Online XBox charges

Gorteen

My son was playing FIFA 2015 and inadvertently spent €300 on my credit card buying "points". He thought this was part of the game ad didn't realise there was an actual financial cost.

I found out by accident when checking my bank balance. It's money I can't afford to spend.....

Do I have any comeback? Is there any chance of getting my money back?

EoghanIRL

Best thing to do now is to put a password on your account or unlink your credit card so it doesn't happen again .

Gorteen

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Best thing to do now is to put a password on your account or unlink your credit card so it doesn't happen again .

I've unlinked the credit card but I'm still down €300 I didn't agree to pay. Do I have any rights as a consumer, given that my child did not know he was spending "actual money"?

Tippex

Gorteen wrote: »

My son was playing FIFA 2015 and inadvertently spent €300 on my credit card buying "points". He thought this was part of the game ad didn't realise there was an actual financial cost.

I found out by accident when checking my bank balance. It's money I can't afford to spend.....

Do I have any comeback? Is there any chance of getting my money back?

Your best bet is to contact microsoft / EA (not sure which) and you may have some joy but to be honest I'm not sure how much comeback you will have on this. There is very little chance to prove it was not you unfortunately but contact microsoft should shed some light on it.

EoghanIRL

"All items purchased or rented from Xbox Live Marketplace, using the Web or your Xbox 360 console, are non-refundable." - www.xbox.com/en-GB/Marketplace/FAQ

Found this. Looks like you won't be getting your money back unfortunately .

RossieMan

Oh good lord, what age is your son? Out to get a job to pay it back.

Damien360

A quick Google seems you are not the first to get caught and likely will not be the last.

Nobody appears to have got their money back. Finding the number for Microsoft support and ringing them on your PC seems to be only solution and pleading mercy !

In light of similar events in Apple, I am curious how they stand by their charter so rigidly. A one time purchase of 5 times the game value makes no sense and they should know this. If it was over a few months then I could understand them telling you to take a hike.

Damien360

Also, you should read the manuals online and see how to lock down the account to prevent further purchases without a password which only you know.

Gorteen

RossieMan wrote: »

Oh good lord, what age is your son? Out to get a job to pay it back.

Bless him, he's only 14

Rossi IRL

I cant see how your son didnt know he was spending money.

It says the price in € when you select the fifa points on the game and also shows the last couple of didgets of the credit card before your confirm your order.

Things could have changed as its a few months since i bought points myself.


Only thing you can do is make sure it dosnt happen again by buying the xbox money in a shop.



Also iv learned the hard way, spending money on fifa points is very addictive, iv now quit playing fifa ultimate team because of it.

theteal

Gorteen wrote: »

Bless him, he's only 14

that's a joke right, didn't know? Forgive my scepticism but a lot of us of a certain age would have been working by the age of 14-15, I thought you were going to say he was 6

Sorry OP, plead mercy with M$

Damien360

Gorteen wrote: »

Bless him, he's only 14

14 !! Ah he can't be that silly. Charge him a tenner a week over the next many weeks from his savings. Bet he won't forget and guaranteed not to do it again.

Muirshin Durkin

He knew what he was at.

ShaShaBear

He knew exactly what he was doing and probably understood that you were unlikely to notice it on your credit card - which you almost didn't. I'd be getting him to do some SERIOUS chores around the house.

slimjimmc

Now that we've got the parenting advice out of the way there's very little if anything which you can do with regards to consumer rights since MS have done nothing wrong. I'd be pretty sure the terms of the service that you agreed to mean you are responsible for all purchases on your account (just like with a bank card) unless there was a fraudulent transaction.

Cabaal

Rossi IRL wrote: »

I cant see how your son didnt know he was spending money.

It says the price in € when you select the fifa points on the game and also shows the last couple of didgets of the credit card before your confirm your order.

I gota agree,
a quick google shows an example of what the buy screen looks like.
Its very clear you are actually spending money,



Microsoft acted in good faith in this instance, although the OP's kid was 14 Microsoft don't know this and the bill pay still had to provide their credit card to their son. I see very little comeback here, Microsoft haven't done anything wrong.

Ken.

An xbox and fifa'15 sold would get you most of the money back I'd imagine.

glued

Sorry OP you need to talk to your son about this. There is no way he didn't know what he was doing. It's obvious from the outset what exactly your doing when your making a purchase from Fifa.

EA make it extremely obvious as to when you're soending your own money. Your son knew exactly what he was doing and is playing dumb.

I always link my kids xbox live accounts to a Skrill card, Its a Top Up credit card.

If you use a Skrill card or something similar they can only use the credit you put on the card, This avoids those "Accidental" purchases.

You wont get anywhere with Xbox, you purchased and used the product.

For future reference, protect yourself and take the xbox away from your son as punishment! I have an 8 year old who knows that purchasing Fifa points will cost money on my CC!

RossieMan

did he get any decent players? you could sell them on the store then sell on the coins made from it. you won't make millions, but might get something back.
as others have said, a 14 year old would know exactly what was happening.