For more than a year, my card has been charged twice each month by AWS: a legitimate charge of about $0.83 that appears in my AWS billing history, plus a separate $60–$80 charge that never appears in my invoices or Cost Explorer. The unexplained charges have totaled more than $1,000.
I opened a support case and provided my card statements, AWS billing records, and the first six and last four digits of the card. AWS eventually said they identified the account receiving the charges, but privacy rules prevent them from telling me anything about it or removing my card. They emailed that account holder and suggested I check my other email addresses, but I do not have another AWS account.
My credit card company initially rejected my dispute because I had not included supporting documentation. I have now resubmitted the dispute with the statements and AWS billing records, and it is pending. I am considering moving the payment method for my legitimate AWS account to another card and asking the card company to block future AWS charges on the original card.
What is the best way to recover the previous charges and permanently stop the recurring charges from the unknown account? Is replacing the card or blocking AWS enough, or is there another escalation path I should try?
3 Answers
If you believe the card is being used by someone you do not know, treat it as compromised. Ask the card issuer to replace the card and dispute every unauthorized transaction, not just the most recent one. A merchant block may help, but a replacement card is generally more reliable because recurring billing systems can sometimes continue after a card number changes.
Keep working through the card issuer’s dispute process and provide a clear timeline, the statements showing the AWS charges, and the AWS records showing that your own account only billed about $0.83. Explain that AWS confirmed the charges belong to a different account but cannot disclose its details. Ask what additional evidence they need and make sure each disputed transaction is listed separately.
There may be explanations besides someone directly using your account. AWS supports arrangements where one account is billed for activity associated with another account, such as certain requester-pays configurations, and some third-party services bill through AWS. That does not explain away unauthorized charges, but it may be worth asking support whether the transactions are marketplace, third-party, or cross-account charges and requesting the merchant descriptor or service category.
If AWS will not provide account details for privacy reasons, the card issuer may be the only party able to trace the payment relationship. I would still secure the card first rather than waiting for AWS support to identify the other account.
That is what I have done with the resubmission. I originally disputed the charges without documentation, which is why the first attempt was rejected, so I am hoping the statements and billing history make the situation clearer this time.