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Question

I’m being charged monthly for an account I cannot access because it requires Microsoft Authenticator verification, but the account does not appear in my Authenticator app. I receive invoices, but I’m unable to log in or cancel the service. I’ve also been unable to reach phone support or resolve this through self-service. How can I regain access or stop/cancel the billing for this account?

Answer 1

Hi @Craig Heard,

Good day, and I appreciate the clear explanation of your concern.

I’ve gone through your description, and I’m sorry to hear about the difficulty you are experiencing when trying to access your account due to issues with the Microsoft Authenticator app.

Based on the details you’ve shared, it seems that you may be an administrator for your Microsoft 365 tenant. Due to security and privacy requirements, the available recovery options can vary depending on whether there is another administrator within your organization.

With that in mind, please review the relevant options below to help you regain access. Additionally, as subscription cancellations must be completed within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, once your access has been restored, you can follow the guidance in this article to cancel your subscription: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn.

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Option 1: Contact another IT admin

Please check if there are other IT admins who still have access and share with them the steps outlined in the article Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication. This will help them assist you in resetting your MFA settings and restoring access to the account.

Once your admin completes this process, your previous sign-in sessions will be cleared, and the next time you log in, you will be prompted to set up MFA again from scratch.

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Option 2: Contact Microsoft Data Protection Support by phone

I understand that you’ve already attempted to reach support by phone without success. In this situation, you may consider contacting Global Customer Support again and following the script below to help navigate the automated phone system more effectively.

During the phone call, you will need to provide the information associated with your subscription, such as your company name, billing details, phone number, and an alternate email address, etc. This information allows the Data Protection team to verify your identity and securely assist you in regaining access to your administrator account.

In some regions, the initial interaction may be automated, so here’s a general idea of how the conversation might go to help you prepare:

(When you call the support number, you may hear an introduction of about 30 seconds such as "you can visit the link...". You can ignore this introduction and wait until you are presented with the options. Then press "1" as a business email user, and again "1" for technical help)

In some countries, it is an automated conversation like:

IVR: What kind of problem are you concerned about?

You: Authenticator.

IVR: What kind of product do you use?

You: Office 365 for business.

IVR confirmation: education or company account?

You: For companies

IVR: Are you an administrator?

You: Yes.

IVR: Do you have another administrator in your organization?

You: No.

IVR: Do you need a... Service request?

You: Yes. I need to create a ticket. Please send me directly to the Data Protection Team.

Please note that forum moderators do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in, resetting passwords, or changing access rights. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues but we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.   

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Option 3: Create a new tenant to submit a support ticket (Alternative method)

If you still cannot reach a live agent, there is a workaround you might consider: You can register for a new Microsoft 365 tenant by signing up for a trial subscription here: Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365 (please select "Try for free" under a business subscription). This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided.

Once the new tenant is created, you can access the admin center and submit a support ticket from there, requesting to speak with the Data Protection Team on behalf of your original tenant.

Ticket Support: In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Help & Support.

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant as a sole admin and need help from the Data Protection team.

Important notes:

• This new trial tenant will not give you access to any of the data or settings in your original locked tenant. It is solely a temporary means to contact Microsoft support.
• The resolution time might be longer as you are contacting support from a different tenant.
• Remember to cancel the trial subscription for the new tenant once your issue with the original account is resolved to avoid any unintended charges. Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn.

I hope the information provided helps guide you in the right direction. Although I’m unable to take direct action, I sincerely hope that the steps and recommendations I’ve shared can support you through the process.

If you find my post useful, kindly consider upvoting it. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

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Answer 2

To regain access and stop the monthly billing, two separate problems must be addressed:

1. Recover or regain access to the account that is protected by Microsoft Authenticator
2. If access cannot be restored quickly, work with Microsoft and the card issuer to stop or reverse the charges

Follow these steps:

1. Try to restore access using Microsoft’s self‑service flows
   • If this is a personal Microsoft account and the issue is security info / verification codes, follow the guidance in “I’ve lost access to my Microsoft account security info”:
     • If at least one security method still works: sign in to the Advanced security options page, add a new way to sign in or verify, confirm it, then remove outdated methods.
     • If all security info is lost but the password is known: start sign‑in, at Verify your identity choose I don't have any of these, then follow the instructions to replace security info. After replacement, sign‑in may be restricted for 30 days.
     • If the password is not known and no security info is available: read Help with the Microsoft account recovery form, then submit the recovery form via Recover account.
   • If this is a work or school account with two‑step verification and repeated attempts have failed, wait and try again or use a different MFA method if one is configured. If there is an IT admin for the tenant, that admin must review Microsoft Entra sign‑in logs and reset MFA.
2. If locked out because Microsoft Authenticator is the only MFA and there is no other admin
   • For a Microsoft 365 business tenant where the locked account is the only global administrator and Authenticator is required but not available, the Microsoft Data Protection team must intervene.
   • Call Microsoft Customer service phone numbers and clearly state:
     • The problem is with Authenticator / MFA preventing admin sign‑in
     • The product is Office 365/Microsoft 365 for business
     • It is a company account
     • The caller is the only administrator and is locked out
     • A service request is needed and the case must go to the Data Protection team to reset the authentication method for the tenant admin.
   • If reaching a live agent is difficult, create a temporary trial Microsoft 365 tenant, sign in to the new tenant’s Microsoft 365 Admin Center, and open a support ticket from there. In that ticket, specify that:
     • The issue concerns a different, existing tenant where the admin is locked out by MFA
     • Include the locked tenant’s domain, admin sign‑in address, and error details
     • Request escalation to the Data Protection team to reset MFA on the original tenant.
3. Investigate and stop the recurring billing
   • Use Microsoft’s billing investigation flow for unrecognized or problematic charges:
     • Go to Manage your payments from the Microsoft account dashboard and use Investigate on the charge if the account can be accessed.
     • Review common causes: recurring subscription billing, in‑app purchases, split orders, or previously declined charges being retried.
   • If the subscription cannot be accessed at all because of the lockout, Microsoft support cannot cancel it without account access. In that case:
     • Contact Microsoft billing support and provide:
       • Card details (last digits only), charge dates/amounts, and any invoice/transaction IDs
       • That the account is inaccessible due to MFA lockout
       • Ask them to locate the subscription and advise on cancellation or refund options.
   • If Microsoft and self‑service cannot locate or cancel the subscription, contact the bank or card issuer:
     • Report the charges as unauthorized or as charges for a service that cannot be accessed
     • Request a dispute/chargeback and ask them to block future Microsoft/Xbox/Microsoft 365 charges on that card if necessary
     • Consider canceling the card and getting a new one to prevent further billing.
4. After access is restored
   • Sign in to the account and:
     • Go to the subscriptions/services page and turn off recurring billing or cancel the subscription that is being charged.
     • Review and remove any stored payment methods that should no longer be used.
     • Strengthen security by updating password and reviewing security info and MFA methods so that there is at least one backup method (phone, email, or additional admin) to avoid future lockouts.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• How to investigate a billing charge from Microsoft
• I cant log in to my business account because it is requiring Authenticator app which I do not have - Microsoft Q&A
• I have a Micrsoft business account and I am the admin and the only user registered under this account. I can't log in because i have replaced my phone and the authenticator doesn't work. - Microsoft Q&A
• Requesting a Tenant Admin MFA Reset - Microsoft Q&A