Game scam

[tonyhale]

Free ??? children’s games scam, a friends 7 year old get a free downloads a free??? game and completes the first stage, to progress the child has to buy a hoard of gold, the innocent, thinking its part of the game buys the hoard £70.00 plays the game for some weeks, buying hoards to progress to other stages of the game, my friend, the child’s mother gets a bank statement showing several hundred pounds have gone from her account, I don’t know the name of the game as yet, but as soon as I do I’m going to facebook and twitter it. The child was grounded for a week, no TV no guides no goodies. Harsh lesson for a 7 year old.

[Sgt. Tibbs]

My first question is how on earth was a 7-year-old child allowed access to its parents bank account in order to do it in the first place???? I think the mother has also learned a harsh, but much-needed, lesson.

[LauraR]

I would guarantee you that this is an Apple app that is installed on a device. It is not a scam if it is. It is an 'in-app' purchase. As far as I'm concerned, there should be a class action law suit brought against Apple for these charges people are incurring.

I am all about knowledge when using a product before anyone jumps on me about responsibility and all that. However, I find Apple's tactics to be a blatantly irresponsible act.

They sell iTouch's/iPhones/iPad with the least amount of control set. So here is a parent...knowing that their child got the App and that it was free. They are being responsible. They have their device set to need a password.

Well, Apple in all their wonderful integrity, sets the default controls so that those wonderful 'in-app' purchases are not blocked. It is also set so that that password does Not have to be reentered for a long period of time.

Cue 7 year old Johnny playing his free game. Game pops up with you have finished your level, or would you like to buy a new outfit for your character...of course Johnny clicks 'Yes'.

Next thing you know $70 Visa bill has just been racked up on Mom and Dad's card.

It didn't happen to me, but I know at least 3 people it's happened to. For my sister it was $150.

Its BS.



I will apologize now for my rant. But I will bet you that that is what happened to your friend, Tony. If it is Apple, tell her to call. My sister got them reversed.

[Sgt. Tibbs]

Ah, well that would make a big difference. I don't own an Apple product other than my first generation iPod Nano, so I didn't know that. The way Tony put it, it sounds like his friend's kid used a debit card to pay since the money was removed from the mother's bank account. Which sounds like a parent who gives their child too much access. If that's not the case, then I stand corrected, and apologize for my assumption.

[gman863]

Originally Posted by LauraR

I would guarantee you that this is an Apple app that is installed on a device. It is not a scam if it is. It is an 'in-app' purchase. As far as I'm concerned, there should be a class action law suit brought against Apple for these charges people are incurring.

I am all about knowledge when using a product before anyone jumps on me about responsibility and all that. However, I find Apple's tactics to be a blatantly irresponsible act.

They sell iTouch's/iPhones/iPad with the least amount of control set. So here is a parent...knowing that their child got the App and that it was free. They are being responsible. They have their device set to need a password.

Well, Apple in all their wonderful integrity, sets the default controls so that those wonderful 'in-app' purchases are not blocked. It is also set so that that password does Not have to be reentered for a long period of time.

Cue 7 year old Johnny playing his free game. Game pops up with you have finished your level, or would you like to buy a new outfit for your character...of course Johnny clicks 'Yes'.

Next thing you know $70 Visa bill has just been racked up on Mom and Dad's card.

It didn't happen to me, but I know at least 3 people it's happened to. For my sister it was $150.

Its BS.

I agree 100%.

The same is true with most cell phone carriers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.). If you add a line to a family plan, the phone and billing account are set by default to allow the user (child) to download ringtones, music, games, etc. - all added to mommy and daddy's bill. Unless the parent sets up purchase blocking on the phone number by contacting customer service, it's anything goes.

Even if you're a careful adult user, phone companies can and will pull scams. Example: A few months after activating my current phone, I got a free text message from AT&T (yes, truly from AT&T and not a spoof) telling me I could download a free ring tone, no strings attached. When I clicked on the link, within 30 seconds I had a another text message thanking me for signing up for "Jamster" (at $10 per month!).

I called AT&T and spent 15 minutes on hold before I reached a rep who (after I explained at least three times I responded to an official AT&T text message offering something "free") finally canceled the service and credited my bill. Although she agreed it was a genuine message from AT&T, she was at a loss to explain how a "free" offer signed me up for a paid service, even before I downloaded the "free" ringtone.

[LauraR]

Agreed on the phone companies to a certain extent, gman.

The problem I have with Apple is that their devices (other than the iPhone) are mainly for entertainment. Therefore, they are marketed to much younger people than a phone would be.

Most parents aren't going to give their 5-10 yr old a phone, but they will give them an iTouch/iPad to play with just like any other handheld game device. This is where I have the issue along with the fact that you are required to have it linked up to an account with some sort of access for payment.

I'm not huge into government regulation, but I do believe these companies should be required to sell these devices at the most limited default setting for access to purchases. They are not made easy to find either.