My 8 year old just bought a £150 app on our ipad!

WTFH

marleyboy wrote: »

I certainly agree with you there, it is Apple who need to stop these auto purchases, not just for the sake of your Son, but what if it got stolen....just how many purchases could be downloaded before Apple stop them.

Well, if it got stolen and they knew your password then yes, they could make purchases to that iDevice up until you blocked the account.

A bit like if your credit card got stolen along with the pin number. In fact, it's basically the same thing. The card is linked to an account which requires a sign in code. Now, you either enable that as the 4 digit code that unlocks the device, or you enable it as the AppleID password that you would then enter when you want to download things.

What should Apple do to prevent this happening in the future?
Well:
1. Stop developers creating FREE apps. The free apps are there to entice you to buy the paid version, or make in-app purchases.
2. Ensure that a credit card MUST be added to an AppleID, that way the person who owns the card MUST authorise the initial joining of the card to the ID. After that, it's not Apple's responsibility.
3. Prevent their devices being sold or used by anyone who does not have the means to pay for the purchases they make.

Any other suggestions, remembering that Apple are not a charity, neither are software developers, and neither are they responsible for the actions of children or how they are brought up?

WTFH

islandman wrote: »

We also tend to think "our child wouldn't do that", but hand on heart, given the circumstances, you never know.

Yes, it's funny how the reason the child downloaded the app was because he wanted to see what was so special that made it £150. He knew EXACTLY what he was looking at - a £150 app. He knew that £150 is a lot of money, a lot more than 69p or free. But he wanted to see the app.

Uxb

warehouse wrote: »

That's incorrect because Amazon will always ask if you want them to keep the card details for future purchases, and as far as I remember M&S and EBay require the 3 digit verification number on any stored card.

Once the card is stored on ebay's payment portal which is Paypal all you need to do is to log in click the purchase and click though to the checkout and its done.
If your ebay account is linked or something with your paypal account you don't even need to sign into to paypal half way though as you go though the checkout proceedure seamlessly and automatically. (mine is not precisely for additional security of an extra login password required).

With amazon they have taken the strategic decision not to use the 3 digit verification number as they are big enough to sort out/absorb any fraud themselves and pick up the tab where they cannot get the money back.
So again for stored cards on their system once you have logged in its just a matter of clicking successively once an item is in your basket.
Amazon does not ask me if I want to remove my stored card after each transaction.

I've no idea in the above examples what would happen if you wanted to change the delivery address to a new one which would be the way a fraudster would operate if your account had been compromised. That should ring alarm bells at the retailer.

warehouse

I spoke to apple this morning but had to jump through several hoops before I got to the right person. As with all multinational companies the telephone system is diabolical.

I explained the situation, the lady on the phone took all the details, she asked me how it happened etc. I told her that I thought the system was wrong regarding cards being kept on file with no need for security codes to be entered, unlike Amazon who give you the option of keeping a card on file or not, then STILL ask you for the security code. I also said that the default settings are almost custom made for you to fall into such a trap as my son discovered.

She told me that unlike Amazon, Apple offer free apps so the systems are different because of this and so only apple id's are required. I replied that Amazon let my wife download free books to her kindle, but still require the 3 digit code from the card to confirm "paid for" books. She told me straight after I said that that Apple would refund the full amount.
There were still a few hoops to jump through, and they confirmed that the app wasn't fully downloaded, (what would have happened had the download finished?), but the bottom line is that they are going to refund the full amount. There was no way that they weren't and I would have fought on with this, but I'm happy it only took 40 minutes on the phone.

So, as this is a moneysaving forum here are my tips for ITunes/app store learned the hard way...

1. If you do need to buy anything from the app store then remember your card details WILL be kept on file against that ITunes login without you being asked if that is OK or not. Future purchases WILL NOT need additional checks such as the 3 digit security number.

2. After a purchase, if you wish to remove your card details then you need to login to your itunes account, (from itunes), click on account details, click on edit payment information, select "none" under payment option.

3. If you keep a card on file and sign in to purchase a free app, then you or anyone else using that apple device will be able to purchase any paid app without having to enter itunes login information for at least 15 minutes afterwards. This is the exact scenario that led to my son buying a £150 app.

4. Use a prepaid card if you want your kids to be able to buy certain apps in the future. Give them an apple id with no credit card associated with it.

A quick search on Google will show how often this is happening and to pretty switched on people as well. I wish someone with a bit of power would stop this shady practice as to me it's not right.

WTFH

warehouse wrote: »

3. If you keep a card on file and sign in to purchase a free app, then you or anyone else using that apple device will be able to purchase any paid app without having to enter itunes login information for at least 15 minutes afterwards. This is the exact scenario that led to my son buying a £150 app.

Hold on, in your fist post you said:

warehouse wrote: »

On Saturday my eldest daughter wanted a 69p app so I bought this using the same apple id.
...
Tonight when I came in my 8 year old told me he was looking at a £150 app because he wondered why it cost so much and it started downloading, (obviously he must have signed in for this process to begin).

So, it wasn't to do with the 15 minute rule, because it was 3/4 days later that your son signed in to download the app.

warehouse

WTFH wrote: »

Yes, it's funny how the reason the child downloaded the app was because he wanted to see what was so special that made it £150. He knew EXACTLY what he was looking at - a £150 app. He knew that £150 is a lot of money, a lot more than 69p or free. But he wanted to see the app.

After speaking with my son he assured me that he didn't press the install button but just wanted to view the screens that the preview shows you. This is the on part I didn't believe him on, but reading through other blogs where this has happened to adults and other professional people it seems that the app can start downloading without the install button being pressed if you hit a certain sequence.

Kids are inquisitive and will look at the unusual. A £150 app among free and very cheap apps is unusual and needs to be explored to a curious mind. He certainly didn't mean to cost his Dad £150 for the privilege.

warehouse

WTFH wrote: »

Hold on, in your fist post you said:

So, it wasn't to do with the 15 minute rule, because it was 3/4 days later that your son signed in to download the app.

To make this crystal clear for you:

I paid for an app with my card at the weekend, the card was kept on file un-beknown to me.

Yesterday my son downloaded a free app by using the apple id we have setup on the ipdad.
Ten minutes later he clicked on the £150 app to take a look at it and the login details weren't needed again and no security check against the card was required.

If he had originally clicked on the £150 app then Itunes login details would have been required to download it, which he most certainly wouldn't have entered. The same thing would have happened if the gap between downloading the free app and clicking on the £150 app was over 15 minutes.

warehouse

islandman wrote: »

Support came, and a few curt replies. These occur whenever anyone posts asking for help. All too often people assume we should be more "savy" or know more than we do.

It's part of forum culture, not just this one. Everywhere there will be people who wade in with a bit of an attitude no matter what the problem, I've probably been guilty myself if I'm honest. It's life and I enjoy a bit of a battle sometimes, so no problem .

warehouse

This just received from Apple:

Warehouse, after reviewing the circumstances of your case, we determined that issuing you a refund for your unintentional purchase of "Proloquo2Go" is an appropriate exception to the App Store Terms and Conditions, which state that all sales are final. In seven to ten business days, a credit of 149.99 GBP should be posted to the credit card that appears on the receipt for that purchase.

securityguy

warehouse wrote: »

unlike Amazon who give you the option of keeping a card on file or not, then STILL ask you for the security code. .

Or not, if you've turned on one-click purchasing.