Inadvertent $1500 in app purchase Tap Zoo - warning!

Recall, all of you, the days of Nintendo DS... did kids play it? Yes. Did their parents have to sit by their side while they played Pokemon? No! Why can't we trust Apple to do the same?

Can you purchase anything with real money in Pokemon? No. Does the Nintendo DS contain your credit card information, thus giving your child the resources to purchase things? No.

Hi Charles2013

You will find you have many, many supporters, but the vocal (and often offensive) majority on this forum are blind in their support for this immoral scam. They have failed to defend iTunes/Apple/app developers over the accusation that there are several circumstances in which even the most wary will be caught out. The reason: it's indefensible. So they turn to insults and ridiculous analogies instead.

The game here is not about targeting innocent 4 yr olds or even caveat emptor. When iTunes can somehow (legally? I'm not convinced) debit a bank account several hours AFTER the app has been uninstalled, and AFTER the bank has blocked repeat payments (even the bank's anti-fraud algorithms recognise it as fraudulent), then it is quite clear that there are no longer any scruples left at Apple HQ. Up-grading your device's OS? BEWARE - they will get you again. There is no defense.

I can't shout louder than the supporters, have had no words of comfort from Apple, can't afford legal action, and so we're opting out. Technology for our kids? Yes, but certainly not through games.

The innocent 4 year olds are not the target, you are.

And we are the target of his insulting comments.

😮

I have a problem with in app purchases that is becoming a real concern. That is where the app is claiming to be a "for fun" game and is actually a gambling site, only you can't win your money back. If I purchase a game from a retailer, I can play that game as many times as I want without additional costs. I have no problem with the app designers and companies making money on in app purchases, I have a problem with them taking advantage of what is considered a disease and that is addiction. I have issues with gambling addiction brought on my the dopamine medication I take for Parkinson's disease. I have been struggling with this for the past 15 years. And I never visit casinos, I have no credit cards, and I have family members watching me constantly. I put in a lot of safeguards in my life to ensure I don't gamble online.

But along comes "for fun" gambling on my iPad, and this seems like a great alternative to real gambling, I can play Texas holdum for hours and lose millions of chips and get the same rush as I would get in real gambling and there are some apps where I have been able to do exactly that. But along comes zynga poker and bingo bash. These two apps are clearly rigged to force you to buy chips and I have bought many. I get sucked in and spend money I don't have because I am an addict. I take responsibility for my actions and I have no problem with spending that may have been induced by the same impulses such as the day I spent 75$ on candy crush, because this is a game where my knowledge and skill control the outcome, but when gambling, even for fun, you simply take a chance and risk what you are willing to, and in real gambling, c'mon everyone knows that these computerized versions of all of the slots and games are rigged in favor of the house. Winning is rare and the only way to win is to know when to stop. But when you are playing "for fun" you don't believe that you should have to apply the same rules. There is nothing to lose after all, right? Wrong! I have spent a lot of money in the past year and I have no chance of ever winning it back. I believe that I have been fooled by these companies and that they are taking advantage of people by making their games act like a real gambling site and rigging the games in their favor in order to encourage in app sales. I recently had my daughter go in and change the password in my iTunes account so that I cannot purchase in app chips any more, this safeguard is difficult because you cannot get updates or download apps without your iTunes password. I think apple needs to monitor these apps more closely and something needs to be done.

I am very interested to see what people think of what I have said here. Don't hold back! Let me have it if you don't agree, I have a tendency toward only seeing the pain of my situation, I want to take full responsibility for my actions.

Thank you!

http://www.ncpgambling.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

This is a technical support forum, not a 12 step program. If you have a suggestion for Apple, send it to them here: Contact Us

Wow, rude much? Sorry you were bothered by my posting. But thank you for taking time out of your obviously perfect life and commenting on my post.

You may want to read this: Apple Support Communities Terms of Use

You're right, I apologize.

If you know that you have a gambling problem, don't download gambling games. Have someone set a password on in-app purchsases on your phone for you. Do that taking responsibility for yourself thing you mentioned.

Best of luck.

Thank you both for your honesty. I apologize for my post. I have contacted the apps individually and asked them to not allow me to make in App purchases. That works.

However, if in a moment of weakness, you download another app, having in app purchases restricted may be a good safety net.

Best of luck.

This happened to me too and I hope they have good customer service! Can't argue the legality of it but I find it extremely obnoxious that ppl are questioning parenting skills...are these the same people who post crap on facebook about how "they were raised to say thank you, we left our doors open, and rode our bikes with our friends?" I think showing trust to your child is actually a GOOD thing. I had no idea that "in app" purchases were an option, let alone how to disable it...I get it, owners manuals are there to keep the company from lawsuit. Doesn't mean I know how to change my headlight in my car until I need to.

Showing trust in your child is one thing. Handing them a credit card and setting them loose in a candy store is something else entirely.

Owners manuals to instruct you on the capabilities of the device you just bought. Labels on irons warning you not to iron your clothes while you're wearing them are there to prevent lawsuits...