Inadvertent $1500 in app purchase Tap Zoo - warning!

Yes, and it didn't have that in the store in Sept. and Oct. when we initially downloaded them. Glad they have changed it now and put it up at the top. However, they should BOLD and CAPITALIZE the entire statement.

Apparently, when I downloaded them, the user had to click on "MORE INFORMATION". It was not placed at the top of the page, and even now, it is NOT in BOLD print!!!!!!!

Maybe they could put, "WARNING: OUR STORE OFFERS $99.99 REFILLS FOR SALE TO YOUR CHILDREN SO THEY CAN ADD MORE COINS FOR $99.99, MULTIPLE TIMES! WE THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE TO CHARGE A YOUNG CHILD THIS AMOUNT SO WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PARENTS WHO AREN''T WATCHING CAREFULLY ENOUGH!

YOUR CREDIT CARD MIGHT BE CHARGED OVER $500 WITHIN 15 MINUTES!

I looked at it and like most consumers, believed it to be a reasonable game to download for my 6 & 8 year olds. I understood that I would have to put in a password any time they even tried to make a purchase. Say what you like..... it's not ethical.

i'm not condemming, when you have you ipad/phone protected by your password, to use for playing

games or anything elsen you have to enter it.

having done so it is easy enough then for a guest user to turn on in app jpurchasses with no further input frim the owner, indeed some programs take you to that setting after the user having pressed 'continue'.

switching that feature on from off should be protected by again entering the owner password even afer it has been genenrally logged into, is surely avery simple tweek?

me being no eagle legal wizard, but that makes Apple at least partly culpable in my view, simply by and not addressing this flaw add's to it.

has to be said, how can any add-on be worth $99 beats me, i can buy the whole game of COD3 for the xbox 360 for less.

i suppose like beauty being in the eye of the beholder, value is in the holder of the wallet!

alanfromwickford wrote:

has to be said, how can any add-on be worth $99 beats me, i can buy the whole game of COD3 for the xbox 360 for less.

You can buy the most fantastic games from the App store for five bucks.

Anyhow, no add-on to a kids game is worth $99. Questions like, 'where would you draw the line?' are purposely ignorant if you ask me. The 15 minute window may be regarded as convenient by some, and a flaw by others, but what's clear is that someone who's charging 99 dollars for a virtual chest of coins is trying to scam people out of their money using this App store feature. No amount of pointing to the game's description is going to change that. Who is going to read the description of a free kids game anyway? I imagine most people check the age rating and be done with it.

So all the people saying its the parents fault think the outrageous prices for in app purchases are justified? Really?, you all know its a blatant scam but you will die defending apple, There is no point even discussing things on here, because all you get is ridiculous excuses for everything in defense of their master. or they become patronising and arrogant

DavidK2010 wrote:

So all the people saying its the parents fault think the outrageous prices for in app purchases are justified? Really?

No, I think it's the parents' fault for not disabling in-app purchases AND the prices are completely ridculous.

A lot of people were caught out with the 15 mins you dont need to enter your itunes password as my friend was, but most parents wouldnt even think that such extortionate prices were being charged, and with no limit to how many purchases can be made. Apple really need to remove it from the app store if the makers dont lower the prices to a realistic level ie its aimed at children so pocket money prices

Stores should remove things that are overpriced because people might accidentally buy them? Thanks for the good laugh!

Haha there we go, didnt take long, refere to my post above! they are not over priced it is an extortionate con end of.

DavidK2010 wrote:

Haha there we go, didnt take long, refere to my post above! they are not over priced it is an extortionate con end of.

In order to be extortionate, there would have to be a threat of violence for failure to pay. As no one has reported having a gun held to their head, I'd say that was a little histrionical.

I had $2300 in not approved, inadvertent purchases -- except I didn't realize it until the credit card bill came!

Apple's response: too bad, implement restrictions, but we won't help you with the charges, call your credit card company. So I did.... but check this out.

I even wrote to Pocket Gems, makers of Pet Hotel, Tap Zoo, Pet Shop, and other fine apps that offer $99.99 in-app purchase options. They said they would help! In order to get a refund, they would need my UDID (it's your serial number in a bunch of letters and numbers as a unique identifier)... and they would work with Apple Support to see that I did not have to pay the $2300.

Problem is, Apple isn't helping or trying to talk to Pocket Gems, Inc.

They told me to tell my credit card company to talk to Pocket Gems! I will pursue that, but that being said, I'm surprised that with a valid offer from Pocket Gems, Inc. to refund the charges, they wouldn't even help or try to pursue it.

Something is just plain WRONG with that! Thanks, Pocket Gems, for being willing to help clean up the mess -- Apple Support sure isn't!

Meg St._Clair wrote:

In order to be extortionate, there would have to be a threat of violence for failure to pay. As no one has reported having a gun held to their head, I'd say that was a little histrionical.

• EXTORTIONATE (adjective)

Meaning: Greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation.

A little over the top with guns and violence I'd say... And I'm being a little histrionical?

I've know people who got refunds from Pocket Gems and they did not have to provided their UDID or have Apple directly involved in the refund. Stick with your credit card company and work through them to get the refund. I'm also sitting somewhere where some kids are playing the Smurf game. They love playing it but their mother limits how much they can spend and locks out inapp purchases after they buy some berries.

So is a BMW 528i extortionate?

Is a Bugatti extortionage?

Is a $600 electric Ferrari for a child extortionate?

Is a $599 Lego set extortionate?

And who decides whether it greatly exceeds reason or moderation? You?

What price would you set for the inapp purchases? How much would you require as the payment for magazine subscriptions? Is the screaming eagle too high at $0.99? Is the cost of Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iOS extortionate?

For that matter is the price of a Mac, iPad or iPhone extortionate?

deggie wrote:

So is a BMW 528i extortionate?

Is a Bugatti extortionage?

Is a $600 electric Ferrari for a child extortionate?

Is a $599 Lego set extortionate?

And who decides whether it greatly exceeds reason or moderation? You?

What price would you set for the inapp purchases? How much would you require as the payment for magazine subscriptions? Is the screaming eagle too high at $0.99? Is the cost of Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iOS extortionate?

For that matter is the price of a Mac, iPad or iPhone extortionate?

No The Electric Ferrari for a child at $600 isnt extortionate... but it would be if then cost $99 each time you charged it up!

Would you pay $99 for a magazine subscription every month? I think not

Totally over the top!

So you think its fine for a game aimed at children to charge £80 for a single in app purchase?

YES or NO?

I wouldn't put it on my iPad because I think it is too expensive but I wouldn't presume to tell someone else whether that is too much money. Not my business and you don't have to pay $99 each month. And if you want to play such games is $25.00 per month for say the various children's on cable/satellite, etc. too high?

P.S. I have paid that much per month for a trade magazine subscription. I don't care whether you think that is too high or not. Who made you the person who decides for everyone else?