[BUG] double billed for claude max plan 2 months in a row and then account degraded to FREE PLAN

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?

To Anthropic Support & Billing Team,

I am writing to formally escalate an unresolved billing dispute that has gone unanswered despite prior support contact.

I am a paying Claude Max subscriber who has used Anthropic's official tools exclusively — Claude Code CLI, claude.ai, and Claude Desktop. I have never used third-party tools such as OpenClaw, and I have not attempted to circumvent any usage policies. My entire business has been built on Anthropic's platform, and I have paid every invoice on time.

The issue:

• My account was silently downgraded from Max to Free plan without any action on my part
• I have been charged approximately $600 in fees I should not owe, resulting from billing system errors that Anthropic has acknowledged publicly
• I submitted a support ticket [INSERT TICKET NUMBER/DATE] and have received no substantive response
• I have also attempted to reach Fin support with no resolution

This is not a usage dispute. These are erroneous charges caused by known bugs in Anthropic's billing infrastructure — bugs that have been reported by multiple users on GitHub (issues #41581, #43257, #45890) and acknowledged by Anthropic on March 31, 2026.

What I am requesting:

1. Full refund of the $600 in erroneous charges
2. Restoration of my Max plan status
3. Written confirmation that this has been resolved

I am requesting a response within 5 business days. If I do not receive one, I will have no choice but to initiate a chargeback with my card issuer and file a formal complaint with the relevant consumer protection authority.

I want to resolve this directly with Anthropic. I remain a committed customer and I am not looking for a dispute — I am looking for what I have already paid for.

Please treat this as urgent.

[Joe taveras]
[rcpixel8@gmail.com]
[]
[
Date | Total | Status | Actions
-- | -- | -- | --
Apr 12, 2026 | $217.75 | Paid | View
Apr 11, 2026 | $217.75 | Paid | View

Feb 12, 2026 | $200.00 | Paid | View
-- | -- | -- | --
Feb 10, 2026 | $54.44 | Paid | View
Feb 10, 2026 | $200.00 | Paid | View

Feb 12, 2026

$200.00

Paid

View

Feb 10, 2026

$54.44

Paid

View

Feb 10, 2026

$200.00

Paid

View

Date

Total

Status

Actions

Apr 12, 2026

$217.75

Paid

View

Apr 11, 2026

$217.75

Paid

View]

What Should Happen?

send me some sort of word
i am not concerned about the $
i must be able to work , i have spent hundreds of hours and i am very happy but to get cut off this way is so stresfull i am concerned for my business survival

i want my max plan restored so i can work .

<img width="1539" height="1104" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dba80b34-2712-4d64-8191-ede932f87f11" />
<img width="1524" height="1127" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c3797384-2bb1-4959-9e3e-284592cb2b95" />

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

there are like 8000 cases of same thing Recent reports indicate users have experienced double billing or unauthorized charges with Claude (Anthropic), particularly around February and March 2026. These issues range from duplicate subscription charges to fraudulent "gift" purchases.
Reddit
Reddit
+1
Key Issues and Reported Causes
Duplicate Charges: Users reported being billed twice for a single subscription period or seeing "pending" charges that finalized as duplicates.
API Billing Bug: A known issue exists where Claude Code users are charged twice per request—once via API billing and again through prepaid credits.
Unauthorized Gift Purchases: Multiple users have reported unauthorized charges for "gift" subscriptions on their accounts, with some reporting charges up to £720.
Virtual Card Issues: Problems have been noted with prepaid or virtual cards, such as M-Pesa Global Pay Visa, failing and causing subsequent double billing.
Failed Payment Errors: Some users were charged after receiving error messages stating that their card was not accepted, leading them to use a second card, resulting in charges for both.
GitHub
GitHub
+3
Recommended Actions
Contact Your Bank: Immediately contact your bank or credit card company to dispute the charges and initiate a chargeback.
Remove Payment Method: Remove your credit card from the Claude settings to prevent further unauthorized charges.
Submit a Support Request: Contact Anthropic support via the "Get help" option in the chat settings for a "Claude Refund Request," though some users have reported slow responses.
Check for Multiple Accounts: Ensure you have not accidentally signed up for multiple, separate subscriptions.
Reddit
Reddit
+3
Important Notes
Non-Refundable Policy: Anthropic’s policy states that payments are generally non-refundable, except as required by law.
Increased Usage Scam: Some users have reported that fraudulent activity often involves buying gift subscriptions, which are then used by unknown third parties.
Reddit
Reddit
+2

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

Appril 12 20206

Claude Code Version

claude code

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_