# Issuing: Common questions about refunds

### What are Issuing refunds?
Refunds are transactions with `type` of `refund`.
When Stripe creates a transaction representing a refund or credit, we try to link it to the original authorization.
In some cases, like when a card has been credited rather than refunded, this isn’t possible. In these cases, the `authorization` field of the transaction is set to `null`, and the transaction will not be linked to the authorization.
### Why did I receive this Issuing refund?
Reach out to the merchant who you made the transaction with and who initiated the refund.
Stripe can't initiate Issuing refunds--the merchant must do it. The merchant does not inform Stripe why they decided to initiate a refund.
If you need to understand why the merchant decided to issue a refund, reach out to the merchant.
### If an Issuing card is deactivated, can the card still receive refunds?
If the Issuing card has been deactivated, the card can still receive refunds.
### If an Issuing card is canceled, can the card still receive refunds?
If the Issuing card has been canceled, the card can still receive refunds in certain scenarios. Once an Issuing card has been canceled, it cannot be undone.
### Why is this Issuing refund associated with a different merchant, than the merchant associated with the initial authorization?
Refunds do not have to be linked to the original authorization. As such, our system makes a best effort at linking them. This is not a bug or a cause for concern.