Incurring costs for unknown resources

Question

Incurring costs for unknown resources

Sree 0

I'm being charged for API Management consumption , though I have no API management resources. Also, I have been charged approximately $4000 in last year , and I wasn't even using any of the resources. I'm really not sure how or who is consuming any APIs deployed to APIM in my subscription. As of last month I deleted the APIM resource from my subscription. I tried contacting Microsoft support, but haven't been able to talk to any person till now.

Any help regarding this will be appreciated.

Bharath Y P 10,610 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-10T04:06:57.5333333+00:00
Hello Sree: sounds like you’re seeing API Management consumption charges even though you believe you’ve deleted all APIM resources. Here’s a quick checklist you can run through to track down the culprit:

Check Cost Analysis for “API Management” • In the Azure portal go to Cost Management + Billing → Cost analysis (scope = your subscription) • Filter by Service name = API Management • Group by Meter or Resource to see what meters are driving those calls

Download the raw usage details • From Cost Management + Billing → Exports → Usage Details or use the Usage Details API • Filter the CSV on meterName values like “ApiManagementGatewayRequests” (or any meter containing “ApiManagement”) • Look at the InstanceId column – that is the GUID for the API Management service instance that generated usage

Reconcile the InstanceId to an actual resource • Run: az resource show --ids <InstanceId> • Or in the portal, search “All resources” and paste in the InstanceId to see if there’s a hidden or deleted resource group

Check activity logs around deletion time • In Azure Monitor → Activity log, filter by Resource Type = Microsoft.ApiManagement/service • This shows who created, updated or deleted any APIM service in your subscription

Remember deletion lag and final billing • Even after you delete an APIM instance, any in-flight usage for up to 72 hours can still bill • Look at your billing invoice for the exact billing period and invoice date

If it still doesn’t match any live or recently deleted resource, file a billing dispute. Here are the steps you can follow to create support requests:

Go to Azure portal > Search for Help + Support or https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_Azure_Support/HelpAndSupportBlade/~/overview

Click on Create a Support Request.

On right-side panel, enter Billing and click Go > select the issue with "Billing" > select your Subscription then click Next.

Do not click on refund request button or any suggested articles instead click on the Create support request on top of the panel.

Select the Issue type as Billing and, select the summary, problem type and problem subtype as per your issue like below > then click on Next.

Do not click on refund request button or any recommendation solution/article, instead click on the Return to support request then click Next.

Fill all the required information and provide a clear description of your issue and click Next.

Review and create as submit the support request.

You should receive an automated email within a few minutes and then be contacted by support team.

Kindly check the below documentation for more details: How to create an Azure support request - Azure supportability | Microsoft Learn Hope this helps! If you encounter any issues, please reach out to us. Thanks.

References:

• Analyze unexpected charges – https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/cost-management-billing/understand/analyze-unexpected-charges

• Download usage details – https://docs.microsoft.com/rest/api/cost-management/usage-details

• Azure Activity log basics – https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/azure-monitor/essentials/activity-log#view-the-activity-log

• Prevent unwanted charges (delete resources & support plans) – https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/cost-management-billing/understand/plan-manage-costs#prevent-unwanted-charges

1 answer

Your answer

Answer 1

Use Cost Management to identify exactly which resource is generating the charges and then work with Azure billing support to correct any “phantom” or unexpected billing.

Identify the resource that’s being billed
1. In the Azure portal, go to the affected subscription.
2. Select Cost Management → Cost analysis.
3. At the top, change the view to Cost by resource (or equivalent resource-level view).
4. Filter the time range to the last 12 months and look for:
  - Any API Management resources (including ones that might be in deleted or unexpected resource groups).
  - Any other resources with unusually high cost.
5. Select the specific resource entry in the list to navigate to its resource blade. If the resource still exists, you can delete it from there to stop future charges.
Confirm there are no remaining chargeable resources
- In the subscription, go to Resources and verify there are no remaining API Management instances or other services you don’t intend to use.
- If the subscription is not needed at all, delete all resources and optionally leave the subscription as an empty container to avoid further charges. For a completely unused subscription, consider cancelling it.
Analyze unexpected charges If charges continue or you see costs for a resource that you believe is deleted or unknown:
1. Review the invoice that contains the API Management charges.
2. In Cost analysis, drill into the invoiced period and confirm which resource and meter are responsible.
3. Check activity/audit logs and user permissions at the subscription and resource group scopes to see who created or modified the resource.
4. If you still cannot reconcile the charges, create an Azure support request specifically for billing so a billing engineer can investigate and correct any stuck/phantom billing.
Prevent future unwanted charges
- Regularly review Cost analysis and set budgets/alerts in Cost Management so that any abnormal spend is detected early.
- If you don’t want any charges on a subscription, delete all resources in that subscription. The subscription then becomes an empty container with no usage-based charges.

Because this scenario involves large historical charges and a resource you believe was already deleted, final resolution (including any refund/waiver) requires direct handling by Azure billing support via an Azure support request.

References: