The boy downloaded the mobile game Zooba: Zoo Battle Royale which he thought was free. The majority of purchases on the app took place over two days. Two days later, the father, who wishes to remain anonymous, started receiving notices about double withdrawals from the bank on his phone.
– It was about draws from Apple and I have an Android phone, so I spontaneously thought I had been hacked, says the father and continues:
– By then it was already too late to cancel, unfortunately. There were over 30 purchases between June 24-25. Unfortunately, all I could do was watch it tick on.
Refers to policy
He called the bank and they said there was nothing they could do and said the father needed to contact the company Apple Distribution International Ltd instead.
– When I call Apple, my son comes with tears in his throat and says that it might have been him who bought something, but he said he was unsure, says the father.
After long phone lines, he reaches Apple’s customer service, who helps him file a refund request. It will be rejected after 48 hours.
The father then disputes the denial, which is again denied. Apple then refers to its policy and the father instead turns to the General Complaints Board (ARN) and files a report.
“Aimed at children”
He says that all the receipts had gone to the ten-year-old son’s e-mail and that he therefore could not have noticed it earlier.
– Absolutely I have responsibility, but it feels like they are targeting children with free games and there should be a barrier. The whole arrangement is based on children not understanding, says the father.
The father himself considers himself to be non-technical as a person and regrets not having been vigilant.
– I thought it was a barrier, but it was removed. For such a large company to continue as they do, I think it is immoral and irrational. It is totally unreasonable, he says.
“Was very sad”
The ten-year-old boy, who at first did not understand what had happened, has felt bad about the incident.
– He has been extremely sad, especially when he understands the sums involved. He cried and he’s ashamed and doesn’t want people to talk about it, says the father.
Now the father wants to draw attention to the matter. Mainly with a desire for companies to take more responsibility.
– If a ten-year-old had entered a store with an unknown card, they would have rejected it, and it should be just as rational for a digital store to act in the same way, he says.