How far back can I get refunds?

Apple usually accepts refund requests up to 90 days, sometimes longer if a child made the purchases. Google Play accepts requests within 48 hours via self-service and longer via support contact. PlayStation and Xbox vary case by case. Outside platform windows, your bank's chargeback or Section 75 protection can sometimes cover unauthorised transactions by a minor — call them with the full transaction list.

My child says other kids "gifted" them Robux or V-Bucks — is that suspicious?

Sometimes, yes. Adult predators are known to offer in-game currency to children to build trust or to extract favours, including images. Ask who the gifter is, how they met, whether they have asked for anything in return. If the answer is anyone unknown or anything other than "another kid at school", treat it as a possible grooming red flag and consult our "someone asked your child to send a photo" or "online relationship" guides.

Are loot boxes gambling?

The UK government's 2023 response stopped short of classifying loot boxes as legal gambling, but research from the UK Gambling Commission and others has consistently shown they use the same reward structures and produce gambling-like behaviours in children. Treat them as gambling-adjacent — turn them off where you can, talk about how they are designed, and watch for compulsive patterns.

Important

Unexpected Charges From In-Game Purchases

What to do when your child has run up charges in Roblox, Fortnite, FIFA, or another game — including how to get a refund and stop it happening again.

What might be happening

Your child has spent money — sometimes hundreds or thousands of pounds — inside a game without you realising. The most common culprits are Roblox (Robux), Fortnite (V-Bucks), FIFA / EA FC (FUT packs), Brawl Stars, and Genshin Impact. Charges can appear as many small transactions over weeks or as a single large one. Children often do not understand they are spending real money — the games are deliberately designed to blur the line. Loot boxes and FUT packs in particular use the same psychological mechanisms as gambling.

How serious is it?

Financially, this can be recovered in most cases — Apple, Google, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all have refund routes, and the major card networks also offer chargeback protection if those fail. Behaviourally, repeated spending or a child becoming distressed when they cannot buy in-game items can indicate the start of a gambling-style pattern, and that does deserve attention. Avoid framing it as a moral failure — most adults would struggle to resist the same design tactics.

What to do first

Step 1

Gather the evidence. Pull up the full purchase history (Apple: Settings → your name → Media & Purchases → View Account → Purchase History; Google Play: account.google.com → Payments). Note every transaction, the amount, and the date.

Step 2

Request refunds through the platform first. Apple: reportaproblem.apple.com — you can request refunds for purchases up to 90 days old, often longer if a child made them. Google Play: support.google.com/googleplay → request a refund. Be honest: "a child made these purchases without authorisation."

Step 3

If platform refunds are refused, raise a chargeback with your bank or card issuer — under UK consumer protection (Section 75 for credit cards, chargeback rules for debit cards), unauthorised charges by a minor are usually recoverable. Keep notes of every call.

Step 4

Turn off in-app purchases immediately. Apple: Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → In-app Purchases → Don't Allow. Android: Google Play Store → Settings → Authentication → require for all purchases.

Step 5

Talk to your child without blame. Most children genuinely do not realise the spending is real money — the game shows V-Bucks or Robux, not pounds. Walk through it together: "this many Robux cost us this much real money."

What to say

Phrases that help

"These games are designed by adults to make children want to spend. You are not in trouble — but we need to make sure it cannot happen again."
"Let's look at the receipts together so you can see what the in-game money actually costs in real money."
"From now on, anything you want to buy in a game, we decide together first. That is not a punishment, it is the new rule for the whole family."

What not to say

✗"You'll have to pay every penny of this back." — usually unenforceable and damages the conversation about what spending feels like.
✗"How could you be so stupid?" — these games are designed by behavioural psychologists; even adults get caught.
✗"I'm taking the game/console away forever." — closes the door on the chance to teach what just happened.

Settings to check

•Apple: Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → In-app Purchases set to Don't Allow, or require password for every purchase.
•Android / Google Play: Play Store → Settings → Authentication → require authentication for all purchases, and remove your card if a child has the device unsupervised.
•PlayStation: Account Management → Family Management → set monthly spending limit to zero or a low amount per child.
•Xbox: Family Settings app → set spending limits and require approval for each purchase.
•Nintendo Switch: Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app → restrict eShop purchases entirely for younger children.

When to escalate

If a platform refuses a refund for a clearly unauthorised purchase by a child, raise a formal complaint with the platform and then escalate to your bank's chargeback team or Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) if you suspect a scam. If your child is showing signs of compulsive spending (lying to play, distress when unable to buy, hiding the activity), speak to your GP — GambleAware (https://www.gambleaware.org, 0808 8020 133) supports under-18s with gambling-style behaviours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17 · This page is educational guidance, not a substitute for emergency services, safeguarding professionals, or legal advice.

This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.