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.

[NoComet]

iPods and kindle fires are easy, but I've no idea how to block DDs sodding galaxy ace, it just takes card details and never asks you to set up a password (fortunately that card is dead now)

[Rooners]

Thanks Captain - no, I don't know how to use the thing myself, it belongs to ds1 so I have not tried that.

Maybe it is worth having a look - thankyou.

[Rooners]

Could you point me at how to set that up at all?

Don't worry if you are pushed for time but would be massively grateful!

[ClayDavis]

I hear you Rooners, the card is linked to the account, not the device. I don't know if Google make that clear enough at the time you enter the card details. I suspect they don't.

I think the only way out of it is to as you say, delete the card details from the account every time you use it. Or to create a separate google play account and gmail to download free apps only and never ever link it to any google account to which a card has been linked.

[ClayDavis]

Or what captain cupcake said.

[Rooners]

Thanks Clay.

We didn't have the Nexus when I used the wallet thing. I ordered some tiles from a shop online and it was the required payment system so I used it. I didn't know it would store everything and transfer the info to future devices iyswim.

It's like finding out that you've been making purchases using your Griffin Savers account from 1982.

[Rooners]

Btw it is sneaky as the box comes up for a purchase and it's just the same as the one when you're using your balance. It's just it says 'card number ....' at the bottom in really small writing.

If you haven't added a card to the device it's bloody easy to assume it means you still have some voucher balance left. Very, very underhand really.

[havingamadmoment]

It depends on the ages of the children but at any age over about 5 or 6 I would expect them to know that downloading stuff = money. It does CLEARLY say on most apps when you click to download add ons etc that you will be charged and how much. I always raise an eyebrow at the people you see on tv/papers that have 9 year olds who "accidentally" spent £1000 on in app purchases - yeah right.....totally blameless.

For younger children they should be with you passwords would prevent most purchases in any case.

We have a number of ipads and computers and 5 children and I would be LIVID if any of them took it upon themselves to buy things without asking. I dont think its too much to just say "you are not allowed to buy extra coins etc" and expect them to listen.

[Poledra]

Rooners, have a look here. DH set up our Nexus with separate accounts for the DDs. He is the 'administrator' account so sees all their emails etc without having to access their profiles (though we have access to their profiles also). Pisses me off that he can see mine too, mind . Anyway, it means that we can restrict what they can do within their accounts, and any apps they want to download, they have to ask DH and I do it for them.

[Rooners]

Thankyouthankyouthankyou

That's all brilliant. I will look as soon as he gets in from school and shows me how to switch it on access 'device'.

As an aside it was hilarious when I closed the googlewallet account, and it came up with a huge list of things I'd no longer be able to do if I went ahead - things like 'see what you have bought using google wallet'

Thanks again, both of you.

[Jenny70]

Just checked my tablet and it had CC saved from purchase years ago (pre tablet)... and whilst it was password protected, it used the computer login password, which kids know.

So have changed password and finally worked out (with google wallet) how to remove CC... google play should be able to delete stored patyment details... it seems each time you purchase you need to go elsewhere to remove stored details -waiting to catch you out or what?!!

[BuskersCat]

Not 'waiting to catch you' at all. It is useful for many many people. If you are stupid, irresponsible, or naive enough to let a child use a device where the internet is running in the background, where one click can lead anywhere, then quite frankly, it's your own fault.

[Rooners]

Blimey Jenny that is awful. See I told everyone it was sneaky!

There's no way it should be able to use information from before you bought it unless you deliberately link it yourself, when you set the thing up.

I hate google about as much as I hate facebook. I don't use FB either, as you simply can't trust it.

[Rooners]

Buskers that is a hideous post.

[BumbleChum]

well, i think you are not unreasonable OP. I used to be fairly tech savvy, but am no longer, and although I have put settings in place, I clearly don't know about them all. It is quite a minefield, and I can see how people are caught out. I hope I am not in the future, but I don't see it as impossible.

[Rooners]

I expect google to ask my permission before sharing my financial details with a device on which I have not activated this system.

[BuskersCat]

Not at all, it's what I think. Blunt maybe, but true. Why would you allow a 6-9year old alone with an internet enabled device for half an hour or more?

[Rooners]

He is 10.

I think it was uncalled for to use the word stupid.

[ChutesTooNarrow]

A massive thank you to the person who pointed out updating to ios7 changes your in app purchasing setting. Mine, which was set to off, had been reset to on. It never occurred to me to check!

[Bogeyface]

Sorry but I agree with Buskers

We have various devices in the house and the kids are only allowed to use the tab under strict controls. No one, not even H, knows the apple password (I change it every 3 months) and there has never been a card attached to my google account in anyway. If I did need to do that then I would use my "internet" debit card that I use for online stuff where I credit my account with just enough to cover the purchases I have made in order to protect myself against fraud.

I really do have limited sympathy when it is a well known issue and is easily prevented. Most of these games dont need an internet connection to play them, just to purchase on them, so just disable the internet connection when the child is on it! Always assuming you havent got your password saved in the device and havent told the child because no one would be that stupid, would they.....?

[Rooners]

It's only a well known issue because people know about it...I didn't, and the OP was trying to spread awareness and has got a massive bollocking for her trouble.

It's not easily preventable unless you are well on top of the things Google or whatever other company does...if you are a normal user thesethings may not occur to you.

I would not HAVE the internet if it wasn't completely obligatory nowadays. Telling me I'm stupid because I don't spend hours reading the small print about matters that should be intuitive is very bloody unfair.

[PatPig]

I don't think children can be liable for these purchases if it's done without the cardholder's consent.