Systematic Service Failures - $440 Refund Request After Month of Critical Bugs (WSL2)

[jyongchul]

Summary

I am a paying customer with two Claude Code subscriptions ($220 each = $440/month total). The entire month of January 2026 has been rendered unusable due to three critical, unresolved bugs. I am formally requesting a full refund and escalating publicly due to zero human response from Anthropic support.

Three Critical Bugs (All Unresolved)

Bug 1: Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch (#18762)

• Discovered: ~January 15, 2026
• Symptom: MCP servers repeatedly lose configuration, tools become unavailable mid-work
• Impact: Constant reconfiguration needed, work interruptions every few minutes

Bug 2: OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 (#20756)

• Discovered: January 25, 2026
• Symptom: /login fails with empty "OAuth error:" - 100% failure rate
• Root Cause: WSL2 localhost ≠ Windows localhost (architectural issue)
• Impact: Complete inability to authenticate

Bug 3: API Connection Errors During Operation (#21417)

• Discovered: January 28, 2026
• Symptom: "API Error: Connection error." every 2-10 minutes during active work
• Pattern: Decreasing intervals (9m → 4m → 3m), correlated with WSL2 IP changes
• Impact: Cannot complete any meaningful work

Evidence (Error Logs)

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 8m 46s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Cooked for 3m 40s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Worked for 4m 35s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Baked for 3m 12s

⎿  Request timed out. Check your internet connection and proxy settings
   Retrying in 8 seconds… (attempt 6/10)

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Churned for 9m 22s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Worked for 3m 57s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Baked for 3m 23s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Sautéed for 4m 50s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Cogitated for 14m 28s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 5m 17s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Baked for 17m 7s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 18m 15s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Churned for 15m 17s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 3m 37s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Cogitated for 6m 2s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Cogitated for 3m 38s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 3m 38s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 3m 36s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 3m 34s

⎿  API Error: Connection error.
✻ Brewed for 3m 41s

These are just a fraction of the errors from a single day. This pattern repeated every single day in January 2026.

Why I Have Two Accounts

I initially used one account ($220). When API Connection Errors became unbearable, I purchased a second account ($220) hoping the problem was account-specific. It was not. The problem is systemic in Anthropic's API infrastructure.

Financial Impact

Item	Amount
Account 1 (jyongchul@gmail.com)	$220
Account 2 (jyongchul@naver.com)	$220
Total subscription	$440
Time wasted troubleshooting (55+ hours × $50/hr)	$2,750
Total impact	$3,190

Support Experience

Date	Action	Anthropic Response
Jan 25	GitHub #20756 submitted	Bot auto-reply only
Jan 28	GitHub #21417 submitted	Bot auto-reply, threatened auto-close
Jan 29	Refund email to support@anthropic.com	AI bot ("Fin") response
Jan 29	Rebuttal email demanding human response	AI bot response again
Jan 29	Final ultimatum email	No response

Five attempts. Zero human responses. Only AI bot auto-replies that suggest solutions requiring the very API access that is broken (Catch-22).

What I'm Requesting

1. Full refund of $440 for January 2026 (both accounts)
2. Human engineering response to GitHub issues OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756, API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417, [CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762
3. Acknowledgment that WSL2 users have experienced systematic service failures

What Happens Without Resolution

• Chargeback filing with credit card company ("services not rendered")
• Consumer protection complaints (Korea Consumer Agency + FTC)
• Public disclosure on Reddit, Hacker News, Twitter/X

Environment

• OS: WSL2 (Ubuntu) on Windows, kernel 6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2
• Claude Code version: Latest (v2.x)
• RAM: 125GB total, 110GB available
• Network: All tests pass (ICMP ✅, DNS ✅, TLS ✅, HTTPS ✅)

Related Issues

• [CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762 - Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch
• OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756 - OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2
• API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417 - API Connection Errors During Operation

---

Reporter: Lee Jyong Chul (이종철)
Company: Whitehat Marketing Co., Ltd. (하얀모자마케팅)
Email: jyongchul@naver.com / jyongchul@gmail.com
Phone: +82-10-9333-2028

