Microsoft and Anthropic play invoice tennis with startup's $17,600 Claude bill

A Norwegian startup incurred a $17,600 invoice for using Anthropic's Claude AI through Microsoft Foundry, believing Microsoft's Azure credits would cover the expense. Vegalabs AS received $25,060 in Azure credits but discovered Microsoft's sponsorship rules prohibit billing for Anthropic models purchased through Azure Marketplace.

Microsoft attempted to collect $16,500 from Vegalabs' card, resulting in a total invoice of $17,600 before tax. The company erased the deployment shortly after realizing the charges. A card issuer declined the payment due to suspected fraud, and $21,168 in unused Azure credits expired on September 8. Vegalabs disputes the charges, alleging the deployment interface did not make the billing distinction clear.

The company requested a waiver, which bounced between Microsoft and Anthropic support. Microsoft directs users to Anthropic for refunds, but Anthropic claims no authorization was needed. Four of Vegalabs' seven support replies were AI-generated, incorrectly stating the account as an "Azure Student Sponsorship." Microsoft has not commented further on the situation.