Am I screwed? i tunes idiocy

[KeithC]

Yesterday at our grandkids soccer games my 3 1/2 grandson wanted to by an app on my wifes i phone. It was $.99.

Somehow after that he must have bought some surveillance app for $899.99 !

We know nothing about it till today my wife got an email.
Her itunes account is tied to her debit card(until today!) and the $900.00 came out of our checking account.

I guess after you buy an app and put your password in there is a window of time when you can buy again with no password put in. Evidently the grandson must have done that.

No phone number at all to actually talk to someone at i tunes so my wife fired off an email.

My daughter looked at the site for this app and there are some other people that have complained about this huge charge they didn't authorize.

Bad news is that i tunes has an "all sales final" deal on apps.

Are we just screwed out of $900.00?

[stratzrus]

For $900 it should be able to see through walls.

[Blindspot]

Hmmm....

If this happened to me, I would contact my bank for starters and tell them it is an unauthorized charge.

I'd also contact Apple, but I would limit what information I provide, initially, at least, regarding the app having been purchased accidentally (even by a 3 year old), and just tell them that an unauthorized charge for $899 is on your card and you want them to reverse it - see where that gets you.

[KeithC]

Wife did go to the bank..luckily we have an open branch on Sunday!

The charge already hit of course. The bank didn't have much to offer except canceling my wifes debit card.

We're still not sure how he managed to do it but there is most definitely a charge and the app is now on my wifes phone!

[Blindspot]

This may help?

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/help_i_accidentally_bought_an_expensive_apple_ipho ne_app.html

[Doug's Tubes]

Yesterday at our grandkids soccer games my 3 1/2 grandson wanted to by an app on my wifes i phone. It was $.99.

Somehow after that he must have bought some surveillance app for $899.99 !

We know nothing about it till today my wife got an email.
Her itunes account is tied to her debit card(until today!) and the $900.00 came out of our checking account.

I guess after you buy an app and put your password in there is a window of time when you can buy again with no password put in. Evidently the grandson must have done that.

No phone number at all to actually talk to someone at i tunes so my wife fired off an email.

My daughter looked at the site for this app and there are some other people that have complained about this huge charge they didn't authorize.

Bad news is that i tunes has an "all sales final" deal on apps.

Are we just screwed out of $900.00?

I found this online for you, give it a whirl.



Apple seemingly does its best to make the App Store refund procedure a bit of a mystery, but luckily Know Your Cell has put together a simple guide that will help you get your money back in the event an iPhone or iPod touch app developer just isn't providing the support needed to remedy your issue.

•First, open iTunes and select the iTunes Store link in the left-hand column
•Near the top right corner, click the arrow next to your user name (email address) and then select Account


•About half way down the screen, click the Purchase History button


•In the bottom portion of the screen, you will see your App Store purchase history -- click the Report a Problem button


•Locate the iTunes invoice with the application you would like a refund for, and click the Report a Problem link


•Fill out the form that follows and be sure to be as detailed as possible -- when finished, click Next


If your reason for requesting a refund is valid, Apple should respond within a few days and process your refund within a week. Remember to not abuse this process -- when Apple refunds your money, the developer's commission is lost as well

[Bobby D]

this thing?

http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/30/899-iphone-application-and-no-refunds/

[Baloney]

Good luck!!! Youre probably out 900 bucks

[Bluzeboy]

Good luck but my question is why are you even letting a 3 1/2 year old do ANYTHING on your Iphone. You couldn't do it for him/her?

[EricPeterson]

Never buy anything online with a debit card, you have no protection. I know that doesn't help you much. And yeah, good luck with apple.

[GNRman72]

Get a good Lawyer

[Guitar Josh]

Get a good Lawyer

Throwing good money after bad.

Go to an Apple store, talk to a manager, see if they can help.

[KeithC]

Good luck but my question is why are you even letting a 3 1/2 year old do ANYTHING on your Iphone. You couldn't do it for him/her?



I guess I didn't make it clear. But the wife doesn't "let" him do anything except play the games that she downloads.

She bought and downloaded a $.99 game for him to play while we watched his sisters play soccer. Later she finds an itunes purchase for the $900.00

He is an incredibly intelligent kid. The other grandkids are very smart and straight A students but the little boy is truly way beyond his short years!

[KeithC]

Throwing good money after bad.

Go to an Apple store, talk to a manager, see if they can help.

Thanks. We wouldn't get a lawyer over $900 for sure.

I'll tell the wife to do the apple store thing.

