Can I get a refund for an in-app purchase my younger brother made?
Asked by
MellowOrbit42
I'm pretty stressed because my younger brother used my phone for a few minutes, figured out my password, downloaded a free game, and made a $99.99 in-app purchase with my credit card. I noticed the purchase email as soon as I could and submitted a refund request about 30 minutes later. I've never requested a refund before, and the game was only just added to my purchase history. Is there any way to contact Apple and explain what happened after submitting the request, or do I just have to wait for the automated decision? I'm worried the refund will be denied even though this was clearly accidental and I'll make sure it cannot happen again.
Answers
Preventing another charge is the most important next step. Change the password to something your brother can’t guess, require authentication for every purchase, and consider using Guided Access when letting a child use the phone. Having access to the device can effectively make purchases look authorized, even if you didn’t personally approve them.
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They might approve it, but there’s no guarantee. From Apple’s perspective, the purchase came from your device, account, and payment method, so they may treat it as an authorized transaction even if your brother made it. The fact that you reported it quickly and have no previous refund history may still help.
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You generally need to wait for the refund request to be reviewed rather than directly pleading the case to someone. If it’s denied, there may be a one-time appeal option. Either way, the decision is discretionary because the account and device were used to make the purchase.
MellowOrbit42: The app and charge were both brand new, and I reported it within about half an hour, so hopefully those details count for something. I was mainly unsure whether contacting support after submitting the request would help.
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MellowOrbit42: I never knowingly gave him my password or kept it written on the phone, so I’m still confused about how he figured it out. I’ll change it and tighten the purchase settings immediately.