Inadvertent $1500 in app purchase Tap Zoo - warning!

Sorry rnawky my post wasn't directed at you, it is directed at the users who seem to always talk down to the people looking for help, ie with stupid childish comments like "Smartphones for Smart People"

I know this is not Apples fault, but they are so strict on what can be sold on the app store, yet something like Tap Zoo and others like it that are obviously scams get through.

iPodiUser, I read throughout the forum and found your summary the most balanced IMHO.

Yes there are ways to disable in-App purchases, but are we supposed to know all? Guess what, I and the majority of the people on this forum discovered it because they had an issue. I found it when I called Apple support center complaining for an unauthorized purchase, they helped me find the option and change it.

I had an iPod touch for more than 1 year, my 7 year old is attracted by it just like it's attracted by any similar device. The fact he plays with it means he is unsupervised? Not really, he doesn't have the password and cannot download even Free apps without my help. And he knows he cannot surf the web without me or my wife checking where he's going as it could be dangerous. And he has been playing with various kids games for the iPad for a year without any issue. Then came Tap Zoo, sold as free, and 3 days after I authorized the free app purchase, he inadvertely spent a little fortune in 15 minutes tapping on Buy /coins button the size of a nailpin on a iPod - even supervising him with a magnifier I wouldnt have been able to tell he was actually 'spending real money - the darn thing is misleading at best.

Of course it's my responsibility whatever he does, but this is just simply way too misleading. How can Apple allow a free app, clearly targeted for youg kids, to charge GBP 160 in only 15 mimutes and pretend we should know better BEFORE incurring these charges? It's the walled concept of the Apple / iTunes system at stake here. Why having all this satefy settings on explicit materials not appropriate for kids (of which I am clearly glad of) if we then realize Apple allows this Free apps to be marketed on its shop with a clear scope of taking advantage of lapse of attention?

Sure I will be more careful, but it still leave a sour taste in my mouth that no RTFM comment can take away.

It's simple, Apple is NOT repsonsible for the actions of your children. Is Tap Zoo a scam, no! Do you actually read the banner on that app in the app store that specifically states

"PLEASE NOTE: this game lets you purchase items wothin the game for real money. Please disable in-app purchases on your device if you do not want this feature to be accessible"

Now if you are TOO stupid to read this before downloading for your child then you are the idiot. Again, smartphones should only be sold to smart people.

let me add the following 2 issues which I find even more misleading on the part of the App Developer and on Apple that allows such misleading behaviour on a game targeted only for youg children:

1) unless you enter into the specific Tap Zoo description, you DON'T SEE ANY SUCH NOTICE so you can download the FREE app and not know about in-App purchases

2) the notice "the game lets you purchase items within the game for real money. Please disable in-App purchases on your device if you do not want this feature to be accessible" DOESN'T SAY that such purchases wouldn't require the Apple Store password to be inserted - given you need the password even to download an update for an application you already have, a normal person who hasn't googled for hours manuals and forums can easily assume that for any real money purchase you would be warned / a password be requested.

My kid's Nintendo Wii doesn't allow him to browse the internet unless I input the password, and does not allow him to buy anything unless he steals my credit card details...

The fact that many kids have fallen for this without realizing they were spending real money is a clear sign that any judge or jury would agree it is a misleading free game targeted for kids.

> So if you saw a sign for free food, but there was a sticker on the food that said it was poisonous, would you just grab the food and give it to your kid without reading the label first?

See what would happen to Tesco or any other reputable supermarket (read Apple Store) if they were to give food for FREE with a smalll sticker on it saying poisonous - shop closed by police within minutes?

I rest my case

It's time to stop coddling people who only use half their brain. Apparently you DONT read, so you would just give your kid the poisonous food first without reading the label, and then wait for the cops to come, when you could have prevented the poisoning all along by reading the label.

I rest my case.

same thing happened to me- ( $99 plus tax) $113 purchase for Tap Zoo- unlike others here i have heard of spohisticated hacking on some of these apps and the apps themselves realize that there are alot of unsuspecting people out there so they put little or no controls- Lesson learned here- Disable any function on your iphone- kids or no kids and ensure you have no vredit card attached- even that may not be enough- Large Cdn credit card company had over 300 unauthorized purchases Itunes/store purchases re-imbursed yet Apple seems not to be doing enough-

FYI, Apple just agreed to provide me a full refund for my kid unauthorized purchase of close to 200 Euro virtual coints in Tap Zoo - I think they know there is something strange with this Free app targeted at unsuspecting kids and then charging US$100 for some virtual tokens.

I sent them an email stating, among other things

Apple should inform in a clear manner everyone - and not just on page 378 of the instructions - that entering the iTunes password leaves any device open for 15 minutes to additional use.

It's really strange that no one can download a free App without the password, but there is this 15-min glitch that allows anyone to do everything unsupervised? This is not usual nor normal and I challenge anyone to say it's what you would normally expect. This has nothing to do with bad parenting or need to control your kids.

This is like a car manufacturer not warning its customers that even if you switch off the car and take the keys with you, the door could still be opened and the engine started for 15 minutes without the need for the keys to be used - it would be mayhem! And a big class action law-suit against the car manufacturer.

Anyhow, Apple did the right think to refund, but should be careful not to leave the door wide open for app developers to take advantage of this.

My 8 year old daughter just spent $524 on playing these games. I just got the iPad and told her only free games! She was not aware that when she buying stuff that she was using actual money! And to tell you the truth if I was playing I would think it was fake money too. Who in there right mind pay for this stuff. You call yourselves adults? Find something else to spend your money on. And for those people blaming the parents, there is no way you sit there and watch them play a zoo game! This is a total scam! I sent iTunes and email and they better refund me! Has anyone had a problem getting a refund? Is there a phone number I can call?

If you didn't want your 8 year old spending money in apps then you should have disabled in-app purchases through the settings. Do you give your 8 year old your PayPal and online banking information too?

That darn Apple, it's always their fault, and not people who put the app on their device and fail to read the warning in the app description in the very first sentence. How dare they! Apple is so evil.

You're missing the point though. If they don't blame Apple then what will they use as a smokescreen for their awful parrenting and supervision? It's like blaming Ford because you handed your kid your car keys and left him alone, then he got in the car and drove it into the h ouse.

my 5 year old boy just bought 1000 us dollars of coins in two days when we are away for a holiday

and i can see those on my credit card

he does not tell how he has done this but he had

i tried to contact apple its been 48 hours but no answer yet

waiting

Despite all these criticisms on parenting and clever analogies being really cute and all, these tap zoo guys are scammers, no matter how you slice it. Preying on those who 1] are guilty of not reading the description of a free game targeted at kids, and 2] don't know that there's a 15 minute password-free window.

I myself would be inclined to give people who fell for this a break, rather than the developers of tap zoo and similar. To some Apple can do no wrong apparently.

Christopher, for someone who is so into blaming people for not reading - maybe you should go back and read the initial agreement you checked off when signing up for this forum.

Specifically from section 2: submissions...

Be polite. Everyone should feel comfortable reading Submissions and participating in discussions. Apple will not tolerate flames or other inappropriate statements, material, or links. Most often, a "flame" is simply a statement that is taunting and thus arbitrarily inflammatory. However, this also includes those which are libelous, defamatory, indecent, harmful, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, objectionable, discriminatory, abusive, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive in a sexual, racial, cultural, or ethnic context.

Go annoy someone on youtube instead please. We already know where you stand, and your continuing remarks are pointless and rude.