Bank statement charge
What is the CLEVERBRIDGE charge on my bank statement?
Who charged you
Cleverbridge sells software for other companies
CLEVERBRIDGE or CBI* on a statement is Cleverbridge, a German company that sells software for other companies as the legal seller, for brands such as Malwarebytes and WinZip. The charge is usually a new software license or the automatic renewal of a subscription, often for antivirus, a PC utility or Mac software.
How it can show on a statement
CLEVERBRIDGECBI*[PRODUCT OR COMPANY NAME]CBI*MALWAREBYTESCBI*CLEVERBRIDGE INC
2 more ways it shows
WWW.CLEVERBRIDGE.NETCBI*PARALLELS
Find out what it was
- 1
Search your inbox, spam and junk folders for Cleverbridge and for the exact amount: Cleverbridge sends a confirmation email for every charge that names the product and the order.
- 2
Read the word after CBI* on the statement line: it is usually the software brand, such as MALWAREBYTES or PARALLELS.
- 3
Open the account or license page in the antivirus, cleaner, backup and Mac or PC tools you use, and look for a renewal on the same date.
- 4
Search older or work email addresses too: the receipt goes to the email address on the order, which may be an old one you no longer read.
- 5
Ask others who can use your card or PayPal whether they bought software on that date.
- 6
Still a charge you did not agree to? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Cleverbridge, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
Not in any of your accounts? If nobody in your household made it, someone else may have used your card details. Your card issuer can stop the card, so the charges do not continue.
Why does it say “CLEVERBRIDGE”?
Cleverbridge is the merchant of record for the software makers it works with: it is the legal seller, takes the payment and sends the receipt. That is why its name is on the statement and not the brand you bought. Card lines usually start with CBI*, Cleverbridge's short prefix, followed by the product or company name, as in CBI*MALWAREBYTES. Some lines show only CBI*CLEVERBRIDGE INC or WWW.CLEVERBRIDGE.NET, with no product at all.
Cleverbridge has companies in Cologne, Germany (Cleverbridge GmbH), Chicago (Cleverbridge Inc.) and Birmingham in the UK (Cleverbridge Ltd.). The receipt names the one that sold to you: a US order usually goes through Cleverbridge, Inc. in Chicago, and an order from outside the US often through Cleverbridge GmbH in Cologne.
Why you might see this charge
- A yearly or monthly renewal of antivirus, PC cleaner, backup or other software you bought on the maker's website.
- A new license or upgrade, for example for Malwarebytes or WinZip.
- A purchase by a family member or someone else allowed to use your card or PayPal.
- Sales tax or VAT added at checkout, so the amount is higher than the price shown on the product's site.
Is CLEVERBRIDGE legit?
Yes. Cleverbridge is a real ecommerce company with offices in Cologne, Chicago and Birmingham, and software makers such as Malwarebytes and WinZip name it as the company that takes their payments. A CBI* or Cleverbridge line is normally a genuine purchase or renewal, even when the renewal comes as a surprise.
Fake renewal emails that borrow antivirus and software brand names do circulate and push people toward a link or a number. An email is not proof of a charge: match the line with your own statement, the receipts in your inbox and the software accounts you hold.
Other charges people look up
| On your statement | Who charged you | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| MSBILL.INFO | Microsoft | MSBILL.INFO is Microsoft's billing label for purchases and subscriptions on a Microsoft account. |
| LARGE DIGITAL GOODS MERCHANT | Very large digital stores (Apple, Microsoft and others) | LARGE DIGITAL GOODS MERCHANT is a card network category, not a company: some banking apps show it for purchases from… |
| 2CO.COM | 2Checkout | 2CO.COM is 2Checkout, a company that sells software and subscriptions on behalf of thousands of brands, including many… |
| PAYPRO GLOBAL | PayPro Global | PAYPRO GLOBAL is PayPro Global, a Toronto company that sells software, apps and subscriptions on behalf of software… |
| STEAM PURCHASE | Steam | WL *STEAM PURCHASE or STEAM PURCHASE is Steam, the PC game store run by Valve. |
| SOLIDGATE | Solidgate | SOLIDGATE, SOLIDGATE LLC or SOLIDGATE.COM means you paid an online business, often an app or subscription service… |
| FACEBK* | FACEBK* is Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram. | |
| ADOBE INC | Adobe | ADOBE INC is Adobe, the maker of Acrobat, Photoshop, Lightroom and Creative Cloud, sold mostly as subscriptions. |
Questions about CLEVERBRIDGE
What is Cleverbridge Inc?
Cleverbridge Inc. is the Chicago company of Cleverbridge, which sells software, apps and online services for other companies as the legal seller. A charge under that name is a purchase or renewal from one of those companies, and the Cleverbridge receipt names the product.
What does CBI* mean on my bank statement?
CBI* is the short prefix Cleverbridge puts in front of the product or company name on card statements, as in CBI*MALWAREBYTES or CBI*CLEVERBRIDGE INC. The word after the star is the best clue to what was bought.
What companies use Cleverbridge?
Many software makers sell through Cleverbridge. Malwarebytes and WinZip name it on their own billing pages, and people also report Parallels Desktop and CCleaner renewals under a CBI* or Cleverbridge line.
Why is there a Cleverbridge charge in my PayPal account?
If you paid with PayPal at a checkout that Cleverbridge runs for a software maker, PayPal shows Cleverbridge as the seller instead of the brand. The Cleverbridge confirmation email with the same amount names the product.
What if I did not agree to a Cleverbridge charge?
File a complaint on Complain.biz. We write it with you and send it to Cleverbridge, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
Based on
- What is this charge from Cleverbridge on my card, bank statement, or PayPal account? (Cleverbridge Support)
- Malwarebytes credit card charges explained: CBI*MALWAREBYTES and www.cleverbridge.net (Malwarebytes)
- Legal info: Cleverbridge GmbH, Cleverbridge Inc. and Cleverbridge Ltd. (Cleverbridge)
- About Cleverbridge: US orders processed by Cleverbridge, Inc., other orders by Cleverbridge GmbH (X-Ways Software)
- Cleverbridge order confirmation: the charge appears as CBI*CLEVERBRIDGE INC. (University of Utah copy)
- What is this charge on my credit or debit card? (WinZip Support)
- Unauthorized renewal: charge shows as CBI*Parallels (Parallels Forum)
- A CCleaner subscription charged by Cleverbridge (CCleaner Community)