### Preflight Checklist - [x] I have searched [existing issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3Abug) and this hasn't been reported yet - [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs) - [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code ### What's Wrong? Summary On my first ever use of Claude Code , $39.07 in prepaid API credits were consumed wi

🐛 [Bug] Credits drained continuously after closing Claude Code session — $39.07 lost overnight with auto-reload DISABLED

Resolved 💬 6 comments Opened Feb 26, 2026 by jrbsolucoes Closed Apr 15, 2026

Preflight Checklist

[x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
[x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
[x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

<html>
<body>
<h2>Summary</h2>
<p>On my <strong>first ever use of Claude Code</strong>, $39.07 in prepaid API credits were consumed without any active session. I closed Claude Code and went to sleep. When I checked billing the next morning, credits were still actively draining. The only way to stop it was to <strong>delete the API key entirely</strong>. Auto-reload was <strong>disabled</strong> throughout.</p>
<p>This is a critical financial issue. I am a developer in difficult financial circumstances and loaded $45 specifically to develop a project. This incident has left me with $5.93 and has severely damaged my trust in using Claude Code safely.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Timeline of Events</h2>

Time | Event
-- | --
2026-02-25 ~evening | Loaded $45.00 in prepaid credits to start first Claude Code session
2026-02-25 ~22:50 BRT | Noticed credits draining abnormally. Closed Claude Code session.
2026-02-25 ~22:50 BRT | Credits continued to drop after session was closed
2026-02-25 ~23:xx BRT | Deleted API key — only action that stopped the drain
Balance at time of deletion | ~$8.63 remaining
2026-02-26 (next day check) | Balance had dropped further to $5.93 — drain continued even after key deletion, or a delayed charge was processed
Total lost | $39.07 out of $45.00 loaded

<hr>
<h2>Financial Impact</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Credits loaded:</strong> $45.00</li>
<li><strong>Balance when drain was stopped:</strong> ~$8.63</li>
<li><strong>Balance next day:</strong> $5.93</li>
<li><strong>Total consumed:</strong> ~$39.07</li>
<li><strong>Legitimate usage value received:</strong> Significantly less than $39.07 — first-time user, project was in planning/scaffolding phase</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Expected Behavior</h2>
<ol>
<li>When a Claude Code session is closed, all API calls should terminate immediately</li>
<li>Credits should not continue to drain after the session window is closed</li>
<li>Deleting an API key should immediately halt all pending charges associated with that key</li>
<li>A user with <strong>auto-reload disabled</strong> should never be charged beyond their loaded balance through background processes</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>Actual Behavior</h2>
<ol>
<li>Credits continued to drain <strong>after Claude Code was closed</strong></li>
<li>Credits continued to drain (or delayed charges processed) <strong>even after the API key was deleted</strong></li>
<li>No warning, no notification, no rate-limiting — silent consumption overnight</li>
<li>Auto-reload was <strong>disabled</strong> — yet the drain behavior suggests a process was running server-side beyond client control</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>Environment</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>OS:</strong> Windows</li>
<li><strong>Claude Code version:</strong> Latest available at 2026-02-25</li>
<li><strong>Authentication method:</strong> API key (prepaid credits)</li>
<li><strong>Auto-reload setting:</strong> DISABLED</li>
<li><strong>Spending limit:</strong> Not configurable at the time (no per-session limit UI available)</li>
<li><strong>Session type:</strong> Interactive development session (project scaffolding, not background/CI tasks)</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Related Issues</h2>
<p>This appears related to or a combination of:</p>
<ul>
<li>Issue #23315 — Double billing bug where API billing users are charged via both API billing and prepaid credits simultaneously</li>
<li>Issue #16868 — Credit consumption rate increased 3–5x after January 1st 2026</li>
<li>Claude Code background tasks implement a persistence layer that maintains process continuity across session interruptions — this background persistence may be the mechanism responsible for continued billing after the UI session is closed</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Impact & Urgency</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Severity:</strong> Critical — complete loss of pre-loaded funds</li>
<li><strong>User impact:</strong> First-time user. This incident has made it impossible to safely use Claude Code without fear of uncontrolled credit drain</li>
<li><strong>Financial context:</strong> Loaded funds specifically for a development project. Loss of $39.07 represents the near-total budget available</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Requested Actions</h2>
<ol>
<li><strong>Investigate</strong> server-side processes associated with my account active between 2026-02-25 23:00 BRT and 2026-02-26</li>
<li><strong>Explain</strong> why credits continued to drain after both session close AND API key deletion</li>
<li><strong>Issue a refund</strong> of $39.07 or the portion attributable to post-session background consumption</li>
<li><strong>Implement safeguards:</strong>
<ul>
<li>Hard kill of all server-side processes upon session close</li>
<li>Immediate halt of all charges upon API key deletion (not delayed)</li>
<li>Per-session spending cap configurable by user before session starts</li>
<li>Real-time billing alert when spend exceeds a threshold</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>Additional Context</h2>
<p>I am willing to provide account email, billing timestamps, and any other evidence required to investigate this incident. I can be reached through the support channel at <a href="https://support.claude.com/"><a href="https://support.claude.com">https://support.claude.com</a></a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"My first experience with Claude Code and this happened. I understand bugs occur, but silent background billing after a session is closed — with auto-reload disabled — is not acceptable behavior for a paid developer tool."</p>
</blockquote>

</body>
</html>## Summary

On my first ever use of Claude Code, $39.07 in prepaid API credits were consumed without any active session. I closed Claude Code and went to sleep. When I checked billing the next morning, credits were still actively draining. The only way to stop it was to delete the API key entirely. Auto-reload was disabled throughout.

