I’m looking for some guidance regarding an unexpected billing issue with Google Maps Platform (Places API).
What happened:
- I initially saw around £40 in usage
- As soon as I noticed it, I deleted my API key, disabled all APIs, disabled billing, and deleted the project
- Despite taking these steps immediately, the reported usage increased rapidly within the same day to ~£300, then £1000+, and now ~£1500
- Multiple payment attempts were made at increasing amounts (all declined)
Current status:
- I am no longer using the API
- All access has been disabled and the project has been deleted
- I have contacted Google Cloud Support, and the case has been escalated to the Maps Billing team
My questions:
- Has anyone experienced usage continuing to increase after disabling everything?
- Is this typically due to delayed/batched billing rather than ongoing activity?
- How long does it usually take for Maps Billing to reconcile and respond?
- Have others in similar situations received adjustments or credits?
I’m trying to understand whether this is expected behaviour from delayed reporting and what the likely resolution path looks like.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks