matches the COSTCO* charge shown on your bank statement.

Manage or cancel your Costco membership if needed

If you no longer wish to keep your Costco membership or have a recurring charge you did not intend to continue, visit costco.com/account to manage your membership settings or contact Costco member services directly to request a cancellation or refund.

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Legitimate or scam?

No, this is a legitimate charge from Costco. However, if you did not authorize this charge or cancelled your subscription, you may be eligible for a refund.

Is the COSTCO* Charge Legitimate or Fraud?

A COSTCO* charge on your bank or credit card statement is typically a legitimate transaction from Costco Wholesale, one of the largest membership-based warehouse retailers in the world. The asterisk in COSTCO* is a standard formatting convention used by payment processors and does not indicate anything suspicious. Common reasons you might see this charge include:

An in-warehouse purchase at a Costco location using your debit or credit card
An online order placed at Costco.com for delivery or pickup
An annual Costco membership renewal fee (Gold Star or Executive tier)
A Costco pharmacy, optical, or gas station purchase billed separately

How to Verify the COSTCO* Charge

1
Log into your Costco account
Visit Costco.com and sign in to review your order history and recent purchases. Match the charge amount and date to a specific transaction in your account.
2
Search your email for Costco receipts
Search your inbox for emails from Costco.com or noreply@costco.com. Costco sends order confirmation and receipt emails for online purchases that should match the COSTCO* charge amount.
3
Check if a household member shopped at Costco
Costco memberships allow additional cardholders. Ask family members or anyone sharing your Costco account if they made a recent in-store or online purchase that could explain the COSTCO* charge.
4
Review your Costco membership renewal date
Costco charges annual membership fees — $65 for Gold Star and $130 for Executive members. Check if the COSTCO* charge amount matches your membership tier's annual renewal fee.
5
Contact your bank for transaction details
If you still can't verify the COSTCO* charge, call your bank and request the full merchant descriptor and transaction date to help pinpoint whether the charge is from a Costco store, gas station, or online purchase.

How to Dispute a COSTCO* Charge

1
Act within 60 days of the charge
Most banks require disputes to be filed within 60 days of the COSTCO* charge appearing on your statement. Act quickly to preserve your right to a chargeback if the charge turns out to be unauthorized or incorrect.
2
Contact Costco Member Services first
Call Costco Member Services at 1-800-774-2678 or visit your local warehouse. Costco has a generous return and refund policy and may resolve billing errors or unauthorized COSTCO* charges faster than a bank dispute.
3
File a chargeback with your bank or card issuer
If Costco cannot resolve the issue, contact your bank or credit card issuer to formally dispute the COSTCO* charge. Provide any receipts, email confirmations, or communication with Costco to support your case.
4
Request a new card if fraud is suspected
If the COSTCO* charge appears to be fraudulent and you did not authorize it, ask your bank to cancel your current card and issue a replacement to prevent any further unauthorized charges.

Tips for Managing Costco Charges

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Set up bank alerts for any COSTCO* charge over a custom threshold to catch unexpected transactions immediately.

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Keep your Costco paper and digital receipts for 60 days to easily match any COSTCO* charge on your statement.

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Regularly review your Costco.com account to monitor all linked payment methods and authorized cardholders.

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Note your Costco membership renewal month so an annual COSTCO* fee charge never catches you off guard.

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Use a credit card for Costco purchases — credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards for COSTCO* charges.

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Use WhatIsThisCharge.net to identify related charges that may appear alongside COSTCO* on your statement.

ℹ️ Note

In most cases, a COSTCO* charge is completely legitimate — it simply reflects a recent purchase, membership renewal, or gas station visit at Costco Wholesale. If the amount matches a recent Costco trip or your annual membership fee, there is no cause for concern.