# 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 authorisation.
In some cases, such as when a card has been credited rather than refunded, this isn't possible. In these cases, the `authorisation` field of the transaction is set to `null`, and the transaction will not be linked to the authorisation.
### Why did I receive this Issuing refund?
Contact 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, contact 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 cancelled, can the card still receive refunds?
If the Issuing card has been cancelled, the card can still receive refunds in certain scenarios. Once an Issuing card has been cancelled, it cannot be undone.
### Why is this Issuing refund associated with a different merchant than the merchant associated with the initial authorisation?
Refunds do not have to be linked to the original authorisation. As such, our system makes a best effort at linking them. This is not a bug or a cause for concern.