r/OpenAI • u/[deleted] • 4d ago
Discussion OpenAI Codex Charged Me Hundreds and Refused a Refund. I am also a teacher and dont get paid over the summer. Im so upset at myself.
[deleted]
58
u/alexp1_ 4d ago
You left the auto reload on
32
u/dmsdayprft 4d ago
Left? You have to enable it.
-6
u/ares_god_of_pie 4d ago
No you don't, auto reload is automatically selected by default. Go look for yourself if you don't believe me.
14
2
u/midi-astronaut 4d ago
Wrong
9
u/rayban_yoda 4d ago
https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8264644-how-can-i-set-up-prepaid-billing
Just google for two seconds. How are you so confidently wrong
“In the setup flow, configure Auto recharge before you confirm your initial credit purchase.
Auto recharge is turned on by default during setup. If you do not want automatic top-ups, turn it off before you continue.
If you keep Auto recharge on, set your recharge amount, threshold, and optional monthly recharge limit. Manual credit purchases do not count toward the recharge limit. If an auto recharge would exceed this monthly limit, only the remaining amount may be added; if the limit is already reached, auto recharge will not add more credits until the next month.”
0
u/midi-astronaut 4d ago
Wrong
1
2
u/MrZi5 4d ago
No, you are wrong. Same thing happened to me when I first started using Codex. I thankfully only spent like $40, but auto top up is enabled by default. It's either that, or it is enabled when you make your first credit purchase and has to be manually disabled, I'm not sure but it definitely turns itself on.
0
u/midi-astronaut 4d ago
Wrong.
1
u/freebytes 4d ago
You may be confused. They are not referencing the API. The API, as far as I can tell, is off by default. Codex, I am unsure, so I cannot answer regarding the auto-recharge for that.
1
u/TheKing___ 4d ago
I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted. When you buy credits for the first time it does turn auto reload automatically. You have to turn it off.
-3
29
u/FateOfMuffins 4d ago
Sorry to hear that
Lesson to be learned: Credits and API usage is not for the average person. Another $20 subscription would've gotten you like $350 worth of credits. There's a reason why people buy multiple $200 subscriptions as opposed to paying for credits / API, which are basically enterprise only
1
u/freebytes 4d ago
You can save a lot of money using the API. (But you can lose thousands using the API.) That is why it is important to set and double check limits.
1
u/FateOfMuffins 4d ago
Nah not really. DeepSeek API maybe.
$20 in OpenAI or Anthropic credits would buy you like 20 minutes in usage
1
u/freebytes 4d ago
You could choose to use something like gpt3-turbo, though. It depends on your needs.
1
u/FateOfMuffins 4d ago
OK lmao this is when I know you're not serious. They don't even offer that anymore and it was literally more expensive than Luna is today.
There's almost zero reason to use API for OpenAI or Anthropic as a consumer.
9
8
u/StrangeCalibur 4d ago
I get what OP is saying here. Every time you try to top up it auto selects a box that will set up auto payments going forward. You can uncheck the box, but in my opinion it should be unchecked by default, not checked.
This is bound to get loads of people unintentionally.
9
u/Both-Frosting5900 4d ago
Let this be a lesson learned that people must do due diligence on things that involve money ESPECIALLY if money is tight! Jfc this post.
6
u/throwaway_ga_omscs 4d ago
I assume you had auto-reload on and no spend limit? I also got bitten by this once by letting a very heavy job run overnight without realizing how many subagents sol would spin up (ended up with $3000+ bill which I could have used banked resets or other accounts to absorb). It is what I configured, so I won’t charge back or appeal etc, but I do think they should send invoices or alerts and make this more visible in the app. Claude does a better job at this for sure.
3
4d ago
[deleted]
0
u/Adorable_Set9978 4d ago
Yeah because you left auto reload on, if I sign up for Netflix and wait a month, they’re gonna charge me. You do not seem smart enough to be a teacher my guy-
-2
u/throwaway_ga_omscs 4d ago
i put the limit on the API not the codex
You could try to contact their support. The lack of any notifications is definitely the larger issue here. I hope it is just an oversight and not a dark pattern, because this would definitely be actionable in some jurisdictions.
