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Original poster

My son spent over £100 on Google Play!

66 replies

BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 07:30

Hi,
Have posted this on the Gaming topic but no response.

I am a complete gaming technophobe so please be gentle! My son, who is 8, is a massive gamer and he loves Roblox so much it's become his raison d'etre. I allow him a few pounds every week out of his pocket money to buy Robux. My bank details are on Google Play. He is warned to not go over his limit and I have password protected it. However, he changed his pass-code on his phone to fingerprint ID. Imagine my shock when I found out he had spent over £100 in one month on Robux!! I went mental and got it out of him what had happened. He had been able to pay for Robux using his fingerprint ID, completely bypassing my password control. His punishment is to have no pocket money until Xmas! He knows it was wrong and has apologised.
My issue is how the fcuk can this have happened, that the fingerprint ID bypassed my password control? Do I have a case here against Google Play, or was it entirely my fault?
It's def a warning for parents out there! My bank details are now deleted off Google Play and won't be reinstated.

OP posts:
Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:05

HunterHearstHelmsley · Today 07:57

BooseysMom

Don't you get an email from Google play each time a purchase is made. I think I do...

I don't no. It was only when I checked my payments on my account. Just feel so stupid.

What I don't get is how the fingerprint ID was set up so easily bypassing my password protection

I have fingerprint ID on Google Play, I think when I set it up, I put my password in as normal and then it said "enable 1-click purchase', I selected that and now use my fingerprint.

OP posts:
Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:06

HunterHearstHelmsley
Sorry posted without finishing. Thank you for this info

OP posts:
Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:07

Clymene
Hugasauras

Thanks both

OP posts:
ChagSameachDoreen · 06/06/2022 08:08

Take the damn phone off him! No 8-year-old needs one.

trainnane · 06/06/2022 08:08

He's 8 and games are massively addictive & lure you in to spend more money. All my 2x DC / friends have played a lot of Roblox for 2-3 years but none spend money on it. None make any purchases as parents don't see the need. At 8 DC have no real concept of money & no self control. DC can easily hack & change passwords if you aren't careful.
I'm afraid you are being too harsh on him. It's not his fault as a young child.
You are expecting him to act as responsibly as an adult. He's a young child. He followed the lure of games designed to draw you in.

Mindymomo · 06/06/2022 08:09

Don’t be too harsh on your son or yourself, unfortunately these games and settings are set up for exactly the way they want. We’ve all done it, luckily you found out at £100, could easily have been more. It’s a lesson to us all to be extra careful.

LaWench · 06/06/2022 08:09

He should have his own Google account on the phone which would be a child's account and you would have full control via Google family link. DD has to ask via Google for permission to download games and cannot make purchases.

Needmorelego · 06/06/2022 08:10

@BooseysMom my daughter is a technology fiddler. Thankfully we've never had her spend too much money. She is more of one who changes passwords or settings and we can't change them back and she can't remember how she did it.
Don't feel bad. It happened. Hopefully lesson learned (your son that is).

trainnane · 06/06/2022 08:14

Mine can't down load any games without permission either and zero on line purchasing. They are older too.
'A few pounds out of his pocket money every week' sounds like he gets quite a lot. Maybe he pays it back a couple of pounds a week?
8 is very young for a phone. Age 10 / year 6 is normal in our area. I'd also worry that he sounds a bit addicted to gaming OP. That will only get worse if you don't rein it in.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:36

Mindymomo
trainnane
Needmorelego
...and anyone I might have missed!

Thanks so much. I feel awful. I'm also too far in to just remove his phone. I always watch what he's doing but yes these games are so addictive and he has clicked on things without knowing the implications

OP posts:
Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:39

LaWench · Today 08:09

He should have his own Google account on the phone which would be a child's account and you would have full control via Google family link. DD has to ask via Google for permission to download games and cannot make purchases.

