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Teenagers

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Original poster

Can anyone help - DD1 says she DID purchase online games without a password..

24 replies

Gymbob · 25/02/2013 21:11

She has made 3 consecutive purchases for almost £300 in total for virtual doughnuts would you believe, to play a Simpsons game. DH says there is no way she could have bought them without a password. DD1 says she wasn't asked for a password, she just got an 'accept and buy' message and the purchase was complete.

She made the purchases on her tablet, and we did have an account set up for her with my bank details, and a strong password that I don't believe she could have got from us as there is no written record. DH went through the purchase procedure on the tablet this morning, but didn't actually complete it, so we have no way of knowing if it would have actually worked. Everything has been deleted now and the tablet confiscated.

DD1 swears that she wasn't asked for a password, and only thought she was buying 'green' money anyway, off the game, not using real money.
DH says it's impossible and she's lying.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences please???
Also, do we have any chance of a refund from anywhere, even with a password???

OP posts:
Tincletoes · 25/02/2013 21:16

Unfortunately you can often buy in-app purchases without a password - the default is for that to be possible and you have to set up restrictions to make sure it isn't possible. So it's very possible she didn't realise.

My DS nearly purchased a rare unicorn in FarmVille for some stupid amount of money but fortunately we managed to get there first.

I would try speaking to apple and pleading - I have heard about people being successful like this. But it's not guaranteed. I really hope you manage to persuade them.

Also go to settings on the tablet and make sure the restrictions are set so that in-app purchased are not allowed.

MayTheOddsBeEverInYourFavour · 25/02/2013 21:17

My sons have bought these (with their own money) and they did have to put in a password, it was also very clear that it was real money and not game money

Maybe her tablet has different settings on it though for passwords? how old is she? I would think anyone over about eleven would be well aware that it was real money

I do know people have got refunds when young children have bought things by mistake but a parent of dc's friend tried it when their teenager did it and they refused to refund as they had been bought deliberately

Hope you can sort something out gymbob

saladfingers · 25/02/2013 21:18

We had something similar last weekend.my 4 year Old was able to purchase some coins for a game on the tablet through Google play.Turns out I had made a purchase through Google and they save your creditcard details without asking for your permission.No password is necessary, unlike my debit card which is protected by the bank asking for security code at point of sale.I think your daughter might well be telling the truth.I deleted card details immediately.not sure yet if transaction went through.

toddlerama · 25/02/2013 21:24

My 5 yo managed it without a password on Hello Kitty Cafe. We have parental controls now so purchases require a password. But she probably isn't lying.

zipzap · 25/02/2013 21:27

Think there was something about this on moneysavingexpert.com site this week or last week - one of their articles or blogs? It was in the newsletter I'm pretty sure, so if you have a look on there, you might find some useful ideas on how to complain most effectively! Think they also showed you how to switch off automatic payments for most types of phone/tablet. Seem to remember that the kids involved had managed to buy something like £3000 of virtual food or something similar without knowing that is what they had done. Shock - imagine getting that bill!!! apparently the dad spotted an email notification come through for £69 which gave him a coniption - can you imagine what he then felt as a flood of these notifications came through...

I'd also maybe mention it in school - get them to run some sort of e-safety/savvy/awareness course and see if they will mention it as it is something all kids should be aware of these days.

I've reverted to going through all my apps and just getting rid of everything that you can buy added extras for to reduce the likelihood of this happening. Unfortunately I think it will happen more and more as app developers and Apple Istore etc see it as an easy way to make lots of money...

OhThisIsJustGrape · 25/02/2013 21:27

Is it an Apple product? If so, I know a few people that have had similar happen and Apple have refunded as a one-off. You need to disable in-app purchases to prevent it happening again (>settings>restrictions>)

angelinterceptor · 25/02/2013 21:31

Yes it happened to my DD who managed to buy items by mistake.

I was really cross and deleted the games. Was about £50

hewlettsdaughter · 25/02/2013 21:34

There was something in the Guardian about this a month or so ago:

www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jan/12/parents-children-in-app-purchases?

