The daughter downloaded apps and games from the App Store, and also made in-app purchases, not realizing she was using real money!
In what must be like Christmas arriving early for Lee Neale, Apple has refunded the £4000 bill raked up by his daughter. This bill emerged after Lily made 74 transactions between April and July this year, having downloaded new apps and games, and also through a large chunk of in-app purchases. Lily, the 8 year old daughter of Lee Neale, 41 years, did in-app purchases in games like Campus Life, My Horse, Hay Day and Smurfs’ Village, and admits that she learnt how to enter the App Store password after watching her dad enter it once.
“She is only eight years old. Even when I sat her down and explained that what she was doing had cost dad money, I still don’t think she really understood”, said Lee. He thanked Apple, “Apple called me to say they will be refunding the money I have lost and apologized for closing my case so early. It really has saved my bacon.”
Apparently, Apple at first refused to refund, citing the terms and conditions which state that “All purchases made on the iTunes Store are final”. However, the company reconsidered the case, and decided to refund the money.
At one point of time, Lee considered selling his car and motorbikes, in order to get his bank account active again
Lee, of Peasedown St John, Somerset, is an aerospace designer, and only realized this after his bank account was frozen. Since he had been working away from home, he missed out on the transaction alert mails that Apple was sending. At one point, Lee was contemplating selling his car and two motorbikes.
The moral of the story is rather simple. If your child is dawdling about, do not even for one second assume they aren’t absorbing what is happening. Like in this case, the 8-year old Lily not only saw how to make transactions, but also memorized the password to her dad’s App Store account. Children at that age may not understand the gravity of what may happen, but it can surely lead to many sleepless nights for you.
Source: The Sun