Is IC* INSTACART*159 on my credit card statement fraud?

November 18th, 2023

Have you checked your bank or credit card statement and come across a puzzling transaction called "IC* INSTACART*159"? In this blog post, we’ll break down what this charge is for, shed light on the company behind it, explore alternative transaction descriptions, and guide you through finding the corresponding receipts, so you can be sure this is a legitimate transaction and not fraud.

About IC* INSTACART*159

IC: Abbreviation for Instacart

*: Separator indicating the end of the company name and the start of the transaction details

INSTACART: Company name

*: Separator indicating the end of the company name and the start of the transaction amount or reference number

159: Transaction amount or reference number

About Instacart

Instacart is an online grocery delivery and pick-up service. They have been in business since 2012 and serve customers across the United States and Canada. Instacart partners with a variety of grocery retailers to provide a wide range of products, including fresh produce, household items, pantry staples, and pre-packaged foods. They also offer same-day delivery and have a mobile app for convenient ordering and tracking.

Other ways this charge from Instacart can appear

Instacart transactions on your credit card statement can appear in various ways, depending on the specific transaction and how it was processed. Here are some common descriptors you might see for Instacart charges:

It’s important to note that the exact descriptor on your credit card statement may vary, and these are just some common examples. If you ever have a question about a specific charge, you can usually find more details in your Amazon account’s order history or contact Amazon customer support for assistance. Additionally, always keep an eye on your credit card statements to ensure that all charges are legitimate.

How to Find Fraudulent Charges

We recommend you use a smart-tool like the app, SimplyWise!

It can be a lot of work to keep track of all the activity on your credit card/bank statement throughout the month, and apps like SimplyWise store and organize all your receipts and online transactions (including Amazon, Walmart, PayPal, and more!) to provide you with a complete and comprehensive view of your expenses as they occur.

Follow these simple steps to begin avoiding unauthorized charges and gaining better visibility into your spending:

Step 1

Download the SimplyWise app and connect your email account. SimplyWise will search through your emails and find all the receipts in your inbox. This allows you to understand what exactly you are paying for when you see a bank transaction on your statement.

Step 2

Connect to your bank account/credit card transactions through the secure (256 bit encryption) Reconciliation feature within the app.

Step 3

Reconcile the charges reported by your financial institution against what you’ve recorded in your SimplyWise account.

Find fraud quickly!

SimplyWise will match your transactions to your bank/credit card spending and check those items off.

If there are transactions reported by your bank that SimplyWise does not recognize, you’ll see those marked with an alert (!) icon. If after reviewing these charges, you still don’t recognize them, it’s time to call the bank!