My iTunes account has been emptied by "Kingdom Conquest" when i don't even have the game.

had almost $100 emptied by Kingdom Conquest - never installed it, never heard of it. The fact that all of these reports have KingdomConquest in common point to the fact that this not some brute force password hack - this has something to do with the app that can take advantage of insecurity holes in iTunes and steal passwords and money. Apple must know about it, judging from the number of complaints dating back for many months, they ignore the problem, while (reluctantly) refunding the credit and blaming the customers. THis is unacceptable - they should ban KingdomConquest from iTunes store immediately and make it impossible to make in-app purchases without email confirmation and/or waiting period.

The problem is not the customers, the problem is iTunes and the specific app, Kingdom Conquest.

Same thing to me as everyone else, i was charged about $80. I called apple and spoke to someone for about an hour and finally resolved my problem and recieved my refund. I notified the rep i spoke to about how this was a widespread problem and there were all kinds of posts about it dating back to june of 11, i asked why apple has done nothing about it. He replied that its not apples fault its our faults for not having long/difficult enough passwords. BS. get on your **** apple and fix this money/time consuming problem.

indeed - this is clearly NOT a problem of weak password - the issue is confined to a specific app. If they break the password, why not clean out the account buying other stuff? The fact that the problem is limited to Kingdom Conquest and Kingdom Conquest only is a very clear sign that the app is to blame. Not users.

APPLE, get your act together, unless you are getting some kickbacks from SEGA.

Just lost $53 to this, pulled directly from my paypal account. The fact that this has been going on for 6 mounths is entirly unacceptable. I'll be dissassosiating my iTunes account from my paypal account for certain, I recomend others do the same.

+1. $25.99 was deducted through my linked PayPal account today. Going round and round with Apple trying to get a credit. It's like they are completely oblivious to how this is happening and unwilling to admit there is a problem. Talk about arrogant...

I have the same issue with Kingdom Conquest. I have 2 computers which are Authorized to use ITunes --- both are in my home and only one of them is currently in use. Yet today I find that I have been charged $105.09 bogusly by Kingdom Conquest for apps I have no Apple product to even use them on. I ONLY OWN AN IPOD! Classic at that, I couldn't put an APP on it if I wanted to.

When researching this matter via Google I hit upon the fact that this has been an ongoing issue with ITunes since June 2011 and maybe before then. This is unacceptible business practice, indeed it's questionable ethics altoghter, to have left this matter sit for so long without either booting the APP company altogether or finding a solution to the matter.

ITunes needs to own up that there is a problem, they need to fix the problem and they need to make recompense for those who've been stung by this rogue APP company. My password was freakin' alphanumeric and definitely not something simple to crack!!!! Don't tell me that it's because I had a weak password because YOU, YOURSELF (APPLE) told me that my password was strong!!!!!

Fix the matter and deal with your angered customers --- put an end to this credit card fraud that is being perpetrated upon your customers.... cause there are other Music stores out there, you're no longer the only option available.

BethelAbba wrote:

ITunes needs to own up that there is a problem, they need to fix the problem and they need to make recompense for those who've been stung by this rogue APP company. My password was freakin' alphanumeric and definitely not something simple to crack!!!! Don't tell me that it's because I had a weak password because YOU, YOURSELF (APPLE) told me that my password was strong!!!!!

Fix the matter and deal with your angered customers --- put an end to this credit card fraud that is being perpetrated upon your customers.... cause there are other Music stores out there, you're no longer the only option available.

This is an Apple user forum, we are just members of the public, like you.

I just got charged about $28 today for "purchasing" this app. Here's the kicker: I don't even own an Apple device on which to use this app. I have an iTunes account that I bought a couple albums with and I haven't even used it in two years. Today, I get both emails from Apple and Paypal; Apple telling me that the app was bought for a device that I never registered and that it might be fraud and the receipt from Paypal. I don't know how they got to PayPal either as I believe my passwords were different. Plus, I use strong passwords with numbers, upper case chars, and special symbols. I can't image this fraud was due to a brute force password attack.

