ChatGPT account suspended or deactivated: causes and how to get it back

Symptoms

• The message "Your account has been deactivated"
• An email from OpenAI about a usage policy violation
• Login works, but every request returns an access error

Causes and fixes

1. The profile shows an age under 13 or the date of birth was entered wrongly

What to do: Submit a request through help.openai.com with proof of age; users aged 13 to 18 need parental consent under the service rules

2. Logins from many countries in a short time through a VPN look like a hacked account

What to do: Turn off the VPN, change the password, turn on two-factor login and file an appeal

3. Automated requests through unofficial extensions or scripts violate the terms

What to do: Remove extensions that use ChatGPT on your behalf and explain this in the appeal; for automation use the official API

4. One account shared by several people in a company triggered suspicious activity

What to do: Move to the Business plan with a seat for each person, since shared accounts violate the terms

5. A payment was disputed through the bank (chargeback), and OpenAI closed the account pending review

What to do: Cancel the dispute with your bank and write to support with the transaction number

Common problems and fixes

• ChatGPT not working: six causes and what to do
• ChatGPT declines your card: what to check, step by step
• ChatGPT message limits: how much you get on Free, Plus and Pro and how not to burn through it in an hour
• ChatGPT will not open a PDF or reads it with errors: causes and workarounds
• How to delete your data from ChatGPT and turn off training on your chats
• ChatGPT for business: company invoices, VAT and billing for a sole trader
• ChatGPT will not upload an Excel file, Word document or image: what to do

About ChatGPT

All-purpose chat assistant with web search, file and spreadsheet analysis, voice and custom GPTs. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

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