Stop payment
An instruction telling your bank not to honor a specific check or preauthorized electronic payment before it clears. You generally must request it with enough lead time and identify the item (check number, amount, payee); banks usually charge a fee, and a stop-payment order is effective for a limited period before it must be renewed. It cancels one payment but does not, by itself, end your underlying obligation to the payee.
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How to stop payment on a check or ACH transaction
To stop payment on a check, tell your bank with the check number, date, amount, and payee; a written request generally holds for six months. To stop a scheduled ACH debit, notify the bank at least three business days before the transfer date. A fee usually applies, and it works only before the item clears.
How to stop an automatic ACH payment you authorized
To stop a recurring ACH payment you authorized, tell the company in writing that you revoke your permission to debit your account, and tell your bank too. Under Regulation E you can also order the bank to stop payment on the preauthorized transfer by notifying it at least three business days before the next debit.