Pembroke parent gets $8K Xbox bill after son racks up charges

[Rob L 3,811]

'There will never be another Xbox system — or any gaming system — in my home,' Lance Perkins says

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/ottawa/pembroke-xbox-bill-8000-1.3397534

The father of a Pembroke, Ont., teen is warning parents to keep a close eye on their children's gaming habits after his son racked up nearly $8,000 in Xbox charges.

On Dec. 23, Lance Perkins got a credit card bill for $7,625.88 after his 17-year-old son used his credit card to make in-game purchases for one of the FIFA series of soccer games.

"It floored me. Literally floored me, when I'd seen what I was being charged," Perkins told CBC News.

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Perkins said he had given his son a credit card for emergencies or to make purchases for the family's convenience store.

Although his son confessed he had been using the card illicitly, Perkins said his son, too, was truly shocked at how much he had spent.

'He's just as sick as I am'

"He thought it was a one-time fee for the game," Perkins said.

"He's just as sick as I am, [because] he never believed he was being charged for every transaction, or every time he went onto the game."

Perkins quickly contacted his credit card company, and was told unless he wanted to have his son charged with fraud, there was nothing it could do.

He then got in touch with Xbox, and the company sent an email within minutes that the bill would stand.

When he explained his son was a minor, Xbox said it would look into the charge — although Perkins said the family hasn't heard anything.

"Until I actually hear from them, it's actually very discouraging," he said.

Microsoft, Xbox's parent company, declined CBC's request for an interview, but said in a statement that the Xbox comes with a setting that prevents minors from making purchases without their parents' permission.

"Purchases made using a parent's payment account are legitimate transactions under the Microsoft Services Agreement, and we encourage parents to use the many platform and service features we make available to prevent unapproved charges," the statement said.

Exorbitant billing 'common' problem

Cases like the Perkins's Xbox misadventure happen more frequently than people think, said John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in Ottawa.

"It's a common, common theme both in Canada and around the world," said Lawford.

John Lawford of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa says exorbitant gaming purchases like those in the Perkins's case are more common than people think. (CBC Ottawa)

Typically, games offer opportunities for players to buy extra levels, features or players — and while sometimes it's clear you're paying with real currency, that's not always the case, said Lawford.

"I would think that [cases are] easily in the tens of thousands in Canada, if you count all the platforms," Lawford said. "It's hard to know, because there's no requirement to report this and there's no central repository of consumer complaints. But the various provincial consumer ministries are starting to look at online more and more."

In the United States, exorbitant bills have been the subject of complaints to the Federal Trade Commission, which is mandated to protect consumers from uncompetitive or deceptive business practices, said Lawford.

'It's a common, common theme both in Canada and around the world.'- John Lawford, consumer advocate

Few laws exist in Canada to protect consumers here, so parents should make themselves aware of what games their children are playing and learn what sort of in-game purchases they're able to make, he urged.

As for Perkins, he has come up with one way to ensure he won't be getting another shocking credit card bill.

"There will never be another Xbox system — or any gaming system — in my home."

[Dakine10 5,452]

As for Perkins, he has come up with one way to ensure he won't be getting another shocking credit card bill.

"There will never be another Xbox system — or any gaming system — in my home."

While it's tempting to blame the XBOX or the teenage son, I think he missed the bigger picture. Don't give a teenager your credit card might be a better lesson.

[Rob L 3,811]

While it's tempting to blame the XBOX or the teenage son, I think he missed the bigger picture. Don't give a teenager your credit card might be a better lesson.

Word

While it's tempting to blame the XBOX or the teenage son, I think he missed the bigger picture. Don't give a teenager your credit card might be a better lesson.

At least not with a 8k limit

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

While it's tempting to blame the XBOX or the teenage son, I think he missed the bigger picture. Don't give a teenager your credit card might be a better lesson.

That. If for some reason you do, for God's sake it needs to have a small limit. I got to that part in the story and thought the same thing .

It just hit me. What if we had a thread and all agreed

[Rob L 3,811]

That. If for some reason you do, for God's sake it needs to have a small limit. I got to that part in the story and thought the same thing .

It just hit me. What if we had a thread and all agreed

I keep waiting for you to say "Phsyc"

[Rob L 3,811]

Just for kicks , I put together what 8 K would buy a 15 year old me if Dad was so stupid..at least he would still own this cool stuff

[Dakine10 5,452]

That. If for some reason you do, for God's sake it needs to have a small limit. I got to that part in the story and thought the same thing .

It just hit me. What if we had a thread and all agreed

The middle of the road can't support everyone. Eventually we'd just argue about the things we agree on.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Just for kicks , I put together what 8 K would buy a 15 year old me if Dad was so stupid..at least he would still own this cool stuff

When I was about 12, my dad gave me $10 to go to the movies and told me to I need to bring back the change. I think I'll have to show him this article.

[eieio 1,594]

There will never be another Xbox system — or any gaming system — in my home."

But the "kid" will still have a credit card IMO. Kid learned a real lesson "dad will cover me no matter how much I spend"

Now granted….we don't know the whole story. No idea how long it took to rack up these charges? If the kid is mildly retarded or just retarded? If the dad is retarded?Is the mother on crack?

[Rob L 3,811]

The middle of the road can't support everyone. Eventually we'd just argue about the things we agree on.

. NB is the middle of the road always, so he feels our pain

When I was about 12, my dad gave me $10 to go to the movies and told me to I need to bring back the change. I think I'll have to show him this article.

Don't...it might remind him you never brought the change back

[TBoneTX 45,309]

What if we had a thread and all agreed

Reported!!!

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Reported!!!

You need to quickly delete several random post

[Darnell 8,478]

i wonder if this is just a problem in Canada. More Poutine, Less xBox !

[ExPatty 502]

That's pretty bad. I know a lot of people have been nailed by apple, too, with their kids buying a bunch of silly #######.

[smilesammich 10,727]

the problem is, if you use a service like xbox live or the ps4 equivalent or itunes - you need a payment method on file. you can password protect charges, that's about it. years ago my son tried to buy a bunch of games on his nintendo ds and the only thing that saved me was that he didn't know the billing zip code and the charges weren't accepted by my bank. when i was first dealing with the pending charges, nintendo told me the only thing i could do to get my money back was file charges of theft against my son.