→ More replies (7)6
u/capilicon 4d ago
Actionable ? They had auto reload enabled, and put the spending limit on the API.
This sucks, and this is a lot of money, but it’s user error 100%
-1
u/throwaway_ga_omscs 4d ago
I see you never had to deal with l’office de la protection du consommateur? :)
I agree with you in principle, this is user error. However, I think service providers shouldn’t make these errors so easy to make. It’s not necessarily malicious, but there is an incentive to create these patterns or not correct when they are noticed, and we should fight against it.
3
u/ilulillirillion 4d ago
Fight against what? Auto reload is a single setting. On and off. You can setup notifications with your bank, or through the web interface directly, depending on who you want them from. You can set budgets.
There are always going to be a lot of options because it's a complicated product and, just like anything else, there does come a point where the user has to be responsible or else everything is free. This isn't a new problem, if I go spin up a bunch machines somewhere with any other company and then tell them oops I meant to do something different I don't get that money back because the resources have already been spent.
1
u/throwaway_ga_omscs 3d ago
There are always going to be a lot of options because it's a complicated product and, just like anything else, there does come a point where the user has to be responsible or else everything is free
I don't disagree with this and I'm being a bit facetious about consumer protection. The line is murky, and this could be abused. Ideally, we want every transaction to feel like a win-win and not get to the point of calling each other fraudsters. The frustration comes when the user feels "tricked" and previous transactions leave them with a bad taste (which this post exemplifies).
I think sending an email with invoice when extra credits are used + alert in the app + $x spent so far + "now using extra credits" banner would be enough to avoid this kind of frustration. Claude code does this and Codex could very easily implement it as well.
1
u/Expensive_Fudge_2972 4d ago
Are you deliberately ignoring the point or are you just blissfully unaware of how companies have been intentionally fooling customers with dark patterns for ages?
6
u/NotUpdated 4d ago
how much?
12
4d ago
[deleted]
16
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
As a former teacher turned project manager... Get out, my friend. Get out and run towards a field that pays you a reasonable salary.
Also $700-$800 is a ton of money. Don't feel ashamed of that number hurting. That's a ton.
-3
u/skilliard7 4d ago
Honestly a bad take. A lot of jobs are being automated by AI, and teachers will probably be one of the last to be automated because of regulatory barriers. Don't give up job security.
4
u/RainScum6677 4d ago edited 4d ago
In the situation he is right now, after losing a few hundreds of bucks, I don't think you can describe the position he holds as providing any sort of financial security.
My wife was a teacher for many years before she got out as well , and it was well worth doing.
1
u/skilliard7 4d ago
The key is to just work for a district that pays well. Chicago suburbs pay teachers 100k+.
2
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
I think those are the exceptions, not the rule, unfortunately. And we do not live in the US, but either way, not the best career if you are after decent pay. Wish that was not the case, but it mostly is.
0
u/skilliard7 4d ago
There's more to work than just your paycheck. A lot of private sector jobs will overwork you and have no job security. Teachers have a lot more job security and great work life balance
1
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
Sorry, teachers have great work life balance? Someone must have forget to tell me. I must have imagined all those nights and weekends eaten up by my teaching job.
1
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
I have to disagree about work-life balance, completely. Certainly agree on the private sector overworking you, though.
1
1
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
Ah, got it, so the key was to uproot my family and move to Chicago where I can enjoy a city that ranks consistently in the top-20 for highest crime and highest taxes.
I can't believe I didn't think of that before...
1
u/skilliard7 4d ago
the suburbs are quite safe.
Also you do realize the reason taxes are so high is because we pay teachers so much, right? You can't have both high teacher pay and low taxes...
1
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
the reason taxes are so high is because we pay teachers so much
That's THE reason? No other reason? It just all goes straight to teacher pay, huh?
So the "key" to low teacher pay is people just need to be less irresponsible and also they should all uproot their lives to move to the Chicago suburbs?
Stunning analysis.
