"We are simply ensuring a premium experience for the right people," said Sarah Jenkins, VP of Digital Velvet Ropes. "It is totally normal to demand a background check just to run a few lines of code." Anthropic confirmed they have implemented strict new safeguards to stop unauthorized access. These blocks prevent third-party apps from pretending to be the official Claude Code client to get better rates, much like a teenager standing on another teenager’s shoulders to get into an R-rated movie.

The crackdown has left many budget developers scrambling for a new plan. "Our security is top notch," explained David Chang, Director of Revenue Protection. "If an API call does not wear a tie and know the secret handshake, we delete the data immediately." Local coder Timmy Miller was seen weeping into his mechanical keyboard after his "OpenCode" agent was rejected for the forty-seventh time. He tried to bypass the ban by putting a pair of Groucho Marx glasses on his laptop webcam, but the software simply laughed at him and charged his credit card a convenience fee.

At press time, Anthropic announced that all future API requests must be submitted by a notary public wearing a tuxedo to ensure "maximum authenticity."

Inspired by the real story: Anthropic has implemented technical blocks to stop third-party apps from spoofing its official client to get cheaper rates. Read the full story.