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [URGENT] Account Disabled Immediately After Payment - No Service Access, No Refund, No Support Response (Invoice: DFON03V2-0005) #9950
2. [BUG] Weekly Usage Limits Making Claude Subscriptions Unusable - This IS a bug. #11810
3. $200/Month "Max" Subscription Provides ~12 Usable Days Due to Weekly Rate Limits + Wasted Tokens on Tool Bugs #14261

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
• To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[jyongchul]

NOT a Duplicate - Comprehensive Refund Request Issue

This issue is NOT a duplicate of the suggested issues. Here's why:

Comparison

Suggested Issue	Topic	This Issue (#21601)
#9950	Individual connection issue	$440 refund request across 3 distinct bugs over entire month
#11810	Specific error report	Systematic service failure with financial impact documentation
#14261	Single bug report	Comprehensive case combining #18762, #20756, #21417 + refund demand

Why This Issue is Unique

This is not a bug report. This is a formal refund request and service failure documentation that:

1. Combines 3 separate critical bugs ([CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762, OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756, API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417) into one comprehensive case
2. Documents $440 in subscription fees for unusable service
3. Documents 55+ hours of time lost troubleshooting Anthropic's bugs
4. Records 5 failed support attempts over 10+ days with only AI bot responses
5. References Anthropic's own acknowledgment of "multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026" (email from support@mail.anthropic.com, Jan 29, 2026)

Anthropic Has Already Acknowledged the Problem

From Anthropic Support email (Jan 29, 2026):

"I can confirm that there were indeed multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026 that affected Claude Pro and our API services."

This Issue Needs Human Attention

No automated bot can process a refund request. This requires a human from Anthropic's billing or support team to:

1. Review the documented service failures
2. Process the $440 refund
3. Respond to the related GitHub issues ([CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762, OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756, API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417)

Please keep this issue OPEN.

---

Reporter: Lee Jyong Chul (이종철)
Company: Whitehat Marketing Co., Ltd.
Email: jyongchul@naver.com

[jyongchul]

Update: Both Refund Requests REJECTED (January 29, 2026)

Following Anthropic's own email instructions to use the web refund process, I submitted refund requests for both accounts. Both were automatically rejected.

Results

Account	Status	Rejection Reason
jyongchul@naver.com ($220)	❌ REJECTED	"Previously issued refund"
jyongchul@gmail.com ($200)	❌ REJECTED	"Previously issued refund"

The Contradiction

1. Anthropic's own support email (Jan 29) acknowledged "multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026"
2. Anthropic's own support email directed me to the web refund process
3. The web refund process rejected both requests with an automated policy

So Anthropic:

• ✅ Acknowledges the service was broken
• ✅ Directs me to request a refund
• ❌ Then automatically rejects the refund

This is a Catch-22 by design: acknowledge the problem, point to a process, but make the process automatically reject.

Previous Refunds Were for DIFFERENT Issues

Any previous refunds were for earlier, separate incidents — NOT for January 2026's month-long systematic failures across 3 critical bugs (#18762, #20756, #21417).

A prior refund for a prior problem does not negate a new refund for a new problem. Each billing period is a separate service contract.

Next Steps

Since Anthropic has:

• ❌ Provided zero human responses (only AI bots)
• ❌ Rejected legitimate refund requests via their own recommended process
• ❌ Failed to respond to any of the 3 GitHub issues ([CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762, OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756, API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417)

I will now proceed with:

1. Credit card chargeback ("services not rendered") for both accounts
2. Public disclosure on Reddit, Hacker News, Twitter/X
3. Consumer protection complaints (Korea Consumer Agency, FTC)

---

Reporter: Lee Jyong Chul (이종철)
Company: Whitehat Marketing Co., Ltd.

[jyongchul]

Update: Chargeback Notice Sent (January 29, 2026)

Formal chargeback notice has been sent to support@anthropic.com and billing@anthropic.com.