[fuzz_factor]

Never buy anything online with a debit card, you have no protection. I know that doesn't help you much. And yeah, good luck with apple.

Just in case Eric wasn't clear enough: NEVER USE YOUR DEBIT CARD ONLINE!

Use a credit card, not something tied to your bank account.

Good luck!

[touji]

What if you only have a debit card? :hide2

[demillso]

For $900 it should be able to see through clothes.

Fixed it for ya.:p

[KeithC]

Good news at least. Itunes answered my wife's email already and will refund the full $899.99 saying it will be a one time courtesy!


Bad news is at the banks suggestion my wife canceled her debit card and the email from itunes says they will credit it back to the card. Wife is now trying to communicate that via email and see if they will send a check.

[EricPeterson]

Glad you are at least getting somewhere. I hope you get it all figured out.

[FlyingDutchman]

I was wondering what was going to happen if they refund the canceled debit card. Sounds like you may be okay. Good Luck!

Apple should not even have a 900.00 app on there. If so then you should have to jump thru hoops to buy it to avoid an accidental purchase.

[Tubebender]

Not to be crass here, but did you by any chance get to keep the app?
I'm looking into an iphone this week, and never used Itunes, or whatever....(i bought an mp3 player instead of an ipod)

[5E3]

Good news at least. Itunes answered my wife's email already and will refund the full $899.99 saying it will be a one time courtesy!


Bad news is at the banks suggestion my wife canceled her debit card and the email from itunes says they will credit it back to the card. Wife is now trying to communicate that via email and see if they will send a check.
Call the bank too; see if they can still accept the credit.

[KeithC]

Just an update.
We got full credit today back to our checking account. Even with the canceled card they were able to do it.
What a relief!

Thanks for the moral support!

[touji]

Congratulations!

[Darkburst]

Apple should not even have a 900.00 app on there. If so then you should have to jump thru hoops to buy it to avoid an accidental purchase.

How about being responsible with your device? Would you let a kid loose with your credit card or a wad of cash?

[chrisjw5]

How about being responsible with your device? Would you let a kid loose with your credit card or a wad of cash?

Ugh. Poor taste.

[touji]

As soon as you get your kid an iPhone, I guess you technically are giving them a credit card with a wad of cash no?

[KeithC]

How about being responsible with your device? Would you let a kid loose with your credit card or a wad of cash?



Good point. The answer is no.
Let him play "kids" games on the iphone?....Yes

We still don't know how or if he "bought" it. Without a doubt you have to enter a password to purchase music or apps on my wife's phone.

He's a very smart kid but he doesn't know what a password is much less how and when to enter it at 3 years 5 months old.

[mnjordan]

Just an update.
We got full credit today back to our checking account. Even with the canceled card they were able to do it.
What a relief!

Thanks for the moral support!

So glad to hear this. Pretty good support from Apple.

[Rabidclam]

There was a simpsons episode about that, but it was $1200. You have to go straight to Steve jobs :D

[donnievaz]

I was wondering what was going to happen if they refund the canceled debit card. Sounds like you may be okay. Good Luck!

Apple should not even have a 900.00 app on there. If so then you should have to jump thru hoops to buy it to avoid an accidental purchase.

I think they should separate the "Professional use" apps from the general use apps in the store.

[QuickDraw]

This would not have happened with an ipood (http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sea-To-Summit-Pocket-Trowel/STS0013M.html?CMP_ID=SH_FRO001&CMP_SKU=STS0013&mv_pc=r126)
:munch

Just Sayin'

[Hendrix99]

Good point. The answer is no.
Let him play "kids" games on the iphone?....Yes

We still don't know how or if he "bought" it. Without a doubt you have to enter a password to purchase music or apps on my wife's phone.

He's a very smart kid but he doesn't know what a password is much less how and when to enter it at 3 years 5 months old.

I have done that when I just purchased something or did an update, the very next selection did not prompt for password. Although in my case, I meant to buy the app I clicked on. I'd bet this is exactly what happened. He clicked it and it didn't ask for the password. I'd punish him severely, no dinner for a month. It is the only way to get through to a 3 yr old. And take his car keys away for a bit. ;)

[Rhomco]

I have done that when I just purchased something or did an update, the very next selection did not prompt for password. Although in my case, I meant to buy the app I clicked on. I'd bet this is exactly what happened. He clicked it and it didn't ask for the password. I'd punish him severely, no dinner for a month. It is the only way to get through to a 3 yr old. And take his car keys away for a bit. ;)

You spend some of that $900 and buy him a used GameBoy!;)