Before anyone asks, yes, I already contacted support and submitted an appeal. Unfortunately, I still do not understand the reason for the suspension, which is why I am sharing my story here.
Hello everyone.
Recently, my ChatGPT account was suspended, and honestly, I still cannot fully believe that it happened. That is probably why I decided to write this post. Not to start an argument or blame anyone, but because I am genuinely struggling to understand what happened and why.
The strangest part is that I still do not know the exact reason for the suspension. I have spent a lot of time thinking about it, trying to remember my recent activity, rereading the policies, and looking for some explanation. Maybe it was related to my VPN usage. Maybe it had something to do with payment methods. Maybe it was something else entirely. The truth is that I simply do not know.
I have lived in Russia my entire life, and that is an important part of this story. People who have never experienced these kinds of restrictions may not realize how difficult it can be to use some international services. When ChatGPT first became available, many users could simply register and start using it. For me, even creating an account required additional effort. I had to look for alternative ways to register, deal with various limitations, and solve problems that most users never had to think about.
But none of that stopped me.
In fact, when I first started using ChatGPT, I was genuinely amazed by what this technology could do. It felt like I was witnessing the beginning of something truly important. I saw enormous potential in artificial intelligence and wanted to be part of that future. Because of that, all the extra difficulties felt worth it.
Over time, ChatGPT became a part of my daily life. I used it to learn, improve my Python skills, work on projects, explore new technologies, understand AI systems, solve programming problems, and learn something new almost every day. Many hours of my work and study happened with ChatGPT open in another window. Whenever I had an idea for a project, I opened ChatGPT. Whenever I got stuck with code, I opened ChatGPT. Whenever I wanted to understand a new concept, I opened ChatGPT again.
As the years went by, the difficulties of using the service from Russia never really disappeared. For most people, paying for a subscription takes only a few minutes. For me, it often became a challenge on its own. I could not simply use a local bank card. I had to search for intermediaries, alternative payment methods, and different ways to stay subscribed. I often paid additional fees and constantly worried about whether the next payment would even work.
The same was true for access. VPNs became a normal part of my daily routine, not because I wanted to hide anything, but because without them I often could not access OpenAI services at all. Sometimes one VPN would stop working and I would have to find another. Then another one. Then another one again. There were times when I spent more time solving access issues than actually using the service itself. Yet I continued because I genuinely believed it was worth it.
That is why this situation feels so painful.
If this had been a brand-new account created a few weeks ago, maybe I would have simply moved on and started over. But this was an account that had been with me for years. Inside it were projects, ideas, notes, experiments, learning materials, technical discussions, and thousands of hours of my time.
I understand that from the outside it may sound strange. After all, it is just an online account. But when you spend years using a tool almost every day, it becomes more than just a tool. It becomes part of your routine, part of your growth, and part of your personal journey.
That is why the suspension affected me much more deeply than I expected.
What hurts the most is not even losing access itself. What hurts the most is not understanding why it happened. If I knew exactly what rule I had violated, at least I would have an answer. I could accept it, learn from it, and move forward. But right now I am left trying to solve a mystery without knowing what actually went wrong.
Maybe the system considered my VPN usage suspicious. Maybe it was related to payment methods that I had to use because I had no other practical options. Maybe it was something completely different. I honestly do not know.
What I do know is that throughout all these years, I never saw ChatGPT as a tool for harmful activities.
I was not creating malware. I was not running scams. I was not trying to attack systems or abuse the platform. Most of my time was spent learning, coding, building projects, and improving my skills.
That is why this situation makes me genuinely sad.
Because I truly loved this product.
I remember the early models. I remember being excited about every major update. I remember telling friends about ChatGPT and how AI was changing the world right in front of us. I followed OpenAI’s progress with genuine interest and excitement. Despite all the obstacles that came with being a user from Russia, I always found a way to remain part of this community.
Today, however, I feel like I suddenly lost something that was important to me. Not because it cost money. Not because it was simply a service. But because inside that account were years of my work, learning, ideas, and personal history.
I do not know whether anyone from OpenAI will ever read this post. I do not know whether it will change anything. But I wanted to share my story and ask for one thing.
If possible, please take another look at my case.
If I truly violated a policy, I would like to understand which one. If a mistake was made, I would be incredibly grateful for another review. And if restoring the account is no longer possible, I would at least like to know the real reason why a journey that lasted so many years came to an end.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this.