I'm really freaking out right now. Just a few days ago, I was working on a feature for my website using the Google Maps API, and suddenly I get hit with a bill close to $10,000! I've spent the last week coding this feature, and I never expected it would cost anywhere near that much, especially while I'm just a broke student prepping for university this September. I feel absolutely devastated and lost. How did this happen during what I thought was a simple test? I only got warned when they flagged my account for suspicious activity. I don't even have a fraction of that amount in my bank account. This feels so unfair! What should I do now? I haven't been charged yet, but I'm terrified. Who do I contact? Will they actually charge me? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Did you accidentally leave your API key exposed online? That could lead to other people using it and racking up costs. Just be careful with that!
Look into whether your key might be in a public GitHub repo. That’s a classic issue that can lead to huge bills.
You really should contact Google and explain that this was a mistake. They’ve been known to waive charges like this if you present your case well. Good luck!
Exactly, I had a similar situation with AWS once for a huge bill, and they helped me sort it out.
Make sure to be polite and clear. They might be sympathetic if you explain the mistake.
To rack up a $10k bill in four days, it sounds like there might be something wrong with your setup. You could have done a lot of requests without realizing it, especially if your code is repeatedly making calls to the API. Make sure to review your code and check for possible issues.
Also, remember that Google does offer a certain amount of free usage. Make sure you're not just running calls excessively.
Yeah, it could also be that your API key was exposed somewhere, like a public repo. Just something to check!
If your usage exceeds the free tier, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the billing structure next time. But for now, reach out, and don’t panic! It's often a one-time thing, and they’re typically understanding.
True, and setting up alerts and limits could save you from this in the future.
Good luck! I’ve heard they might take care of it if you explain the circumstances correctly.
My suggestion is to try and explain what happened, possibly even say it might've been hacked. They’re usually pretty reasonable with mistakes like this.
I hope they see it your way! Contact support soon!
Just be honest and see if they'll do you a favor. It might also help to see if you can restrict your API access in the future.
For real! If it’s public and someone else picked it up, that could explain the bill.