Hi OpenAI Team and Community,
I’m writing here after exhausting all other options with OpenAI support. I believe my issue has been unfairly dismissed, and it highlights serious systemic problems with OpenAI’s support processes and policies that I hope will be addressed.
Recently, I was locked out of my OpenAI API account for several weeks due to a known bug with Apple Private Relay emails (documented in this thread and this thread). While locked out, I couldn’t access my account or use my API credits. By the time the issue resolved—after receiving little to no meaningful assistance from OpenAI support—my credits had already expired through no fault of my own.
The Support Experience:
• During the lockout, my repeated inquiries for assistance were met with either silence or generic replies that failed to address the issue.
• Support repeatedly redirected users experiencing this issue to Apple, despite the issue clearly originating from OpenAI’s systems.
• After regaining access, my requests for credit restoration were dismissed with boilerplate responses citing standard policy, without addressing the unique circumstances of being locked out due to a documented bug.
• Despite multiple requests to escalate my case to a manager, my attempts were outright ignored every time, leaving me without a proper review or resolution.
Why This Matters:
This isn’t just about my account. Other users have reported similar issues with Apple Private Relay emails and inadequate support, as documented in the threads I referenced above. Some users have been dealing with this issue since January without resolution. Many continue to receive the same runaround, or worse, are outright ignored by the support team.
This sets a troubling precedent: users can be locked out of their accounts for weeks or longer, lose access to paid credits due to no fault of their own, then receive no considerations from support .
These cases highlight critical shortcomings in OpenAI’s support processes:
• Why is a documented bug still unresolved without any communication, leaving users to manage the fallout on their own? It continues to be documented in these threads: Urgent Assistance Needed: Issues with Apple Hidden Email on OpenAI Account - #51 by fgrbs5yfgn and Platform email confirmation not working - #24 by gruener.maximilian .
• How can users trust OpenAI’s support when inquiries are routinely ignored or dismissed?
• Why are rigid policies being used to penalize users for issues beyond their control, especially when they last weeks or more?
What I Am Requesting:
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Given that my credits expired due to a bug and lack of support, I am requesting either their restoration or a refund.
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OpenAI should formally acknowledge its responsibility for this issue and provide a clear explanation of steps being taken to prevent it from happening again.
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Users need proactive communication, transparent escalation paths, and policies that account for circumstances caused by internal system errors.
If anyone has experienced similar problems, I encourage you to share your experiences. Your input could help demonstrate the scope of this issue and push for meaningful improvements to OpenAI’s support systems.
I hope OpenAI takes this opportunity to resolve my case fairly and make improvements to its support systems for the benefit of all users. Thank you for taking the time to read this.