I immediately changed my passwords and contacted iTunes support. The guy claims I will get a refund. The hacker even tried to charge another $40 of in-app purchases but that was denied because billing info didn't match up (go figure...).

The support rep says I will get a refund, but seemed fairly apathetic about the fact that this was fraud. When I asked why this would even be allowed through since I don't own an Apple device, he says something about people signing into a friend's account to buy apps for their device. OK? So they send me an email essentially saying, "Hey. FYI, someone is making a fraudulent purchase with your account, but we're going to let it through anyway." And the other thing that really irritates me on Apple's end is that a simple Google search of this app shows a ton of fraud cases, including editorials written by tech bloggers on THIS SPECIFIC APP! Should this app not be flagged and when someone tries to buy it with an unregistered device on someone's account, it gets blocked for this very fact?!

Hey Apple! It's simple! KingdomConquest gets flagged as a high risk app. Any suspicious purchases (aka on a device not tied to the purchasing account) get automatically denied unless the account owner approves through an email. If the transaction is denied, then you record the device info and go after the person for fraud. Simple. But as long as the money is coming in, who cares where it's coming from, right?

Here's what everyone affected by this needs to do: go to sites like Engadget and The Verge and use their "Tip Us" form to write them about creating a feature about the fraud with this app. Make sure you include "fraud" and "Kingdom Conquest" in the subject lines so these phrases begin to catch their attention. If you want to get Apple to start taking care of this problem, we need to make a stink about it to the press.

agreed. Better yet, everyone should urge Wired, Engaget, Slate, NY Times or other publication or organization to investigate this issue deeper - as it reveals total lack of concern from Apple side about a serious violation of trust and malicious activity. The "blame the victim" strategy, along with "you must have had a weak password" and smug attitude, in this case where there is clearly a fraudulent app that allows some really questionable activity, with hundreds of user reports directly to Apple, is really troublesome and signals some serious problems with Apple attitude. Why is Kingdom Conquest still in store? Apple can see how many fraudulent activities it generates. Why not ban it altogether? What is going on? Are Apple folks really that incompetent?! Or is there something else going on?

PayPal confirmed that the case has been resolved and iTunes refunded my $25.99. Lesson learned, where large sums of money are concerned, trust nobody. I hope Apple takes me out for dinner and a drink before they rape me next time.

Looks like Apple can add another victim to this scam. My story is similar. An unathorized iDevice downloaded this app, associated it to my account, and then proceeded to run up almost $75 in charges (taken from my pay pal account).

I reported the issue to Apple, Pay Pal, and Sega. Currently awaiting their response.

Why does Apple permit this app on the store when it is obviously such a threat to their customers?

~Update~

Spoke to Apple Support over the phone. The person I spoke with took the situation very seriously and immedately refunded one of the transactions, but was unable to refund the larger amount because it had been flagged by Pay Pal.

Refund should be expected in 5-7 days for the refund directly from Apple, he couldnt commit to a timeline for Pay Pal. He did indicate that its likely that their investigative process would have a similar timeline.

Its certainly an inconvenience, but at least Apple immeadately took action towards resolving the issue.

add another victim, i watched the emails coming in on my phone while at work. I can't believe this is still going on. My brother was hacked for the same stuff last month. In today's economy, not everyone can wait the two week period to get reimbursed. You would think they would have their problem fixed.

My question to them is why send me an email that says an unauthorized computer just made a purchase on my account. If the **** thing is unauthorized then why the heck did you let the transaction complete in the first place. Oh I get it, you are trying to lose customers........ GOT IT!!!!!

Me too. Over $100 in 3 different purchases for this "kingdom conquest", 2 at 3:00 this morning, and the third while I was creating dispute with paypal.

I have disassociated my Itunes from Paypal.

What is it with this Sega game?

I am going to do what 2 posters have suggested above, and "go to sites like Engadget and The Verge and use their "Tip Us" form to write them about creating a feature about the fraud with this app. Make sure you include "fraud" and "Kingdom Conquest" in the subject lines so these phrases begin to catch their attention. If you want to get Apple to start taking care of this problem, we need to make a stink about it to the press."