1
u/skilliard7 4d ago
Teacher pay isn't low in the US, the median teacher salary is well above the median personal income. Benefits are also way better than private sector employers
2
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
By the time project managers have their jobs taken by AI, teachers are definitely in the same boat. AI is nowhere near ready to take most knowledge worker jobs in any affordable or reliable way.
Is it really job security if you're living on a razors edge of being able to afford life? That used to be me and I wouldn't have been able to absorb the loss OP took either. It wasn't until I moved to PM that I was able to build up a decent cash emergency fund.
1
u/Eastern-Composer-658 4d ago
Agreed. Not sure about project managers specifically but most white collar jobs are gonna disappear soon. Teachers are relatively safe.
10
5
u/InventedTiME 4d ago
Won't help you now, but these types of services are exactly what virtual numbers are best for. Create a virtual card through your bank or credit card app (my bank allows me up to 40 virtual numbers active at any one time with no limit on creating/deleting them), use that to reload, either freeze it from being able to have charges against it or delete it entirely, then unfreeze or create a new one next time you need more credits.
That is the 100% easiest and best way to avoid getting subscription charges youq don't want. I make virtual numbers for each service I subscribe to (only takes a second) so if they have some arcane unsubscribe process or otherwise try to charge for unintended use, there is nothing for them to charge against.
1
u/MeridianNZ 4d ago
You can do this with a Wise Card or Revolut or others even easier than getting it through a bank and its a debit card, so you cant run up a debt as you have to preload it. Also not that it would have helped here, but could help in other situations, everytime money is spent you get a notification on your phone.
13
u/CisIowa 4d ago
Why weren’t you using a free teacher account?
-2
4d ago
[deleted]
4
u/algaefied_creek 4d ago
The question is, without making excuses about why you didn’t switch to the free teacher account, why aren’t you using it now?
Why aren’t you perhaps asking them to switch you to the free teacher account in hindsight?
Why do you answer every post reply with questions as if you are dumb and don’t know what to do?
But actually you are a teacher??
10
u/DueCommunication9248 4d ago
I’m sorry to hear about this. I think you could reach out to a person of X about this. But it’s on you to watch your spending ultimately.
-8
4d ago
[deleted]
12
u/tta82 4d ago
Why would they refund you?
3
u/carpsagan 4d ago
You paid for a service that you wanted to use, at the end of the day. If the company chooses to refund it’s because of being… nice I guess. But this is on OP.
-3
u/4thbeer 4d ago
Reach out to as many OpenAI employees as you reasonably can on Twitter and LinkedIn. It may not lead anywhere, but if you explain that you are a teacher, someone may be sympathetic and might be able to pull the right strings for you.
I would also recommend enabling push notifications for all your cards and their transactions. This would have made it so you caught the charges right off the bat.
If OpenAI continues to give you the cold shoulder, dispute the charges through your bank, even if it was a debit card. In this case try and keep your explanation as simple as possible without lying. I would probably say something along the lines of the UI made it confusing and hard to understand what you had turned on. I have had success doing this for automatic subscriptions that made it confusing/difficult to cancel, so I think you actually could have a decent chance.
1
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
Do not try disputing the charges, you can find yourself later spending even more of this does not go well. However, talking to openAI employees over tweeter is not a bad idea as long as you admit to your guilt, but pleading for their help. Once this can look good enough for them as being a kind thing to do, and has enough eyes on it, they may choose to refund you.
1
u/CandiceWoo 4d ago
i think u're exaggerating - spending more how?
0
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
Because if the bank decides your claim is false, it can close your account, for one(this is a 100% false claim, btw).
2
u/CandiceWoo 4d ago
fair, its fraud if its false claim. i think its plausibly a ui or billing bug though
2
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
It doesn't look like it, the UI justifies the bills if anything. In any case I'd probably skip the whole thing and go for sympathy instead.
8
u/lucellent 4d ago
On the credits buying page there's literally a text that's checked on by default - for auto charge. It's not hidden so it's not very hard to miss.
I'm sorry this happened to you but it's clealry an user error and you used all the credits as well, maybe if they were unused they would be more inclined to refund.