MorningCoffee · 25/02/2013 21:38

Yes my ds has done this and he had no clue either, it didn't ask for a password, it seems the in app things don't need a password but when you want to actually purchase an app you do need a password.

How do you change the settings for in app password please?

Original poster
Gymbob · 25/02/2013 21:42

Wow, thank you all for your speedy replies

DH is adamant that he had all the parental controls and restrictions set, and there was no way of purchasing without a password.

Thanks zipzap for the moneysavingexpert tip, off to look at that in a mo....and £3000, thinking myself lucky...!

Hi Grape, no it's not Apple, it was off the Google playstore I think, and it's called Tapped Off or something?...

Am bothered DD1 is going to lose her pocket money til October...Sad

Thanks all for your input so far Smile

OP posts:
hewlettsdaughter · 25/02/2013 21:45

Moneysavingexpert piece is here:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2013/02/kids-spent-3200-iphone-avoid-app-charge-hell

Original poster
Gymbob · 25/02/2013 21:51

....this is an education....just found out what an 'in-app purchase is'.

Just had a look at the Guardian link thanks - it's for iphones etc, so not sure that applies to a Samsung tab?

DD1 isn't street savvy at all, and although 14 is her chronological age she is really much younger

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymbob · 25/02/2013 22:27

DH says I have to make it clear the in-app purchase was made on an Android device, not Apple. Me not computer savvy at all Confused

OP posts:
saladfingers · 26/02/2013 12:14

My DS(4) made the purchase on a Samsung Tablet too. He does not know passwords.luckily he only spent £3.95. If you husband doesnt believe her can't he try and make the cheapest purchase possible and see how far he gets or if password is required?

Original poster
Gymbob · 26/02/2013 12:33

hi salad yes he did that last night and it wanted a password which just cemented his belief that she lying. my argument is that he didn't try to complete a purchase before he deleted all my card details which is what dd used. He installed another card then tried it. he says it doesn't make any difference but I'm not convinced.

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 26/02/2013 12:38

On apple there is definitely a time when after you make a purchase, you don't need to put a password in.

Have you talked to her on her own about it? It sounds to me like you believe her as you don't see how she could have guessed it and its not written down.

Original poster
Gymbob · 26/02/2013 12:56

yes savoy I do believe her. she is happy for us to contact google play to complain in fact she looked relieved but dh thinks she is trying to call his bluff. I don't think she's that clever but I have been known to be wrong.

OP posts:
saladfingers · 26/02/2013 19:29

Does your DD know the password? Could she have guessed it?
I believe her to be honest, if my DS managed to buy add ons it was definitely without a password.My password isn't written down,is a mix of caps/lower case and numbers. No way a 4 yr old could remember or type it.We have android tablet.

Naoko · 26/02/2013 19:46

There are two passwords: the passwords to the Google Account that lets you into the Play Store (without this you can't get into the store or download even free apps), and the password or PIN that can be enabled to protect purchases. Was the latter (the PIN) turned on or off? You access it by opening the store app, going into the menu and checking settings - under 'user controls' there's a tickbox to turn it on or off, and an option to set one. Just setting it does NOT automatically also turn it on, you have to tick the box. If the box wasn't ticked, then yes she could've downloaded whatever she wanted to without it asking for a password.

Original poster
Gymbob · 26/02/2013 20:26

hi salad the password is not written down and it is a strong one with numbers and letters. dh vaguely remembers shouting it out to me a while ago as I can't remember it either. that is irrelevant really as she is deaf Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymbob · 03/03/2013 21:07

Just to update - sent off an email to Google and the lady that replied (very quickly i have to say) said she has put in a request for a refund for an unintentional purchase. Whether the request is accepted remains to be seen......but I will live in hope ( and so will DD1)

OP posts:
Original poster
Gymbob · 06/03/2013 16:18

I love google they have given me a full refund Grin Grin

OP posts:
saladfingers · 15/03/2013 12:01

great news! what happened to DD with regards to her punishment?

Ineedmorepatience · 16/03/2013 21:30

Thanks for this thread, I have been worried about Dd3 buying stuff through games.
Some one I know had a big bill recently due to her Ds.

I have set the password on the playstoreSmile

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