This is a critical financial issue. I am a developer in difficult financial circumstances and loaded $45 specifically to develop a project. This incident has left me with $5.93 and has severely damaged my trust in using Claude Code safely.

---

Timeline of Events

| Time | Event |
| --- | --- |
| 2026-02-25 ~evening | Loaded $45.00 in prepaid credits to start first Claude Code session |
| 2026-02-25 ~22:50 BRT | Noticed credits draining abnormally. Closed Claude Code session. |
| 2026-02-25 ~22:50 BRT | Credits continued to drop after session was closed |
| 2026-02-25 ~23:xx BRT | Deleted API key — only action that stopped the drain |
| Balance at time of deletion | ~$8.63 remaining |
| 2026-02-26 (next day check) | Balance had dropped further to $5.93 — drain continued even after key deletion, or a delayed charge was processed |
| Total lost | $39.07 out of $45.00 loaded |

---

Financial Impact

Credits loaded: $45.00
Balance when drain was stopped: ~$8.63
Balance next day: $5.93
Total consumed: ~$39.07
Legitimate usage value received: Significantly less than $39.07 — first-time user, project was in planning/scaffolding phase

---

Expected Behavior

When a Claude Code session is closed, all API calls should terminate immediately
Credits should not continue to drain after the session window is closed
Deleting an API key should immediately halt all pending charges associated with that key
A user with auto-reload disabled should never be charged beyond their loaded balance through background processes

---

Actual Behavior

Credits continued to drain after Claude Code was closed
Credits continued to drain (or delayed charges processed) even after the API key was deleted
No warning, no notification, no rate-limiting — silent consumption overnight
Auto-reload was disabled — yet the drain behavior suggests a process was running server-side beyond client control

---

Environment

OS: Windows
Claude Code version: Latest available at 2026-02-25
Authentication method: API key (prepaid credits)
Auto-reload setting: DISABLED
Spending limit: Not configurable at the time (no per-session limit UI available)
Session type: Interactive development session (project scaffolding, not background/CI tasks)

---

Related Issues

This appears related to or a combination of:

Issue #23315 — Double billing bug where API billing users are charged via both API billing and prepaid credits simultaneously
Issue #16868 — Credit consumption rate increased 3–5x after January 1st 2026
Claude Code background tasks implement a persistence layer that maintains process continuity across session interruptions — this background persistence may be the mechanism responsible for continued billing after the UI session is closed

---

Impact & Urgency

Severity: Critical — complete loss of pre-loaded funds
User impact: First-time user. This incident has made it impossible to safely use Claude Code without fear of uncontrolled credit drain
Financial context: Loaded funds specifically for a development project. Loss of $39.07 represents the near-total budget available

---

Requested Actions

Investigate server-side processes associated with my account active between 2026-02-25 23:00 BRT and 2026-02-26
Explain why credits continued to drain after both session close AND API key deletion
Issue a refund of $39.07 or the portion attributable to post-session background consumption
Implement safeguards:

Hard kill of all server-side processes upon session close
Immediate halt of all charges upon API key deletion (not delayed)
Per-session spending cap configurable by user before session starts
Real-time billing alert when spend exceeds a threshold

---

Additional Context

I am willing to provide account email, billing timestamps, and any other evidence required to investigate this incident. I can be reached through the support channel at https://support.claude.com/.

"My first experience with Claude Code and this happened. I understand bugs occur, but silent background billing after a session is closed — with auto-reload disabled — is not acceptable behavior for a paid developer tool."

What Should Happen?

When a Claude Code session is closed, all API calls should terminate immediately
Credits should not continue to drain after the session window is closed
Deleting an API key should immediately halt all pending charges associated with that key
A user with auto-reload disabled should never be charged beyond their loaded balance through background processes

---

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Create a prepaid API key on console.anthropic.com with a loaded balance ($45.00)
Ensure auto-reload is DISABLED in Billing settings
Open Claude Code and authenticate with the API key
Start an interactive development session (project scaffolding, file generation, planning)
After extended use, close the Claude Code terminal/window normally
Wait several hours without any interaction
Check billing dashboard the next day

OBSERVED: Credits continued to drain after step 5 (session close)
OBSERVED: Credits continued to drain (or delayed charges applied) even after
deleting the API key entirely — the only action that appeared to stop
the bleed

NOTE: No background tasks, no CI/CD, no scripts, no other processes were
running. This was a single interactive session on a Windows machine.
The user was asleep when the drain occurred.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Version: 2.1.59

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

VS Code integrated terminal

Additional Information

I am willing to provide account email, billing timestamps, and any other evidence required to investigate this incident. I can be reached through the support channel at https://support.claude.com/.

"My first experience with Claude Code and this happened. I understand bugs occur, but silent background billing after a session is closed — with auto-reload disabled — is not acceptable behavior for a paid developer tool."

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