Github shows Payment declined but my Card is charged with the payment amount. My Copilot is still in-active.

[tiwarisunnyr]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Copilot Agent Mode

Body

On 25 Jun I tried to make payment on the Github, as my account is in active, I made some attempts(~3-4) Payment got declined, in Payment History I could see the "Payment Declined". Though I got the message on from my Bank that Credit card has been charged with the amount. but I have not seen any successful transaction in github's Payment History. My Copilot is still inactive, Now I do not know what to do.

Please help me with this, I am not able to Raise a ticket as well in Github support directly. this situation totally renders me helpless and bit disappointed.

[ArjunVasavan]

oof that's annoying, especially when your bank is showing the charge but github says declined.
just to ease your mind a bit.. what you're probably seeing on your bank side is just an authorization hold, not an actual charge. it usually disappears on its own within a few days. ask your bank if it's "pending" or actually settled, that'll tell you a lot.
also please don't retry the payment again, with 3-4 attempts already you really don't want more holds stacking up.
for support, try https://support.github.com/contact in a different browser if it's not loading for you. that's really the only way to get this properly looked at since nobody here can access your billing.

[codemax101]

->When you make a payment, your bank first authorises the charge (which subtracts it from your available balance and sends you an SMS). However, GitHub's payment processor still has to capture the payment. If GitHub declines the payment (due to an address mismatch, a timeout, or a strict fraud-screen check), they never actually take the money.

->That charge is currently sitting as a temporary authorisation hold. Your bank will eventually realise GitHub isn't going to claim the money, and the funds will automatically be released back to your account. _This usually takes 5 to 7 business days.

• Even if your bank approves the transaction, GitHub's automated systems might reject it for a few strict reasons:

• Billing Address Mismatch: The address you entered in GitHub does not exactly match the address your bank has on file (down to the spelling and postal code).

• Multiple Attempts: Because you tried 3-4 times, GitHub's system may have flagged the activity as a security risk and temporarily locked your billing capabilities.

• Geographic/International Restrictions: GitHub processes payments through US-based systems, and sometimes banks hold or flag these transactions unless explicitly cleared.

If GitHub's support portal is blocking you from opening a ticket (which often happens if an account is flagged or temporarily locked for billing issues), you can bypass the portal:

• Send an email directly to billing@github.com from the email address associated with your GitHub account.

DO NOT try to pay again right now. Making more attempts could lock your account further or result in more temporary holds on your card.

[Developer-Vinayak]

Don't worry — your money is safe! Here's what's happening and what to do:
Why this happens:

When you attempt a payment, your bank places a temporary authorization hold. If GitHub's system declines it (due to multiple attempts or fraud detection), the money was never actually taken — it will automatically be released back to your account within 5-7 business days.
Immediate steps to fix this:

Do NOT try paying again — multiple attempts may have flagged your account as a security risk
Check your billing details — Go to GitHub Settings → Billing and make sure your address matches your bank records exactly (spelling, postal code, everything)
Contact GitHub directly by emailing billing@github.com from your registered GitHub email — this bypasses the support portal
Wait 24 hours before attempting payment again after your billing details are corrected

Your Copilot will activate automatically once payment goes through successfully. Hope this helps! 🙏

[steveantoine305-hub]

I haven’t been able to run any actions so I go to pay my bill $10 and like four cents I’ve been trying to do that for days and you won’t allow me to do that. It’s like you’re holding my account