Google Cloud tries to charge me PLN 3,000 daily for \~20 test video clips (Vertex AI), blocked my card & API – violation of EU law?

Gemini API
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1

Hi all,
I want to share my experience with Google Cloud because it shows a serious billing transparency problem that EU users should know about.

  • I tested Vertex AI Video Generation for ~20 short video clips.

  • Google then started attempting to charge my card PLN 3,000 daily (~USD 750).

  • There is no clear, itemized invoice explaining these charges.

  • My card had to be blocked, and my Google Cloud account (including Maps API) is suspended. See my non-commercial project here: [Travelja] (currently broken due to the suspension).

Why this is not just my fault

In the EU, consumers have legal protection:

  • Art. 384¹ Polish Civil Code + EU Directive 2011/83/EU require that the total price of a digital service is disclosed clearly and unambiguously before the user is bound by the contract. Google failed to provide this.

  • Art. 471 k.c.: Google is blocking services while simultaneously demanding payment, which is improper performance of a contract.

  • Art. 415 k.c.: Repeated aggressive billing attempts caused financial and non-financial harm.

This is not just a “mistake on my side” – it’s a systemic problem, confirmed by other cases:

  • The $11,550 overnight Vertex AI fine-tune bill shared on Google’s own forum.

  • AWS users hit with $300k+ “bill shocks.”

In almost all cases, providers first deny refunds or blame the customer, then sometimes issue a “goodwill credit” only after public pressure.

Why I’m posting this

Google Support keeps copy-pasting “fraud investigation” replies, completely ignoring the real issue: pricing transparency and abusive billing practices.

I believe this violates EU consumer law and I’m escalating to:

  • UOKiK (Polish Competition and Consumer Protection Office)

  • ECC Poland (European Consumer Centre)

Has anyone else from the EU faced similar issues with Vertex AI or other Google Cloud services?

This isn’t just about money – it’s about whether we can trust Google Cloud’s billing transparency at all.

Stanisław Tokarski

Owner of [Travelja]

3

Hello,

Apologies for the inconvenience. We have a dedicated team that handles billing related issues. We recommend raising your concern through Billing Support, where you will receive a more accurate and prompt response.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

5

Hi Lalit Kumar,
Thank you for your attention to my problem.
I’ve been corresponding with the Billing Department for a long time. But it’s been ineffective because the employees can’t do anything about it. This is a Google system problem. I’m aware of the situation Google employees are facing and fully sympathize with.

Attached are my correspondence with Google support and a report about Google Cloud. This may not be necessary, but it may shed more light on my problem.
Here’s a link to my website with a description of the case:

Best regards,
Stanisław Tokarski

(Attachment Raport ws Google Cloud -EN.pdf is missing)

(Attachment Correspondence with Google Cloud support.pdf is missing)