I would like some help with this issue i have with facebook please...

Darrenr

Hi All,

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice on the best way to aproach the situation i have found myself in.

My 15 year old son has used my mobile phone account to purchase "credits" in an online game through facebook, to the valuse of £135. He did this without asking me. In order to do this he clicked an option within the game on facebookto buy with mobile. He entered my number and off he went.

This has appeared on my mobile phone bill. I have contacted my mobile phone operator who say they cannot refund the charges as they were made by a third party (facebook), and not by them. Hence they do not have to refund them and advised me to contact Facebook.

I have contacted facebook, regarding this, explaining that this has been done without my consent. (see below)

"To:
Subject: Facebook Credits Support Centre - Unauthorised Mobile charges

Select: Unauthorized_charge_Known
These payments total £135.80
Please provide any other relevant details: My son is 15 yrs old and did not have my permission to use my mobile phone number to make these purchases.
I can if required provide certification of his date of birth, He did not realise that these payments would be charged, but also he did not inform us of the transaction, and as he is under 18 we must agree to this, which we did not.
I would hope that in light of this, these payments can be refunded to our mobile operator, and i have also since contacted our mobile operator to block any charges similar to this that might in the future be made to prevent a reoccurance of this situation.
If you would like to contact me further regarding this, please eamil me at the following"


Hopefully your all still following...

This is the reply i have recieved back...


"Hi ,

Thank you for your email. I’d be happy to assist you.

I apologize for the distress this charge may have caused.

I have investigated this issue and it seems that a friend or family member may have made a purchase in the app using your mobile phone without your knowledge. I encourage you to contact any person who may have had access to your mobile phone at the time when the purchase was made.

Unfortunately, for security reasons, I cannot provide any more information about the account where the charge was found.

Because this unauthorized charge was made by someone in your household or by someone who is known to you, we cannot issue a refund per our terms of purchase. Furthermore, at this time Facebook is not able to refund mobile payments. Therefore, I recommend that you contact your mobile carrier about this charge.

To make the experience of purchasing virtual goods in the games as effortless and enjoyable as possible, the payment information was stored for easy access during future in-application purchases. This payment information has been removed from the account in question to avoid future charges.

I appreciate your understanding.

Thanks for contacting Facebook,"

If anyone wishes to read those terms, they can be found by going to facebook and looking for the terms of service. Sorry but i cant post a link to them.

Now there are sevreal things that worry me about this.
Firstly at the top of the terms and conditions, this is stated

If you are under the age of eighteen (18), you may use Facebook Payments only with the involvement of your parent or guardian. Make sure you review these Terms with your parent or guardian so that you both understand all of your rights and responsibilities.

Obviously at no point untill billing was i involved...

and it seems that a friend or family member may have made a purchase in the app using your mobile phone without your knowledge. I encourage you to contact any person who may have had access to your mobile phone at the time when the purchase was made.

The purchase was not made with my phone, but by inputting my phone number into the app.

Unfortunately, for security reasons, I cannot provide any more information about the account where the charge was found.

I find this odd, as i have told them that unathorised charges have been made to my mobile phone bill, yet they will not tell me who made them, although the advise me to speak to the person who made them in their previous statement

Because this unauthorized charge was made by someone in your household or by someone who is known to you, we cannot issue a refund per our terms of purchase. Furthermore, at this time Facebook is not able to refund mobile payments. Therefore, I recommend that you contact your mobile carrier about this charge

Interestingly in the section about MObile charges...

Mobile billing. Mobile operator billing is another payment method we have made available for your convenience. If you use mobile billing as a funding instrument, you consent to the following applicable risks and other terms:

1. By choosing the mobile billing payment method, you agree that we and your mobile operator may exchange information about you in order to facilitate completion or reversal of payments, resolution of disputes, provision of customer support, or other billing-related activity.

2. You are responsible for any charges, fees, changes to your mobile plan service or billing, alterations to your mobile device, or any other consequence that may arise out of your use of mobile billing.