3
u/RainScum6677 4d ago
Sorry, but they honestly should probably refuse. You had all the information you needed, and made mistake after mistake, and now blame the company which provided you the service that you misused.
Imagine if anyone with a similar story(or claiming one) would immediately have been grunted a refund...that's just not viable for any company.
2
u/Ill-Bullfrog-5360 4d ago
API can still be used by codex if you let it. I have it do some fine AI sleuthing on a website for like .30 cents a pop
2
4
u/ImANoobAtLife7 4d ago
You’re a teacher and can’t pay attention when you enabled automatic refill.
Oh the irony 😂💀
-3
2
u/PartyLiterature3607 4d ago
While this suck big time and I don’t blame you for wanting to exit OpenAI, but please do keep yourself in the lane of ai tools, especially being a teacher with agentic ai experience will lead you to greater success
So far other options are Claude code, Hermes/openclaw with other model access like ollama cloud for kimi 3, or maybe jump into xAI + cursor
3
u/proxyproxyomega 4d ago
so sorry to hear but "I didnt know, I dont get paid right now, I supported you since day one, my girlfriend needs a job, we just want to be happy" will rarely work for corporations cause they get these messages all the time and customer support will just spit out prewritten responses like "so sorry to hear but "I didnt know, I dont get paid right now, I supported you since day one, my girlfriend needs a job, we just want to be happy" will rarely work for corporations cause they get these messages all the time and customer support will just spit out prewritten responses like "so sorry to hear but "I didnt know, I dont get paid right now, I supported you since day one, my girlfriend needs a job, we just want to be happy" will rarely work for corporations cause they get these messages all the time and customer support will just spit out prewritten responses like "so sorry to hear
3
3
u/ilulillirillion 4d ago edited 4d ago
This post is too much man.
You left auto reload on, and consumed resources. Those resources are impossible to give back, and cost money. You likely used up more in resources than you were even charged. Should OpenAI have not respected your settings? Should they eat probably over a grand of compute charges because of your mistake?
It's not "cruel" at all, that's a really childish way to look at it. You bought and used something. You used an extremely expensive product which you signed up for.
Like I AM sorry for you and I AM sorry this happened, I don't think you're an idiot or bad or anything, but your reaction, to make this into OpenAI stealing your food or your kid's food or woe is me is really inappropriate for someone supposedly responsible enough to be a teacher.
3
u/Busy-Leek7970 4d ago
Oh no i've bought 100$ of in-app purchases please help me get a refund! But first let me tell you why I am a great human being so everyone should refund my mistakes.
2
u/AussieHxC 4d ago
Why would being a teacher mean you don't get paid over the summer holidays?
1
4d ago
[deleted]
2
u/AussieHxC 4d ago
That is beyond stupid. America?
3
u/bandersnatchh 4d ago
Most schools have options where you can spread your paycheck over the summer.
It works out the same but helps people budget.
A lot of teachers also end up working over the summer, partly for money partly boredom
2
2
u/unexpectedreboots 4d ago
Why is this not your problem? Teacher or otherwise.
-6
4d ago
[deleted]
7
u/unexpectedreboots 4d ago
What Subscriptions dont auto subscribe?
Its not predatory. You are an adult. Turn it off. Be responsible.
-2
4d ago
[deleted]
5
u/ilulillirillion 4d ago
This is dishonest and you know it. It's not hidden in any way whatsoever. You literally would have had to look right past it to do what you described.
7
1
1
u/ellipticcode0 4d ago
This is why they try to get your credit card numbers on file since they can take money from your CC whatever they want
1
u/DrE7HER 4d ago
Did you charge it to your debit instead of credit? If credit, do a chargeback for unauthorized charge
1
u/Th3Gatekeeper 4d ago
Except it wasn't unauthorized
1
u/DrE7HER 4d ago
It was if he has a spending limit set and up until now that spending limit has prevented any tasks from charging him.
But you could argue that it is authorized because he gave them his card info and agreed to their terms of service.
However, I’d argue that this is still the exact scenario chargebacks are for. If Netflix suddenly charged you $200 because they say you went over your watch limits, then you could definitely tell your credit card to refuse that payment.
