I don't see how that is true. I own a web hosting business (since 2003). This situation is EXTREMELY common (like 5%-10% of accounts).

I do not see how the payer is the account owner. At all. Can you clarify why that would be?

Legally speaking (in german law): The account owner is the person who opened the account, because that is the person who the provider has made the contract with (except the situation of a "Geschäftsbesorgungsvertrag" or a "Vollmacht" [ letter of authorization, power of authority, idk. whats the english term] where you make the contract for someone else). The payer may have a legal connection to the account owner (will, in 99% of the cases, but must not), but not to the provider.

So legally speaking Linode - at least in german law - Linode is providing unauthorized access to a tzhrid party and will be held accountable for all the damages the account owner suffers. That is a violation of GDPR, too. You'd propbably resolve that by a simple letter from your attorney or a court order if Linode does not comply (taking a few days only because of "emergency conditions").

It's not easy to translate all the legalese, I hope you can follow ;-)