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Many children gamble on their parents’ cell phones – the mother of a seven-year-old now had a nasty surprise: the boy spent a total of 2753.91 euros on a game for in-app purchases.
His mother allowed him to play the online game “Brawl Stars” and also to spend small sums on a gift card. But the woman no longer remembered that her credit card was also on file. Your son then continued to play secretly, according to a message from the Lower Saxony consumer center on Monday.
Minors are only allowed to make purchases within the scope of their pocket money without the permission of their parents. “It is therefore usually worthwhile to contradict the demands,” says the legal expert at the consumer association, Kathrin Körber. In the case of the seven-year-old, the mother had not signed a contract with the game provider. According to a letter from the consumer advice center, the company waived the majority of the claim – a total of 2654.31 euros, reported Körber.
In times of pandemic in particular, she can understand parents who – for example, when they work in the home office themselves – occasionally give their children their own cell phones, says Körber. However, parents should definitely check the settings of their devices beforehand. Password protection for purchases or a third-party lock at the mobile phone provider can protect against unwanted costs.
