Claude users say their accounts were banned after verification showed a Russian passport

Users of Claude, the chatbot developed by Anthropic, claim their accounts were banned following identity verification with a Russian passport. Reports surfaced on platforms like Reddit, X, and Telegram. Users are uncertain about the reason behind the ban. The verification process, conducted via Persona, requires users to input their document's region, upload a photo, and undergo a facial scan.

Users report immediate account suspension upon uploading a Russian passport, even if they reside in a country where Claude is officially available, like New Zealand. One user, a Russian citizen in New Zealand, used the paid version for work and personal use, yet his account was blocked immediately after payment for a subscription.

Anthropic's security team sent a letter to another user, stating violation of the chatbot's usage policy without specifying the violation. Blocked users can only export their chat data, unable to restore their accounts through appeal. Users from China also faced similar checks, though verification for them has been successful despite China not being on the list of officially supported countries.

Anthropic has not commented on the complaints, maintaining that Claude cannot verify the authenticity of user posts, and its policy does not specify nationality-based restrictions. The company lists supported countries and regions, with services unavailable in others. Meduza, the source of this report, remains committed to transparency in its use of AI in journalism, with every draft reviewed by an editor before publication.