In app purchase via iMob app for $99.99

Question

Level 1

8 points

In app purchase via iMob app for $99.99

I have read a lot of parents feeling scammed by in app purchases made by their own kids or young relatives. I am writing because this happened to me as well when my 7 year old made a virtual purchase through an app that was downloaded for free. I am feeling quite furious why an app would even offer a virtual item for more than a dollar if it is not meant to scam young kids? Why will it not ask for a credit card number or password, when it actually will translate to actual dollars being transacted? How could this even be a legal game that iTunes or Apple allow and risk damaging their reputation? This is a clear scam, no matter what people say. Developers are clearly targetting kids who they know are using their parents iPhone to while time away or to enjoy the games offered for free. Who would know that allowing your kids to play on your iphone will actually cost you real money when you are not giving them your password or credit card? This is not about parents or adults being stupid or irresponsible. This is about developers scheming to victimize kids who will not know that it's real money they are playing with when it's a free app during the time of download. Can anyone help me how to get credit back on unauthorized in app purchases? How do you contact iTunes or Apple and get a quick action on this? Thank you for the advice. Please beware of the iMob 2 app. This is a scam app.

iPhone 3GS, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Feb 17, 2012 8:22 AM

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Answer 1

varjak paw

Level 10

182,668 points

Feb 17, 2012 9:16 AM in response to mamimee

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/

Whether or not you can get a refund on this I can't say, since the terms of sale for the iTunes Store say that all sales are final.

To address this problem in the future, turn off the option to allow in-app purchases in the Restrictions on any iPhone, iPod or iPad your kids have access to. You may also want to turn off purchasing apps entirely. Then you don't have to worry about your kids making purchases you haven't authorized.

Regards.

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Answer 2

mamimee Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 17, 2012 11:26 AM in response to varjak paw

Hi Dave,

I went to the link that you provided and it's the one that finally went through.

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/

I've got the response back from iTunes in exactly 16 minutes after I received the email confirmation (of my complaint). I will get my money back, thank goodness. I have spent so much time looking into resolving this and I found out that all my efforts since last night wouldn't lead me to anything because I am missing some extra steps. When I went to the link and clicked on the applicable choices for my issue, until I finally submitted my message, I was finally able to get an automatic email confirmation from iTunes (meaning, my message was actually received because I completed the whole process properly, sigh!). I received a very pleasant and personal email from an iTunes staff and informed me about the steps to avoid in app purchases by my child in the future and most of all, that I will be getting back my money from this accidental purchase (I still view it as a mischievous scheme by the developer) within 5 days. Thanks for the quick response iTunes/Apple customer service staff!

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Answer 3

mpotts23

Level 1

0 points

Jan 9, 2013 3:48 PM in response to mamimee

Hello mamimee. I have encountered this same problem. The 3 year old that I babysit made a purchase of $99.99 on a free app that i had downloaded for him. Never did it ask for my password so i could authorize this purchase. I was wondering how you went about to get your money back.

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