Summary of All Failed Resolution Attempts

#	Date	Action	Result
1	Jan 25	GitHub #20756 (OAuth broken)	No human response
2	Jan 28	GitHub #21417 (API errors)	Bot auto-reply, threatened auto-close
3	Jan 29	Email refund request (both accounts)	AI bot response only
4	Jan 29	Web refund process (both accounts)	Auto-rejected ("previously issued refund")
5	Jan 29	GitHub #21601 (comprehensive case)	Bot auto-reply, threatened auto-close
6	Jan 29	Chargeback notice email	Sent to support + billing

The Contradiction

• Anthropic acknowledges "multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026"
• Anthropic directs me to web refund process
• Web process rejects refund citing prior refund (different period, different issues)
• Result: No path to resolution exists within Anthropic's system

48-Hour Window

Anthropic has until January 31, 2026 23:59 KST to issue direct refunds ($420 total) before chargebacks are filed.

A direct refund is better for both parties. Chargebacks carry processing fees and merchant rating impact.

[jyongchul]

Final Status Update — January 29, 2026

Email Response Analysis Complete

Inbox	Total Anthropic Emails	Human Responses
Naver (jyongchul@naver.com)	22 emails since Jan 28	0
Gmail (jyongchul@gmail.com)	6 emails since Jan 28	0
Total	28 emails	0 human responses

Every single response was from "Fin AI Agent" — automated bot replies only.

Bot Response Pattern

1. Generic refund instructions → "Use web refund process" (which auto-rejects)
2. Acknowledgment template → "Thank you for reaching out, we'll be with you soon" (never happened)
3. Auto-close → "We haven't heard from you in a while" (closing tickets without resolution)
4. Chargeback warning → "If you file disputes, we cannot process direct refunds" (catch-22)

Card Information Confirmed

Both accounts use the same Mastercard ending in 2238:

• Account 1 (Naver): Direct Mastercard charge — $220
• Account 2 (Gmail): Stripe Link → same Mastercard 2238 — $220
• Total: $440

Next Steps

1. Credit card chargeback — filing with card company for both charges ($440 total) citing "Services Not Rendered"
2. Consumer protection filing — Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원)
3. Public disclosure — Reddit, Hacker News, Twitter (all content prepared)

After 28 automated emails and 0 human responses over 10+ days, there is no remaining private channel to resolve this.

---

⚠️ DO NOT auto-close this issue. This is an active consumer dispute with documented evidence of systematic refund avoidance.

[jyongchul]

Status Update — January 30, 2026 (Evening KST)

Actions Taken Today

1. Samsung Card (삼성카드) chargeback formally filed — Electronic complaint submitted via samsungcard.com requesting expedited processing of $440 dispute (Mastercard 2238)

2. Final protest email sent to Anthropic — Comprehensive email with real terminal logs showing API errors throughout January, sent to support@anthropic.com and billing@anthropic.com

3. Second account protest sent — Separate email confirming Gmail account (jyongchul@gmail.com, $220) demands are identical

4. GitHub issues OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756 and API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417 updated with chargeback filing notice

Anthropic Response Summary (as of Jan 30 evening)

Channel	Attempts	Human Responses
Email (support@anthropic.com)	22+	0
Web refund process	2 (both accounts)	Auto-rejected
GitHub issues (4 issues)	9 total	0
Total human responses		0

Latest Anthropic email (Jan 30, 10:34 UTC): Generic auto-reply template — "Thank you for reaching out... A member of our team will be with you as soon as we can."

Current Status

• ⏳ Samsung Card processing chargeback ($440)
• ⏳ Awaiting Samsung Card callback (1-3 business days)
• ❌ Still zero human responses from Anthropic after 22+ attempts
• ✅ All evidence documented and submitted

For Anthropic Staff

This can still be resolved directly. Issue a $440 refund ($220 × 2 accounts) and I will withdraw the chargeback and remove public complaints. Your own support acknowledged "multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026."

