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Re:Free for Developers by pkage on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @07:27PM (#26244962)
I strongly recommend setting up and using virtual credit cards, you can use them to enforce spending limits and spend maximums. There are several services that allow this, for example my CC company supports them directly or there are several services that let you set them up backed by a debit card. That way, if your hosting provider overcharges you it'll just bounce.
Re:Free for Developers by lemarchr on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @07:54PM (#26245215)
Bills don't just magically go away if you refuse to pay them.
Re:Free for Developers by jojobas on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @08:03PM (#26245291)
They do to a degree. Nobody's going to court over a $200 bounced charge that you could argue shouldn't have been there in the first place. Most services will just close your account and move on with their lives.
Re:Free for Developers by smnrchrds on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @09:40PM (#26245984)
But in the current climate of big tech oligopoly, they don't have to take you to court to make your life miserable. They can simply ban you from their services and make your professional life much more difficult for the rest of your natural life.

When the pandemic hit, flights were cancelled, and refund requests were unanswered here in Canada, many were afraid of requesting a charge back through their credit card company. In a country with only two major airline companies and a size that is too vast to travel by land all the time, getting banned from one, if they choose to do it, would make one's life so much more difficult. Tech is not far from that in terms of oligopoly power.

Re:Free for Developers by jojobas on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @10:18PM (#26246212)
They're not That Smart. A new email address and PO box is a new person.

Was there ever a precedent of an airline ban over a chargeback where a refund was warranted?

Re:Free for Developers by smnrchrds on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @10:48PM (#26246365)
> A new email address and PO box is a new person.

Not to airlines, which have your full legal name, date of birth, and passport number on file.

Not to big tech either, which are in practice giant surveillance companies and have mastered the art of tracking everyone and anyone on- and offline.

> Was there ever a precedent of an airline ban over a chargeback where a refund was warranted?

I don't know. But many people would not have the time to research this to their satisfaction, nor would want to risk it and find out the answer the hard way.

Re:Free for Developers by esterin on Wednesday February 24, 2021 @08:06AM (#26249420)
This is a valid strategy, but some companies already disallow virtual/prepaid cards, Scaleway for example.
Re:Free for Developers by nsomaru on Wednesday February 24, 2021 @12:37AM (#26246952)
Is there a way to do this for people based in Africa? My cursory searches came up empty...
Re:Free for Developers by mycall on Tuesday February 23, 2021 @07:44PM (#26245132)
PayPal can provide virtual credit cards, if I remember correctly.