my ds 7 spend £700 on squirrel nuts

[Jellybeanz1]

We had massive shock when the bills kept coming in on an free ipad game for virtual squirrel nuts. Im delighted to see that on the news this morning that the gaming industry are going to put protection in place by law. We challenged this amount being taken from our account and it was eventually fully recovered ( 2 separate attempts to get it all back). I talked to my db recently and found out his ds had done something similar at young age and he hadn't challenged it. Just wanted to make sure everyone was querying this if it happens to them.

[Rooners]

Quint, check the time period for your password though. You may only need to enter it once for it to be not required for another 30 minutes, anything bought in that time doesn't need it.

Not sure, we don't have apple/

[ClayDavis]

I think you can change that setting on google. Buggered if I can remember how though. It has something to do with double layered security. You can then add specific devices. It's a good idea to do that anyway as if some one hacks your gmail account they have access to any cards linked to it. If you set specific devices then if you try to access from any other device it asks for a passcode which is sent at the time of request to a mobile number you have given them.

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Surely it asks for a password? Unless anyone is daft enough to let their kids know the password.

[QuintessentialShadows]

Thanks for the tip Rooners, I will check it.

I guess it also does not apply to games you have already downloaded which requires you to get new credit/donuts/diamonds etc as the game progresses?

[fortyplus]

ps don't think grooming and cyber bullying is something that happens to 'those' families - anyone can be a victim. My sons are 18 and 19 and a handful of their friends have experienced it - in one case cyber bullying led to a suicide attempt.

[diddl]

""I always assumed that a cc number would be asked for at some point-is this not so?" No, it is stored in App store."

But that's what I mean-cc details have been entered.

Why is that?

[supermariossister]

I really don't understand why this keeps happening when it is relatively simple to block in app purchases, password protect or just don't link your card. I have used google wallet before and then removed the details or put a pin on them. glad those who needed to have got their money back but just don't understand how kids are spending hundreds and nobody is noticing until a bill rolls in.

[QuintessentialShadows]

Diddle, if I remember correctly we had to give our card details when opening an account. It has been stored in the app store since we bought the ipad.

At least apple has not has the same problems as the android, their download app has been compromised numerous times and card details lifted.

I am not a big fan of this.

[ClayDavis]

I can't say how it works for apple devices but I think I know how it works on Google/Google Play.

If you link the gmail/google play account and download a paid for app or link a card number to it that card is then linked to both your gmail account and google play account until you actively delete it. If you then go onto another device and download a free app from the google play store using your account it is automatically linked to that card even though the app is free and you haven't used the card on that device. You don't need to enter the card details.

[diddl]

I haven't got an ipad, but I'm pretty sure I've never put any cc details onto my tablet-but can still download free apps.

[Ragwort]

If you're prepared to let a 7 year old have unsupervised access to an iPad then you're either irresponsible or naive. There's loads in the news re: grooming and cyber bullying of children as young as 8

Totally agree with this, I accept that many of you will think I am very old fashioned but I seem to be alone with fortyplus in thinking that young children just shouldn't have access to the sorts of games where you can buy stuff.

[NanooCov]

With regard to apple devices, you must set up an Apple ID to download anything from App Store or iTunes. You must link a means of payment to the Apple ID which is then used any time you buy a paid for app or music from iTunes etc. Whenever you download a new app or paid for content, you will be prompted to enter your password. When you want to make an in app purchase you will be prompted for your password. So don't for your kids your password. As someone mentioned, if you enter your password to make a purchase you won't need to enter again for 30 mins (I suppose to make things like buying multiple individual songs from iTunes easier) so if you have entered your password, don't allow your kid to use the device for the next 30 mins.

Another way of preventing similar things happening is to not link a card as your means of payment but instead just top up your Apple ID periodically with apple gift vouchers. Then if someone gets carried away with purchases, at least it's only the gift card balance that will get depleted and not your credit card/current account. A friend of mine switched to using gift cards (not because if his kids but because his Apple ID had been hacked and there had been fraud).

[ClayDavis]

I think you can download free apps from google play without entering a card. I went for months without linking a card. It's just that once you've downloaded a paid for app on any device I think I think the card is automatically linked to any other device or app which you use that account on.

[PeppiNephrine]

I don't think its fair to blame the companies,they are running a business. YOU linked up your credit card and YOU let your child have free run at the game. I'm not sure why you think its not YOUR problem.

[friday16]

Out of interest, just how do the people who are surprised to find that free games are riddled with in-app rip-offs purchases think that the producers of the games make a living? Did they think they were cuddly loveable philanthropists giving away sweeties to the children? That worked well for Sparklehorse.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

You can turn off the 30mins thing in the Ipsden settings..

[YouHaveAGoodPoint]

Don't let your kid have your password

Set your password lock to immediate

Definitely don't let your kid have your restrictions password

Require an IMMEDIATE password for in app purchases

Block in app purchases

Have your iTunes emails going to a well used email account.

Don't have a credit card associated with your iTunes account - top it up with iTunes vouchers (also better value as you can get deals on iTunes vouchers)

Also, make sure your 'allowed content' tabs in restrictions are suitable for whoever uses the IPad

[mrsjay]

woman on telly this mornings child had run u a grand bill now i am maybe old and fuddy duddy but are people not checking what their children are doing a one off mistake I can understand but hundreds of pounds worth of is not a one off, maybe get them off the ipads, yes I am being judgy

[Rubybrazilianwax]

We had £400 of golden coins bought. Apple refunded and we learnt a lesson!

[quoteunquote]

www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/gallery/2013/apr/17/how-to-stop-children-inapp-purchases-ios

[DeWe]

Well £700 at £1.50 a shot is over 450 purchases. Wow!

[Rooners]

People aren't listening. Yes our mistake was only a few quid and sorted quickly.
BUT I had already done, or tried to do most of the things on the lists people are giving here.

I did NOT, EVER enter my card details into his tablet

I used google wallet ONCE online many months before we even bought the tablet. I had NO IDEA that google was going to grab these details and link them to the tablet. I did NOT activate google wallet on anything at all apart from my PC.

(I have now of course shut down google wallet as I didn't really want it in the first place.)

There is no option I can find to get rid of the password free period after it is entered. 30 minutes seems to be standard and obligatory - I keep ds with me after I have entered it so he cannot do anything else but he has learned a lesson from last time anyway, so he would not do it on purpose.

All the blocks I could put on the tablet have been put there from the start. Parental controls on the Nexus are almost non existent.

We bought it on the recommendation of a bloke who posted here - offering to advise parents on technology. He has a blog/website called TariffHound.

Nice bloke but he didn't answer my email about parental controls - I assume because he couldn't find any on the Nexus.

It is all about small print, quite often, and the in app purchases are built to look innocent and they make it very very easy for a child to do, even without intending to - ds came to me crying and panicking, when he bought this stuff, because he knew he needed a password normally and didn't intend to buy anything. It just happened with one click.

It turned out it was in the 30 minute period after I'd let him get a paid for app. (minecraft I think - we use his vouchers he saves up for, NOT a credit card - the only thing I used while setting up the Nexus was my gmail address. NO card details at all.)

It is literally like a minefield.

[Rooners]

Could you tell me where to turn off the 30 minutes, anyone? I don't know what Ipsden is, is that just an apple thing?