July 12, 2018 • 4 mins
A story and warning for parents: I explain how my 6 year old made $100 in app purchases on his iPad, even when I thought restrictions were in place. Here's what went wrong and how you can keep this from happening to you.Restrictions:Settings > General > RestrictionsAsk to Buy:Settings > (Your Name) > Family Sharing > (Family Member's Name) > Ask To Buy (on)Follow Rich on Social Media:Facebook: http://facebook.com/RichOnTechTwitter: http://twitter.com/richdemuroInstagram: http://instagram.com/richontechEasy ways to listen on your phone or smart speaker:"Hey Google, Play the Rich on Tech Podcast""Hey Siri, Play the Rich on Tech Podcast""Alexa, Enable the Rich on Tech Flash Briefing"
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
How to make sure your kids don't rack up charges
for in app purchases.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
What's going on? I'm rich DeMuro.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is rich on Tech. It is story time, and
it involves me and my son. Long story short, my
six year old racked up nearly one hundred dollars in
charges on his iPad for in app purchases. So let
me explain what went wrong and how you can avoid
the same fate.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
So the story starts with Super Mario Run. You know
that game. It's really fun. It's from Nintendo.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
My son wanted to play it, so I downloaded it
to his iPad.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Now, to do this, I have.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
To unlock all the restrictions that I have placed on
his device. To do this, I have to go under
Settings General, then Restrictions, type in my passcode, and I
have most things disabled at all times, including the iTunes Store,
installing apps, deleting apps, and in app purchases.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So whenever I want to install.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
A new app or update the apps on his device,
I have to go in here and disable the restrictions
by using a special passcode. Then, once you're finished installing
an app or downloading for purchasing.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
An app, you have to go back in and re
enable them.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Well, apparently, after downloading Super Mario Run, I forgot to
re enable the restrictions.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
But that's not all I forgot to do. But there was.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Another clue when my son wanted to unlock the entire game,
which by the way, costs ten dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
It's a lot for an in app purchase, but I
was willing to do it, but I thought it was
odd that.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
All I needed was his fingerprint to complete the transaction.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Fast forward two days go by.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I come home the other day and my wife says, hey,
you might want to take a look at Parker's iPad
because he was going on what she described as a
buying spree. And I thought, in my head, well, that's
not really possible. He can't do that. I had a
feeling maybe I forgot to re enable the restrictions, so
that's what she was talking about. But certainly if he
was actually making any purchases, I'd have to approve them first.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Well, nope, not the case. I looked in his email
and I found.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Three charges, three real charges seventy nine to ninety nine
for an in app purchase of gems in a racing
game he likes. Then two more charges of seven to
ninety nine each for more gems, for a total of
ninety five ninety seven.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Of course, what I do.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I called up Apple immediately and I got a friendly
woman named Melissa on the phone, and I explained to
her what had happened.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Eventually Apple gave me the credit, and getting in touch
with them was very easy. We even got disconnected and
she called me back. And I really liked how they
verify your account. You actually log into your account on
your desktop and you look in this tiny corner for
a four digit code.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You tell that code to Apple, and that's how they
verify you.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I thought that was pretty smart. So I explained the
issue to Melissa, which I assumed she had heard a
thousand times that day so far, and she explained what
happened to me. She said, there was one setting turned
off on my son's account, and that's called ask to Buy.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
I'm not sure how that happened, because I'm aware of
this setting and it's enabled for my other son's account,
and I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It got turned off.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
But basically, they're supposed to send you a text when
your kid wants to purchase something, and when you see
that text or that notification.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Right on your phone.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
You can approve or deny the purchase. Now you can
find this under setting. You tap your name at the top,
or says I Cloud, then family Sharing, Then you tap
the name of your kid and make sure that ask
to buy is turned on.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
In my case, it was turned off.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That's how he was able to purchase the item without
my approval. Now that feature is turned back on. So
again two things here. The restrictions were off and the
ask to buy was off, So two failures.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
That's how he was able to purchase.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Now, Melissa refunded me the in app purchases. I asked
her if this happened often. I was guessing she deals
with it all day long. She said, yes, she has
an eleven year old.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
This is kind of a known thing.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
But I assume she's not really allowed to elaborate because
I don't think Apple would like that.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But crisis averted.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I'm not mad at my kid, but I do think
it's interesting how fast something like this can happen, even
when you think you're being pretty diligent with your restriction settings.
One thing I do think that Apple can improve is
that when a kid makes a purchase on a family account.
I think that the family organizer she get a copy
of the receipt.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
No matter what I mean. My kid is six listed
as six in there. I'm the family organizer.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I think it's only logical that I would get an
email when he makes a purchase. That way, myself and
all parents are alerted instantly, and they can take action
sooner than later. Lesson learned. But the story still gives
me a laugh. But that's only because it was all
worked out in the end. My kid asked if I
was mad at him.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I said no.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I actually thought it was pretty brilliant of him to
go on this instant buying spree, because you know, he's
tapped those buttons so many times before and they didn't
do anything, and now once they did something, he probably
found that pretty interesting. Thanks so much for listening to
the podcast. If you like the Rich on Tech podcast,
please rate and review it in Apple Podcasts. You can
also now listen in Google Podcasts, So if you're on
(04:43):
Android you haven't downloaded the new Google podcast app, why
not give it a try. I'm rich Dimiro. Thanks so
much for listening. You can find links to everything I
talk about here at richon tech dot TV.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I'll talk to you real soon.
