I'm currently doing an internship for my cybersecurity program, but my company isn't able to provide me with any resources. Since I'm using Apple Silicon, I set up a simulation lab in Azure, utilizing around $100 in credits. I created several low-end virtual machines to run my simulations. However, while trying to connect to a VPN, I accidentally incurred about $60 in charges, despite only having the VPN running for around 4 hours without any actual data transfer. I'm really stressed because my project estimates total costs around $143, which I can't afford. I contacted support, but I'm really anxious about whether they will waive these charges or if they're usually understanding in situations like mine. My account is linked to my .edu email, which should help, right?
4 Answers
Given that you have a .edu account, I’d be surprised if Microsoft didn’t forgave those charges. They usually do for students because it’s not fair for you to bear those costs. But keep in mind that they might make you cancel your account to clear the charges, which could disrupt your project.
Honestly, it's kind of unfair that your employer isn’t providing the necessary resources for your internship. If you're using Azure credits correctly, you shouldn't be racking up charges unnecessarily. Make sure to follow their guidance on how to avoid charges with free accounts because you don’t want to end up like this again. Here’s a helpful link: [Avoiding Charges](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/manage/avoid-charges-free-account).
Thanks for that info! I get that they should help me, but it feels like they just throw me tasks without proper support.
It sounds like there's definitely something off with the charges, especially if you barely used the VPN. You need to check how Azure breaks down costs by day and by resource because something doesn’t add up here. If it was only a few hours, then $60 seems way too high. Maybe you'll want to follow up with customer support on this one for clarity.
Thanks for your input! Yeah, $60 for three or four hours of a VPN feels totally ridiculous. I haven’t even sent any data through it! I'm just worried about how they’ll respond to me.
You should definitely reach out to Azure Billing and explain your situation. There's a decent chance they’ll waive the fees this time, especially given your status as a student. Just be sure to clearly explain that it was your first time using the platform, and you didn’t intend to incur those costs. Just remember, next time, always set cost alerts before provisioning resources.
I sent in a support ticket explaining everything. Would you say they are usually sympathetic in these kinds of cases?
If I have to cancel, it’ll mess up my whole project! But thank you for the reassurance—it honestly means a lot right now.