OMFG just found out DS has spent £1700 on ipod game!!!

[splodge2001]

It's all in the title really. Still shaking, It's been going on since June> I hadn't noticed because the spending was masked by some unusual purchases over the last few months. Am livid! I've deleted 'Clash of Clans' banned the Ipod, grounded him, asked him to think of ways he can pay us back (he won't be able to). What the hell do I do? Can I get my money back. Do I report it as fraud? After all, I didn't allow it to happen. Help!

[IndiansOnTheRailroad]

Apart from not checking the statements, you must also have ignored the automatic email you get from the iTunes store for every purchase....

[IndiansOnTheRailroad]

Alibabaa - there can be a PIN on an iPod touch - to access restriction controls (such as disabling downloads, requiring a password every time not once every hour or whatever).

But I agree with you it looks a bit dodgy.

[BitOutOfPractice]

wannabe before you make claims about inccurate info, perhaps get your facts right. It's a PIN on my ipod, ipad and iphone for in-app purchases, not the password. And before I changed my restriction settings yesterday it was open - no PIN or passowrd required at all. Perhaps you are using an old iOs version

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Indians thank you, I stand corrected :)

The appleID request still pops up though? Or not?

[Jins]

Monitoring would only minimise the spend. You can't ever be certain what anyone would do because you aren't them

[nipersvest]

bitoutofpractice - have just checked on my ipad and to make an in-app purchase on mine, (ios7), it's asking for my apple id password, not my pin. as alibabaa has just posted, my pin is for opening up the home page and for getting into the restrictions bit within setting.

[wannaBe]

nope, up to date iOS here. You can have a pin to enable restrictions but that requires you to actually go into the settings/general/restrictions menu in order to re-enable them, not to make purchases from within the game. in-app purchases require the apple ID password.

Anyway I've reported this thread to mn hq as I suspect that it's all bullshit.

[IAlwaysThought]

I find this thread a bit strange too but it could just be that the OP really really doesn't have a clue about technology and is a embarrassed about her sons behaviour.
She is a long term poster so I don't think troll hunting is appropriate . (Apart from the fact it's not allowed).

The OP has stated she came on here for advice but has then repeatedly ignored requests for information on various things. Obviously there is no law saying she has to answer but it's taken two days to get to the actual facts of what happened. We have only just 'discovered' that her son has his own itunes account with his Dads credit card details on it. If we had known this earlier it would have saved loads and loads and loads and loads of speculation.

I find it REALLY frustrating that the OP is not saying whether she has contacted Apple. We get a lot of threads like this and it is interesting and useful to know how people get on.

I think these threads are useful to other people even if the OP doesn't seem to be listening. I suppose its understandable that she is still feeling very shocked.

[BitOutOfPractice]

I can absolutely say I'm not wannabe I've posted on this thread throughout including telling the OP she's been totally daft. I also post regularly on a lot of other threads. Not that you'll believe me of course. But if you'd like to report me for sock puppetry / trolling give it a go eh and let's see how far you get. Then I'll await your apology.

[BitOutOfPractice]

IAlwaysThought I have found this thread pretty illuminating too. I have a number of Apple devices and I thought I was pretty secure but I was amazed how many loopholes there are for security lapses. From my point of view I'm more interested in security in case phone / iPod / iPad are ever lost or stolen but it's certainly been an interesting read

[splodge2001]

The OP has answered everything and agrees that there is lots of info on here. What's amazing is that everyone's contradicting each other which just goes to show how confusing it all is. The answers to all your questions are in my various posts.

I called Apple today, I got a partial refund but nowhere near the £1700. American Express doesn't want to know but I am keen to know why all these purchases didn't trigger an inquiry. My belief is that they have a very poor alert system.

Ipads are dangerous. I am tech savvy, build my own websites, run an online business etc but what happened here was caused by a series of human errors, some poor behaviour mixed up with a device that makes it very easy to spend. Death by a thousand cuts...

[curiousgeorgie]

You build your own websites, run an online business and yet, don't bother to check your bank statements for six months?

None of this rings true.

[splodge2001]

curiousgeorge - ok you think none of this rings true - I'm not sure why. It's prob because I'm managing so much, that it didn't check the statements. We have 6 current accounts between us and I deal with all the tax returns, vat, corporation tax, inventory etc. We been through the process of remortgaging recently too.