How to make sure your kids don't rack up charges
for in app purchases.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
What's going on? I'm rich DeMuro.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is rich on Tech. It is story time, and
it involves me and my son. Long story short, my
six year old racked up nearly one hundred dollars in
charges on his iPad for in app purchases. So let
me explain what went wrong and how you can avoid
the same fate.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
So the story starts with Super Mario Run. You know
that game. It's really fun. It's from Nintendo.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
My son wanted to play it, so I downloaded it
to his iPad.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Now, to do this, I have.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
To unlock all the restrictions that I have placed on
his device. To do this, I have to go under
Settings General, then Restrictions, type in my passcode, and I
have most things disabled at all times, including the iTunes Store,
installing apps, deleting apps, and in app purchases.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So whenever I want to install.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
A new app or update the apps on his device,
I have to go in here and disable the restrictions
by using a special passcode. Then, once you're finished installing
an app or downloading for purchasing.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
An app, you have to go back in and re
enable them.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Well, apparently, after downloading Super Mario Run, I forgot to
re enable the restrictions.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
But that's not all I forgot to do. But there was.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Another clue when my son wanted to unlock the entire game,
which by the way, costs ten dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
It's a lot for an in app purchase, but I
was willing to do it, but I thought it was
odd that.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
All I needed was his fingerprint to complete the transaction.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Fast forward two days go by.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I come home the other day and my wife says, hey,
you might want to take a look at Parker's iPad
because he was going on what she described as a
buying spree. And I thought, in my head, well, that's
not really possible. He can't do that. I had a
feeling maybe I forgot to re enable the restrictions, so
that's what she was talking about. But certainly if he
was actually making any purchases, I'd have to approve them first.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Well, nope, not the case. I looked in his email
and I found.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Three charges, three real charges seventy nine to ninety nine
for an in app purchase of gems in a racing
game he likes. Then two more charges of seven to
ninety nine each for more gems, for a total of
ninety five ninety seven.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Of course, what I do.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I called up Apple immediately and I got a friendly
woman named Melissa on the phone, and I explained to
her what had happened.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Eventually Apple gave me the credit, and getting in touch
with them was very easy. We even got disconnected and
she called me back. And I really liked how they
verify your account. You actually log into your account on
your desktop and you look in this tiny corner for
a four digit code.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You tell that code to Apple, and that's how they
verify you.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I thought that was pretty smart. So I explained the
issue to Melissa, which I assumed she had heard a
thousand times that day so far, and she explained what
happened to me. She said, there was one setting turned
off on my son's account, and that's called ask to Buy.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
I'm not sure how that happened, because I'm aware of
this setting and it's enabled for my other son's account,
and I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It got turned off.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
But basically, they're supposed to send you a text when
your kid wants to purchase something, and when you see
that text or that notification.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Right on your phone.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
You can approve or deny the purchase. Now you can
find this under setting. You tap your name at the top,
or says I Cloud, then family Sharing, Then you tap
the name of your kid and make sure that ask
to buy is turned on.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
In my case, it was turned off.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That's how he was able to purchase the item without
my approval. Now that feature is turned back on. So
again two things here. The restrictions were off and the
ask to buy was off, So two failures.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
That's how he was able to purchase.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Now, Melissa refunded me the in app purchases. I asked
her if this happened often. I was guessing she deals
with it all day long. She said, yes, she has
an eleven year old.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
This is kind of a known thing.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
But I assume she's not really allowed to elaborate because
I don't think Apple would like that.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But crisis averted.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I'm not mad at my kid, but I do think
it's interesting how fast something like this can happen, even
when you think you're being pretty diligent with your restriction settings.
One thing I do think that Apple can improve is
that when a kid makes a purchase on a family account.
I think that the family organizer she get a copy
of the receipt.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
No matter what I mean. My kid is six listed
as six in there. I'm the family organizer.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I think it's only logical that I would get an
email when he makes a purchase. That way, myself and
all parents are alerted instantly, and they can take action
sooner than later. Lesson learned. But the story still gives
me a laugh. But that's only because it was all
worked out in the end. My kid asked if I
was mad at him.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I said no.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I actually thought it was pretty brilliant of him to
go on this instant buying spree, because you know, he's
tapped those buttons so many times before and they didn't
do anything, and now once they did something, he probably
found that pretty interesting. Thanks so much for listening to
the podcast. If you like the Rich on Tech podcast,
please rate and review it in Apple Podcasts. You can
also now listen in Google Podcasts, So if you're on
(04:43):
Android you haven't downloaded the new Google podcast app, why
not give it a try. I'm rich Dimiro. Thanks so
much for listening. You can find links to everything I
talk about here at richon tech dot TV.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I'll talk to you real soon.
Host
Rich DeMuro
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