This is my problem.. I have linked his phone to my account because he had his games all set up on my phone originally and I had to use my Google account so he could continue on his phone which we allowed him to have so he wouldn't keep using mine! I know, it's a mess!

OP posts:
resuwen · 06/06/2022 08:40

If you are on apple there is a way to report unauthorised purchases and potentially get a refund, not sure if the same applies to google play.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 08:42

A few pounds out of his pocket money every week' sounds like he gets quite a lot. Maybe he pays it back a couple of pounds a week?

He gets £4 per week pocket money. I said in order to pay it back he gets nothing until Xmas. I know pps have said that's too harsh ...what should I do then? I just need advice .. thanks

OP posts:
Tallisker · 06/06/2022 08:44

Easiest thing is to take his phone off him. He's far too young for unfettered access to the internet, as you've found. Give it back in ten years when he is grown up enough to self regulate.

LimpBiskit · 06/06/2022 08:49

Don't have your account on your sons phone. Set up one for him and don't save payment details either.

Jalepenojello · 06/06/2022 08:49

8 year olds have very little impulse control and he’s been given what sounds like unchecked access to an addictive game. I think some chores around the house would suffice.

No more robux full stop, it’s absolutely not needed to play the game and is money down the drain. Offer it at birthday or Xmas If you wish. And that isn’t from a punishment perspective, it’s just common sense. You’re feeding an addiction.

trainnane · 06/06/2022 08:50

OP use it as a chance to teach him the value of money. Show him the maths & relationship between £4 and £100. He may get upset but it's a lesson he'll take on board. Could he do some chores to 'earn' some of money back and maybe £2 a week for 10 weeks or similar? I think now it's balancing the life lesson about in line purchases / earning and the fact that he was too young to stop himself.

Lazypuppy · 06/06/2022 08:50

OP people have given you advice, removw the phone. An 8 year old does not need a smart phone, especially if you as the parent don't understand how they work.

trainnane · 06/06/2022 08:55

I agree that purchases are not needed to enjoy the game. I'd also set him time limits. By Yr6/7 when they have SATs / exams / high school he needs to not be spending endless hours gaming. Use it as a wake up call to reign it in. Get him out interacting with real people. I say that having seen other parents allow endless hours at 8 and be tearing their hair out by age 10 trying to get them off it again. ( made worse by lockdown and need to keep kids entertained)

WobblyInAllTheRightPlaces · 06/06/2022 08:57

So his punishment is no pocket money until Christmas?

Please tell me that you have at least stopped him from playing computer games for some time.

Otherwise, he gets to benefit from stealing from you without a relevant consequence.

Original poster
BooseysMom · 06/06/2022 09:03

No more robux full stop, it’s absolutely not needed to play the game and is money down the drain

I had absolutely no idea! I subscribed him to Roblox Premium and can't understand how he has spent £4 every day and sometimes £9 or £10! I am definitely going to appeal to Google Play.

Discussing the whole having his own phone thing with DH and we agree no phone..DS will be upset but he has a tablet too.

Thanks everyone for your valued advice 🙏

OP posts:
Pinkflipflop85 · 06/06/2022 09:10

It concerns me that if you haven't been monitoring this spending, then you probably aren't monitoring his actual use of the game either.

Roblox is not a safe platform for an 8 year old child to have unmonitored access to.

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 06/06/2022 09:13

There's a reason why age limit to access on the internet exist. I don't think you have any case since you allowed 8 years old to access something he isn't officially allowed.
Take off the phone. I think you are lucky he only spent £100, not £1000.

waterrat · 06/06/2022 09:17

He doesn't need and isn't old enough to safely use a phone.

You are responsible for an 8 year old unsurprisingly displaying addictive behaviour using a highly addictive game

Stop him playing roblox and massively reduce screen time while he is going enough thst you can control it !

GrazingSheep · 06/06/2022 09:18

Read up on the risks of gambling. Many many children are now addicted to gambling via games like Roblox. It’s becoming a real problem.