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

Substack uses a truncated billing descriptor format because its payment infrastructure runs through Stripe, which often shortens merchant names and appends an asterisk to help categorize and distinguish transactions across its platform. When you subscribe to a newsletter on Substack, the charge processes under the descriptor "SUBSTACK*" rather than the full company name, which is a standard Stripe formatting convention applied to many subscription-based services. The asterisk itself signals a recurring subscription charge, so if you see this on your statement alongside a $5.00 monthly amount, it almost certainly corresponds to a paid Substack newsletter you signed up for.

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

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