12-Year-Old Rings Up $1400 Farmville Bill
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
I really believe in this case they should allow a refund, as someone said, if the minimum age requirement is 13, which the kid didn't meet, he shouldn't have been allowed to be on face book and playing this game.
And Zynga keeping the money for what really are a bunch of useless and digital trinkets, while this money could be best used for the little family is just not cool.
And Zynga keeping the money for what really are a bunch of useless and digital trinkets, while this money could be best used for the little family is just not cool.
Zynga probably got a massive erection seeing someone spend $1400 on Farmville. As Mark Pimplepus said "Ill do anything to protect my nest egg" even sell customer info and have people install hard to remove software.
i havent read thro all the replies, so sorry if someone has said this. The chances are he was using his mums account to play the game, which she was allowing as it is technically free nyway so generally speaking shouldn't have been a problem. There are some casual gamers with a lot of money, and also get addicted badly to games like tht so the large spend could happen with people of any age if they had the money, and therefore u cnt rlly nlame facebook or zynga for nt having systems in place to spoot strange transactions.
However, the bank who should have checks in place to make sure thers no fraud shod have noticed tht ther was an obscurely large amount of money bieng payed to zynga, and shod have alerted the mother. Credit to the kid tho for bieng able to work out probably single handedly how to get the credit card and use it online, altho knowing the real value of tht money wod probably have saved every1 alot of trouble
However, the bank who should have checks in place to make sure thers no fraud shod have noticed tht ther was an obscurely large amount of money bieng payed to zynga, and shod have alerted the mother. Credit to the kid tho for bieng able to work out probably single handedly how to get the credit card and use it online, altho knowing the real value of tht money wod probably have saved every1 alot of trouble
A lot of people seem to be finger pointing, or blaming people for finger pointing. Way I see it, a kid screwed up big time. The mother is probably going to provide some serious discipline to the kid, but is not going to jeopardize her child's future. Facebook, who can't be expected to filter out every 12 year old out of millions of accounts, gave an appropriate response, and can't be blamed. Zynga understands that "Whoops" is not an excuse when money is involved, and even if they're sympathetic, can't be expected to give a refund. Otherwise, people will exploit that. The mother was apparently too trusting with her credit card, by giving it to the kid, but hey, even if it was a mistake, it was a mistake of trying to give her child an opportunity to grow through responsibility. She is probably a little upset, but I would be too if I just lost my savings, and she is still taking responsibility. And she says that Zynga should have better security, which would have prevented this fiasco. And that would be a good idea. Doesn't change responsibility, and the mother knows it, but it would still be a good idea. Everything that happened after the kid spent all that money was handled in an effective, adult, mature manner. Loseing your savings sucks, but its nice to see people involved in something like this having such a mature mix of compassion and accountability.
Well, maybe I just see things that way because I've always been overcautious with money. Even as a kid I felt guilty asking my parents to buy me something that I didn't need. And funnily enough, my stupid 31 year old brother has the same problem as yours.Kiithid said:
This is not to the fault of the parents nor the game, and I'm glad that the mother isn't blaming Zynga the way I expected she might have. After blowing through $400 of his own savings, you can't tell me that the kid would be in a position to not realize that taking his mother's credit card - STEALING it, might I add - and spending $1000 on the game is wrong.
That said, if I were Zynga, and under the assumption that this is possible with minimal to moderate effort, I would have offered some sort of refund or relief if I were going to cancel the kid's account. If they wanted to keep the account active, then yes, they have to pay for something if they're going to use it. But since the account is deactivated, I personally would have come to the decision of charging them for clerical and processing expenses, but offer the mom some relief.
That said, if I were Zynga, and under the assumption that this is possible with minimal to moderate effort, I would have offered some sort of refund or relief if I were going to cancel the kid's account. If they wanted to keep the account active, then yes, they have to pay for something if they're going to use it. But since the account is deactivated, I personally would have come to the decision of charging them for clerical and processing expenses, but offer the mom some relief.
what a shit piece of opinion. No, it's not enough to have a password, the use of the card on facebook bypassed what happens on walmart.com, which is bullshit. A different name is a different name and should have had a nice redflag and a call to the card company.
He wouldn't have had access to his $400 especially not via online purchases because he is 12. Presumably she is saying he used his savings because she decided to take them and pay $400 of the bill with it, not that he actually spent his directly and then took his mothers credit card, he used hers all along.end_boss said:
I guess you have never heard of your parents putting away birthday and Christmas money every year into a savings account? This child wouldn't have had access to spend the $400 in his account directly as he is 12, you can only withdraw money with parental consent in branch at that age. She took his money to pay the bill and thus his savings are now $0.afaceforradio said:
I fail to understand why the game owners cannot refund the woman's money, especially after they Disabled the Boy's Account. So not only did he carelessly throw a chunk of cash at the game for pixels, but the game took it all away and refuses to give the mother her money back.
By all rights, the woman should at least have some sort of case over this.
I mean, Xbox Live gave back someone's money because their freaking dog bought a load by chewing on the controller. I see no reason why at least Facebook could see the fowl and fix it.
By all rights, the woman should at least have some sort of case over this.
I mean, Xbox Live gave back someone's money because their freaking dog bought a load by chewing on the controller. I see no reason why at least Facebook could see the fowl and fix it.
"but she thinks that extra security for such games would be a good idea"
Yeah, it's not like you can password protect your computer, internet accounts or just check what he's doing on there from time-to-time...
Also, how did the kid know her credit card details?
Yeah, it's not like you can password protect your computer, internet accounts or just check what he's doing on there from time-to-time...
Also, how did the kid know her credit card details?
I dont know why but that kids seems like a douchebag and I wish I could punch him in the face.
Angrey hatred aside what could you buy with that and why dident he download steam and by loads of games on there? And dont say he's 12 and he wouldent know about Steam cause when I was 12 all of the people my age were on it so he's probobly obssesed with that game.
So yeah idiot and im glad the parent didnt outright say she blames the game even though she clearley does.
Angrey hatred aside what could you buy with that and why dident he download steam and by loads of games on there? And dont say he's 12 and he wouldent know about Steam cause when I was 12 all of the people my age were on it so he's probobly obssesed with that game.
So yeah idiot and im glad the parent didnt outright say she blames the game even though she clearley does.
