Tool — identification
Decode a charge
paste & goCopy the full line from your statement — descriptor, date, amount, everything — and paste it below. Junk gets stripped, the code gets matched.
A lookup result is a clue to verify
Search uses the site’s local descriptor registry. Exact strings, aliases and approximate text can point to useful entries, but a match does not prove authorization or guarantee the merchant identity. Read the entry’s evidence status and claim notes. Legacy entries remain pending until their claim-level review is complete.
If nothing fits, compare the full bank text with your receipts and ask your issuer for additional transaction details. Do not choose the nearest brand merely because it appears first. Avoid sharing full card numbers, credentials or unredacted statements with a support service.
Official context: Toast’s statement-code guide documents TST* restaurant purchases. The CFPB’s credit billing-error procedure covers error reporting. Neither source verifies every entry in this registry.
How the matching works
- Common dates, card wrappers, and $ amounts are cleaned automatically — they only confuse the match.
- Wrapper words like PURCHASE, POS, DEBIT, PMT and network names are stripped the same way.
- Your cleaned search term is shown as cleaned: so you can see what was matched on.
- Aliases match too — ACHIVR VISB BILL PYMNT finds ACHMA VISB.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bank statement billing descriptor?
A billing descriptor is the short string of text (usually 20-25 characters) that appears on your bank statement to identify a transaction. It often includes an abbreviated merchant name, a processor prefix like SQ* or TST*, and sometimes a location or phone number.
Why does the merchant name look weird on my bank statement?
Many small businesses use third-party payment processors like Square, Toast, or PayPal. These processors prepend their own prefix (like SQ* or TST*) to the business name. Additionally, corporations often use their legal corporate name (e.g., 'DRI*' for Digital River) instead of their storefront brand name.
How can I identify an unknown charge on my credit card?
Start by looking for phone numbers or URLs in the descriptor text. Next, check if the charge amount matches any recent receipts or auto-renewals. If you still can't identify it, use a descriptor lookup to find candidate interpretations, then inspect the evidence status and compare your account records.
What do prefixes like SQ*, TST*, or PAYPAL* mean on a bank statement?
These prefixes indicate that the business used a third-party payment aggregator to process your card. 'SQ*' stands for Square, 'TST*' for Toast, and 'PAYPAL*' for PayPal. The real business name usually follows the asterisk.
Why is there a charge from a city or state I didn't visit?
The location on a billing descriptor often reflects the merchant's corporate headquarters, payment processing center, or the server location of an online store, rather than the physical location where you made the purchase.
Can a pending charge have a different name than the final posted charge?
Yes. When a charge is pending, it often shows a temporary or generic descriptor provided by the payment gateway. Once the transaction fully clears (posts) a few days later, the text usually updates to the final, more recognizable merchant name.
What does 'POS Debit' mean on a statement line?
POS stands for Point of Sale. 'POS Debit' simply means you used your debit card to make a purchase at a physical terminal or online checkout, rather than doing an ATM withdrawal or ACH transfer.
How do I stop a recurring charge from an unknown merchant?
Confirm the actual account and its official cancellation process before changing a recurring payment. Report an unauthorized transaction promptly to your issuer and ask which safeguards apply. Replacing a card alone may not stop a subscription.
Paste-anything happens in your browser — nothing is stored or sent anywhere. If no match appears, try browsing the full ledger or ask us to decode it.