Fortnite is a free to play Battle Royale game with in-game purchases. Players can use real-life money to buy cosmetic items from the game’s online store. Since the game is highly popular in teens and children, a large portion of these purchases is made through a parent’s credit card information.
But sometimes parents forget to keep an eye on what’s being purchased and how much money is spent using their cards. Often online stores save credit card information in the name of making it convenient for the buyer to purchase again.
Recently, a UK dad allowed his 12-year son use his credit card to make purchases in Fortnite. However, one purchase later turned into 81 different purchases from the store, racking up a total bill of $918. The angry dad blames Epic Games and the Bank for approving so many transactions within 72 hours.
But the bank refused to reverse all transactions; “We sympathize but we are not able to refund the disputed transactions because the card use was contrary to our terms and conditions.”
The father, Steve Harrison, now warns other parents to keep an eye on their kids. A parent’s lack of knowledge when it comes to video games is partly to blame for such occurrences. It is not wise to hand over your credit card to a minor and trust him with it. For a parent, it is best to make these purchases themselves and do not allow the store to save their credit card information for future purchases.
Parents should not only keep an eye on spendings but also how much kids are playing these games. Recently, a 9-year old girl is admitted to rehab for her Fortnite addiction.
Source: The Sun