He' working off the debt with chores. Each well performed chore knocks £10 off. He also had to write a 500 word statement explaining why his conscience didn't kick in every time he spent £6.99 or £69.99!!!

[IAlwaysThought]

I am glad to hear you will get back at least some of the money. It may be worth pursuing it further and seeing if you can get them to increase the level of refund.

OP. I agree that there is a lot of confusion on this thread but some of it was because we didn't know the facts until very late in the thread, for example it still isn't clear what iOS version or even which device was involved

Ipads and iPods are not in the least bit dangerous. There is lots of readily available information on the Internet detailing how to make them kid safe. You do not have to be tech savvy, you just have to recognise the potential problems and be prepared to take the time to do a bit of research.

There are idiots guides (with pictures!) to everything that has been discussed on this thread. I am not saying its impossible to get caught out though and I would never be foolish enough to say it couldn't happen to me. I work on the basis that everyone is out to get me

[NewBlueCoat]

oh please, tone the drama down.

iPads aren't dangerous. handing one over to a child with inadequate protection or restrictions set up is dangerous.

mind you, I'm just as staggered that an 11 year old is allowed totally unrestricted internet access, for prolonged periods of time.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

I would imagine that the reason it didn't trigger any alerts is that your 11yo has his own Apple ID and therefore the pattern of spending wasn't abnormal on that account. But who the hell lets an 11yo have their own ID?? Just when I think it can't get any sillier...

[daytoday]

you can set up an apple account with a gift card/voucher and not link it to an account. I googled how to do it and followed instructions.

[optimusic]

Wow, you are wondering why the cc company didnt trigger anything, when they have billions of customers, yet you couldnt be arsed to bother checking. If thir system is poor, where does that leave your system? not exactly what you would call a decent one.

Ipads are not dangerous. the people who use poor controls on them are. Ffs you used your dob. You. set up an account in your sons name using your/your dh credit card details.


For someone who claims to be tech savvy, you have failed big time, and still are blaiming everything else for your cock up... You are still not accepting that this is your household fault, because all errors came entirely from your childs parents... Stop blaiming others, start taking responsiblity and realise any 'addiction' has come from lack of parental input, just like the whopping cc bill.

[Pennythedog]

I'm glad you got some money back splodge.

I don't think it is wrong for kids to have their own Apple account but obviously it's not a good idea to let them have their own account linked to your credit card.

Anyway, lesson learnt and all that. Hopefully this thread will encourage others to tighten up their restrictions too.

Btw, I checked my old iPhone which is connected to wifi in the house and it said there had been three failed password attempts on the restrictions page. Definitely wasn't me! Glad to see they couldn't get in though. I actually suspect my husband. He'll never guess my password though! It is completely random.

[BadgerBumBag]

Glad you got some money back and are finding ways to teach your son the scale of what he's done.

I am confused however why you are so offended that people have expressed an opinion on what happened. You started a thread hoping for support which you got, mixed in with other reactions. This is conversation, debate, and essentially what happens when you make something public and open to debate.

You cannot filter people and I have always loved that about mn - the perspective other people's (sometimes quite extreme and unexpected) opinions give me.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

OP I'm not sure what you think the credit card company should have done?

The onus is on you as a consumer and a parent to have your own checks in place, and to be responsible for what you and spending, and what your child is doing when you give them access to your credit card via a piece of technology.

If your finances are too complicated to manage, then simplify them. If you can't handle dealing with your company accounts then get an accountant. My accountant costs me less per annum than your DS spent on this game.

The only people responsible here are you and your DH, and all this casting around for people and organisations to blame is just making you look daft.

[Hopasholic]

Of course the alarm bells should have been ringing at Amex for all those £.69p transactions.

It never occurred to me to blame anyone apart from ourselves and my son as I said up thread. Hopefully once you've had a bit of time you'll realise that sometimes you have to hold your hands up and admit you've cocked up big time. Blaming everyone and wanting to slap other posters ain't gonna help.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

The Apple ID is the key to the phone/iPad. If a child has their own then they can basically do whatever they like on that phone including overriding the PIN. That's if they don't just guess it. Then they can download what they like, google what they like and watch what they like. I'm astounded that anyone would let their child have total control over their device. And to tie that up with a credit card beggars belief.