How do I ensure Facebook Ads doesn't auto-charge my VCC when my campaign ends?

To ensure that Facebook Ads doesn't auto-charge your Virtual Credit Card (VCC) when your campaign ends, you'll need to manage a few key settings and understand how Facebook's payment system works for ongoing or recurring charges. Here's how to control the process and avoid unexpected charges:

Steps to Avoid Auto-Charging Your VCC After Campaign Ends:
1. Disable Automatic Billing (if possible)
Facebook Ads typically bills based on spending thresholds (e.g., when you reach a certain amount of spending or after a set period). To avoid automatic charges, you can disable automatic billing if you don't want Facebook to charge your VCC without your consent.

How to do this:

Go to Facebook Ads Manager.

Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner and select "Billing".

Look for "Payment Settings" and check if there's an option to disable auto-billing.

If available, turn off automatic payments. Note that this may only apply to some campaigns, depending on your account's billing structure.

2. Switch to a Manual Payment Method
Instead of using a VCC with automatic charging, you can switch to manual payments where you control when and how much to load onto your Facebook Ads account.

How to switch:

Go to Billing Settings in Facebook Ads.

Under the payment settings, you can choose the "Prepay" option, which allows you to load a specific amount onto your account when needed. With this setup, Facebook will only charge your VCC once you've added funds manually.

This avoids automatic charges after campaigns end and gives you more control over spending.

3. Set a Campaign Budget Cap
Set a daily budget or a lifetime budget for each campaign to ensure that Facebook doesn't overspend or continue running ads after your campaign ends.

How to do this:

During campaign creation, specify a lifetime budget or daily budget.

Once the budget is reached, Facebook will stop the ads automatically, preventing any further charges from your VCC.

Ensure that the campaign end date is set accurately, and that you're not running campaigns indefinitely.

4. Monitor Your Spending Closely
Regularly check the spending in Ads Manager to ensure that you're not approaching the payment threshold, which could trigger an automatic charge.

How to do this:

Go to the Billing Section in Facebook Ads Manager and monitor your current balance and spending limits.

If you notice your VCC is about to be charged, you can manually stop the campaign or adjust the budget to prevent any further spending.

5. Turn Off or Pause Active Campaigns
If your campaign ends but you haven't disabled auto-charging or switched to a manual payment method, make sure you pause or turn off any active campaigns to prevent Facebook from continuing to run ads and automatically charging your VCC.

How to do this:

In Facebook Ads Manager, go to the Campaigns tab.

Find any active campaigns that you no longer want running and click the Pause button next to the campaign name.

Alternatively, you can delete the campaign entirely to avoid any further charges.

6. Remove Your VCC from Facebook Ads (if you no longer wish to use it)
If you want to completely stop Facebook from charging your VCC, you can remove it as a payment method.

How to do this:

Go to Facebook Ads Manager.

Click on "Billing" or "Payment Settings".

Under Payment Methods, select "Remove" next to your VCC.

This will ensure that Facebook can no longer charge your VCC.

Additional Tips to Avoid Auto-Charging:
Set Up Email Notifications for Billing:
Ensure that you're signed up for email notifications about billing activity. This way, you'll be notified if a payment is attempted or if your account balance is approaching the threshold for auto-charging.

Keep Track of Your Spending:
Regularly review your spending summary in Facebook Ads Manager, especially when using a VCC, to ensure you're aware of any charges before they happen.

Check for Recurring Ads:
Be aware of recurring or evergreen campaigns that Facebook might keep running unless you stop them manually. This could trigger additional charges on your VCC.

Conclusion:
To avoid unexpected auto-charges on your VCC after your campaign ends, you should:

Switch to manual payments,

Set a clear budget and end date for each campaign,

Pause or remove active campaigns, and

Remove your VCC from Facebook Ads once the campaign is over if you no longer wish to use it.

By following these steps, you'll have greater control over your payments and prevent auto-charging on your VCC after your campaigns end.