Kid runs up £3,700 / $5,628 bill on his dad’s iPad allegedly without knowing

Mar 25, 2013 13:24 GMT  ·  By

A UK policeman named Doug Crossan had his son reported for fraud after Apple refused to refund a number of accidental in-app purchases on his iPad. The teenager’s father claims his son was unaware he was being charged.

13-year-old Cameron racked up over 300 in-app purchases on casual games like Plants vs. Zombies, Hungry Shark, and Nova 3, The Daily Mail reports.

One such purchase – consisting of virtual gold coins – charged his father’s account £77.98, or around $118. In total, Cameron made in-app purchases worth £3,700 / $5,628.

The father, a police officer, called Apple and demanded a refund, as many other parents have done. Apple refused, despite having refunded others on similar grounds. The company even hangs a new sign on its App Store warning users that some apps contain in-app purchases.

Seeing how Apple was ignoring his situation, Mr. Crossan reported Cameron to the Action Fraud helpline, “meaning his son could face arrest and questioning by his father’s colleagues,” according to the report.

He said, “I am sure Cameron had no intention to do it, but I had to have a crime reference number if there was any chance of getting any credit card payments refunded.”