If you have an iPhone or an iPad that you've allowed your child to use, then it is possible that you've come across the rather nasty issue of in-app purchases. This is where you download a free app, usually a game, which is great, but then as you are playing the game will keep pushing items at you that you can purchase.
And the costs soon rack up. I have heard of sums in excess of £500 being refunded by Apple through this reclaim scheme.
The problem is that children don't necessarily know that they are spending actual money, and the parent gets a huge shock on their phone bill.
While some would argue that this is the parents' own stupidity, I disagree. I think that it was just simply too easy for children to do this. Apple agree and as such, until the 15th of April, are giving out refunds on all In-App purchases that your children have made by mistake.
There are parental controls. But as I found out just this weekend while setting up a new iPad, they're not actually that clear. I wasn't sure if I as switching controls on - or off. While you can set the phone or tablet to request a password before a payment is made, by default the setting allows the password to stay active for another 15 minutes. I do know of at least one parent who entered their password to download a game for their child and then was blissfully unaware that in 15 minutes the child had downloaded £80 of purchases before the password timed out.
Here's what you should do to reclaim in-app purchases, with thanks to our sister site HUKD for highlighting this.
Here is what you can do if you want to request a refund:
1. Check your emails for this notification.
2. Go to iTunes Store and select 'view your Purchase History.
3. Go to https://getsupport.apple.com/ServiceOptionAction.do
4. Provide the info on the above link and state "Refund for In-App purchase made by a minor".
Thanks to Syzable at HUKD!
Comments