About six years ago, I created an AWS account, likely to use promotional credit from Amazon. I experimented with a few services for work-related IT practice, then stopped using it. Now I'm receiving billing notices, but trying to sign in says there's no account associated with my email address. When I reached the recovery process, it prompted me for MFA using a phone number I've never had.
AWS Support has repeatedly told me they can't provide details or help unless I can log in. Several representatives suggested blocking the charges through my bank, but the card number shown on the notices doesn't match any card I recognize. I've submitted multiple compromised-account reports and was promised callbacks, but nobody has followed up. The recent messages say the payments are being declined, yet the billing notices continue.
I'm unsure whether my email is attached to an old account, whether the account was compromised, or whether the notices are being sent to me by mistake. What's the safest way to investigate this and prevent any further billing or potential collections problems?
2 Answers
AWS Support is limited by account-security rules when you can’t authenticate, which creates the frustrating loop you’re seeing. Try the official compromised-account and billing-contact forms again, using the billing email, invoice IDs, approximate dates, and only the last four digits of any card information you recognize. Don’t send full card numbers or other sensitive details through ordinary email.
If the payment method is yours or might be an old card, contact the bank’s fraud department rather than simply ignoring the notices. Ask them to identify the merchant, block future transactions, and document that you’re disputing anything unauthorized. If the card definitely isn’t yours, tell the bank that the AWS billing emails may be tied to an account using someone else’s payment information.
Right—the bank should treat this as a potential fraud issue, not just a routine chargeback. Keep copies of the billing emails, case numbers, and every support interaction in case the matter is later escalated.
If those channels continue to go nowhere, make a formal written complaint through the company’s corporate escalation or executive-relations process and include the existing case numbers. A consumer-protection complaint can also create an escalation trail, but keep the focus on unauthorized billing and account recovery.