3. If you use mobile billing, you are bound not only by these Terms, but also by the terms and conditions of your mobile operator.

4. If you have questions about any charges or fees that appear on your mobile phone bill, you may contact your mobile provider’s customer service division.

5. Sometimes, use of mobile billing in a funding transaction may lead to charges that, for various technical reasons beyond our control, cannot be refunded to you. In these cases, we have the right, but not the obligation, to issue you a courtesy credit to your electronic value Balance.

It seems to state that they can refund mobile payments.

Because this unauthorized charge was made by someone in your household or by someone who is known to you, we cannot issue a refund per our terms of purchase.

I have read and re read the terms, and i find nothing that makes reference to this.

So Consumer champions, please help me by giving me some pointers of how to take next steps.
I do think that their response might be wrong, but i really would apreciate some thoughts, guidance and advice on what to do now.

Many Many thanks to all of you that can offer some advice.

Regards

Daz:(

tinkerbell28

First thing I would do is RE EDIT THAT POST. Take out all the ludicrous amounts of personal information.

sjbrun

Your son has had use of the facebook service or credits on a game or whatever he used so shouldnt you be taking it out of his pocket money or him paying you from his paper round or whatever he does? At 15 I would think he should know that things cost money.

Caz3121

Darrenr wrote: »

The purchase was not made with my phone, but by inputting my phone number into the app.

Does this imply that anyone could make a purchase and input a random mobile telephone number for the phone owner to be billed?
Would there not be confirmation taxt sent to the phone before the transaction can complete....sorry never bought any credits for anything on facebook

I assume your son is going to be paying this back

Carrot007

Darrenr wrote: »

The purchase was not made with my phone, but by inputting my phone number into the app.

You appear to be confused. You cannot make a purchase simply by inputting a phone number. If this were the case everyone would just enter a random number.

I am not familier with the dertails here but you will have been sent a text message detailing the purchase and had to respond to it to confirm purchase.

Your son will have done this so would have been completely aware he was spending your money.

I recomend you take it up with your son rather than a company that has done no wrong. (at 15 he should know better).

tinkerbell28

I'm reporting the post sorry op. The information you've posted has names, DOB'S, phone numbers, and direct links to yours and your sons facebook pages as you have included the names.

You really need to take it all out.

kelpie35

If I was you OP I would take his phone away from him till he has repaid you every penny.

He is 15 years of age and has to take responsibility for his actions.

Darrenr

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

First thing I would do is RE EDIT THAT POST. Take out all the ludicrous amounts of personal information.

Thanks Tinkerbell.

I have deleted all the personal information now, Thankyou for pointing that out.

Daz

jackieblack

Darrenr wrote: »

Hi All,

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice on the best way to aproach the situation i have found myself in.

My 15 year old son has used my mobile phone account to purchase "credits" in an online game through facebook, to the valuse of £135. Bless him, he did this without asking me. to do this he clicked an option to buy with mobile, entered my number and off he went.

Bless him? :eek:

I'd not be blessing him! :mad:

kelpie35 wrote: »

If I was you OP I would take his phone away from him till he has repaid you every penny.

He is 15 years of age and has to take responsibility for his actions.

Me too!

Darrenr

sjbrun wrote: »

Your son has had use of the facebook service or credits on a game or whatever he used so shouldnt you be taking it out of his pocket money or him paying you from his paper round or whatever he does? At 15 I would think he should know that things cost money.

My son does have a paper round. I am taking steps to recover the money via that route.

Thanks

Daz

Darrenr

Caz3121 wrote: »

Does this imply that anyone could make a purchase and input a random mobile telephone number for the phone owner to be billed?
Would there not be confirmation taxt sent to the phone before the transaction can complete....sorry never bought any credits for anything on facebook

I assume your son is going to be paying this back

Thanks Caz,
I am not aware of any confomation text messages. this is something i need to explore further.

Thanks

Daz