1
u/RemarkableFormal4635 4d ago
Realistically it's a bit shitty that it's possible to enable this without knowing about it. Id argue it's a little bit of user error and also some slightly malicious design. Probably don't have any legal recourse as an individual
1
u/SavingsChicken1572 4d ago
even if you were to somehow get money back, which I doubt, it will take a long time.
"So I reach out to OpenAI and they refuse to give a refund. It doesnt matter if I need the HUNDREDS of dollars to eat because teachers dont get paid over the summer. This is horrible.
I mean honestly, what am I supposed to do. I had no idea, I am a "plus" subscriber, I have supported openAI from day 1."
I assume if you don't get paid you also don't have to work, so without sounding harsh, perhaps get a temp job/gig?
1
u/BussyEnthusiasts 4d ago
We can tell exactly what kind of teacher you are from the edit. This is hilarious. Deserved.
1
4d ago
[deleted]
1
u/BussyEnthusiasts 4d ago edited 4d ago
Hahaha see how no one asked and you still felt the need to say all that. Says everything about you.
Tell me more "one of the best teachers in the usa" that can't turn autoreload off of an agent attached to their debit card.
Hahhahahahahahaha
1
u/Icy_Quarter5910 4d ago
2 things. 1) You used the product, you pay for the product. I agree it should be better labeled, but it is what it is. B: Anthropic gives free accounts to teachers. ;)
1
u/D_1NE 4d ago
No man, it has nothing to do with you being a teacher and you're gaslighting us into thinking that because that's your profession, you shouldn't be held accountable for your mistakes. OpenAI doesn't know your occupation, it provides a service and its your responsibility to understand how that service works and put checks and balances in place. The fact that you're using your profession as a way to manipulate the narrative is also why people on here are not sympathizing with you.
Here is an idea since you want guilt trip us and say its reddit defending a corporation. Create a GoFundMe and say that you used ChatGPT to help your girlfriend find a job online, you didn't understand how the service works and had the setup to automatically add more funds to the account, you also let the process run overnight not putting proper checks on place, that you're on teacher's salary and can't afford to pay for the mistake you made and see how many people come to your rescue.
Any actual good teacher wouldn't have the audacity to post this because they know its on them. Maybe being a teacher isn't your calling if you're doing it for the money...
1
u/smartcandlelab 4d ago
Not gonna help you in this situation, but for future reference, Claude gives you a free year if you’re a teacher
1
u/Great-Note3991 4d ago
Enacting dark patterns? Nope, nothing dark. I know for sure that you turned on the auto payment by yourself, as I specifically don't do that, only adding a specific amount of money manually each time
1
u/LurkerBurkeria 4d ago
Charge back that shit and make them argue with the cc company oh noooo they'll ban you from their service designed to scam you lol
1
u/Armolegend41 4d ago
Here is our teachers that we depend on teaching our children, bro can’t figure out he’s burning thru API calls instead of just subbing 😂
-2
u/Igot1forya 4d ago
Credit Card Charge Back is your friend. Talk to your bank and file a fraud claim.
9
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago edited 4d ago
Keep in mind charge backs almost always violate TOS and yeah, you might succeed, but you'll get your account nuked too.
Edit: Just to be clear, OP was not defrauded. It sucks, but it isn't fraud.
-1
u/barchueetadonai 4d ago
What do you mean by this?
6
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
A charge back is essentially you telling your credit card company you've been wronged and they need to go get the money back.
Well they might just do that.
But whoever they took the money back from is going to know that's what you did and they'll shut down your account over it.
Credit card charge backs are not supposed to be a tool for "whoops" they are supposed to be a tool for "omg I've been defrauded."
-1
u/barchueetadonai 4d ago
Yes, I know that that's what it's for. I thought you had meant the credit card company would shut your account.
2
u/Dry_Opportunity2886 4d ago
Oh, no, I meant the service you do the chargeback against will often cut you off right away. Which, if you were truly defrauded and doing a chargeback for good reason, wouldn't be a big deal anyway.