Contact: jyongchul@naver.com / jyongchul@gmail.com / +82-10-9333-2028

[jyongchul]

Update: Jan 31, 2026 — Email Server Blocking + Chargeback Filed

1. Anthropic Email Server Now Blocking Customer Emails

Emails to Anthropic support are being rejected with:

550 5.7.1 IP address blacklisted by recipient

Customer cannot reach support through email. Combined with zero human responses across all channels.

2. Samsung Card Chargeback Filed (Jan 30)

• Card: Mastercard ending 2238
• Amount: $440 ($220 x 2 accounts)
• Reason: Service unusable ~90% of January 2026, no support response

3. GitHub Issues Update

• Persistent "API Error: Connection error" and Request Timed Out in WSL2 Environment #21692: opusplan model triggers extreme API connection errors (new finding)
• OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756: OAuth still broken in WSL2
• API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417: IP-change-correlated connection drops

All channels exhausted. Awaiting chargeback resolution.

[jyongchul]

Update: Jan 31, 2026 — Complete January 2026 Failure Evidence

Email Server Blocking

Anthropic's Intercom mail server now blacklists customer IPs:

550 5.7.1 IP address blacklisted by recipient

Gmail Daily Sending Limit

After sending 22+ emails requesting a human response, Gmail has also rate-limited my sending. This means Anthropic's non-responsiveness has exhausted my ability to even contact them.

Full January 2026 Error Log (Partial Sample)

From actual Claude Code sessions across multiple projects, computers, and accounts:

• API Error: Connection error → 100+ occurrences across 30+ work sessions
• Request timed out. Check your internet connection → Retries fail up to 10/10
• OAuth completely broken → /login fails with "OAuth error:" (Issue OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756)
• opusplan model → Near-constant connection errors (Issue Persistent "API Error: Connection error" and Request Timed Out in WSL2 Environment #21692)
• MCP 16+ hour hang (Issue [CRITICAL] MCP Server Causes 16+ Hour Hang - No Timeout or Stuck Detection #15945)
• .claude.json corruption — auto-locked (Issue Severe .claude.json corruption in multi-project environments (30+ concurrent sessions) #18998)
• Config drift across sessions (Issue [CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762)

Why Two Accounts ($220 × 2 = $440)

I opened a second account (jyongchul@gmail.com) believing the errors were account-specific. The same errors occurred on both accounts, proving this is a systemic Anthropic infrastructure problem, not a user issue.

Anthropic's Own Admission

"I can confirm that there were indeed multiple service disruptions throughout January 2026 that affected Claude Pro and our API services."
— Fin AI Agent from Anthropic, January 29, 2026

Current Status

• Samsung Card chargeback: Filed Jan 30, 2026
• Waiting for Samsung Card to process
• Evidence package prepared and submitted
• 22+ email attempts, 9 GitHub issues, ZERO human responses from Anthropic

All Related Issues

• Persistent "API Error: Connection error" and Request Timed Out in WSL2 Environment #21692 — opusplan API connection errors + Docker conflicts
• OAuth Authentication Broken in WSL2 - Cannot Login or Use API #20756 — OAuth broken in WSL2
• API Connection Errors During Operation in WSL2 (Correlated with IP Changes) #21417 — API connection errors correlated with IP changes
• API Connection Timeout Despite Healthy System Resources (125GB RAM Available) #20584 — API timeout despite healthy resources
• Severe .claude.json corruption in multi-project environments (30+ concurrent sessions) #18998 — .claude.json corruption
• [CRITICAL] Plugin-MCP Configuration Mismatch Causes Misleading 'Request Timed Out' Errors #18762 — Plugin-MCP config drift
• API timeout after successful tool execution in v2.1.6 #17935 — API timeout after successful tool execution
• [CRITICAL] MCP Server Causes 16+ Hour Hang - No Timeout or Stuck Detection #15945 — MCP 16+ hour hang

I wasted my entire January 2026 dealing with Anthropic's broken service. $440 for a service that was ~90% unusable.