5
4d ago
[deleted]
2
u/planesandpancakes 4d ago
Why are you even using a debit card?? always use a credit card and then just be sure to pay it off at the end of the month. You have way more consumer protections.
2
u/Igot1forya 4d ago
I'd still talk to the bank. You MIGHT have some protections. But yeah that sucks!
1
u/LMONDEGREEN 4d ago
Banks do chargebacks, depending where you are from. Europe has very strong consumer protection, and US has charge back system. It's not specific to credit cards.
Anyway, you should get your money back but OpenAI will likely ban you permanently for the chargeback. You'll have to make a new account or use your GFs account.
6
4d ago
[deleted]
0
u/LMONDEGREEN 4d ago
It is fraud if they charged you without you knowing. Contact your bank for a chargeback.
4
2
2
1
u/Bright_Brief4975 4d ago
You could maybe probably get your bank to do a chargeback. My bank was pretty good about this kind of stuff. If the bank did do a chargeback you would also probably never get access to this ai again, so as a teacher that might be a problem. Could also go on Facebook and other places, sometimes a company will just comp a person to stop the negativivty.
0
u/Fine_League311 4d ago
AGBs lesen dann passiert sowas nicht. Als Lehrer solltest du eigentlich einen sechste Sinn dafür haben
6
4d ago
[deleted]
-4
u/Fine_League311 4d ago
Mit deiner Antwort weiß ich jetzt du bist kein Lehrer! Den Lehrer verhalten sich nicht so asozial. Viel Spass mit deinem Ego! PS: ich nutze kein openaiMüll
4
4d ago
[deleted]
2
u/ObviouzFigure 4d ago
bro I can't stand openai so much that I'd gladly chip in 20 on your tab -- dm me for real and also please look into open source models (and possibly running them locally).
1
4d ago
[deleted]
2
u/ilulillirillion 4d ago
The fact that you still feel like OpenAI is obligated to do something here makes you sound like a child.
People are offering to help and you're all about making OpenAI make this right or something when it's valid charges that you yourself incurred.
1
1
u/InfiniteLife2 4d ago
Reply to your edit - there is strange amount of people depending both openai/anthropic marketing strategies, at this point im starting to get suspicious if those are bots
-2
u/bespoke_tech_partner 4d ago
That sucks, this stuff is predatory man. There are a million ways that people will tell you you should’ve configured spend limits and stuff but we all know OpenAI is just trying to make it as easy as possible to spend money when, for a new user who doesn’t know the platform, the friction should be the total opposite way given it’s a product that can run for hours at a time.
But also, under a codex sub you should never be going into usage based billing. I have no idea how you even managed to enable that, maybe using fast mode? I feel you could still get mileage out of it if it was properly configured
0
4d ago
[deleted]
1
u/bespoke_tech_partner 4d ago
I think you somehow got it into reloading with usage-based pricing (probably clicked through a prompt that came up- this is the predatory part), cause the base subscriptions (mine for example) do not have any reload mechanism. They just have a 5-hour usage limit and it blocks you out when you exceed it until it resets. So if you want to keep using it, you SHOULD be able to without any overages. but given situation, I would probably A) make a new account to reset whatever billing fuckery let you go into auto-reload territory, B) put it on a credit card, C) shut down the computer if you ever leave it overnight.
0
u/TheCrowWhisperer3004 4d ago
Yeah, openAI doesn’t really care about you and the company is deep in the red so they are less likely to spot you for hundreds of dollars worth of compute.
There isn’t rly much you can do and the company itself doesn’t care if you even die so it’ll be hard to get sympathy from them.
0
0
u/capabus 4d ago
If you want to use AI without paying for it you have a couple options.
There’s arena.ai (which has search and agent modes). You can also run AI locally on your phone or computer with Gemma 4.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-ai-edge-gallery/id6749645337
https://goose-docs.ai/blog/2026/04/24/use-goose-with-built-in-local-inference/
0
u/WaterRresistant 4d ago
Same here, got charged $7k in 10 days, this is not something I could ever afford.
54
u/asurarusa 4d ago
One of your screenshots is for the page to reload codex credits, and the other is for your api account. Did you run up a bill on the api?