Did Your Kid Make In-App Purchases On Your iPhone Without Asking? You Might Be Due Some Cash From Apple

A couple years back, Apple came under fire from parents and regulators after reports that kids were making in-app purchases, sometimes to the tune of four figures, on their folks’ iPhones and iPads. The company has since changed its policy to prevent children from draining their parents’ wallets in this fashion, but that didn’t stop the class-action lawsuit from the people who’d lost money before the policy change.

A $100 million settlement has been reached in the case, and the process of notifying customers who may possibly be able to make a claim has begun. The settlement is still awaiting final court approval, and that hearing won’t happen until mid-October, but consumers who believe they are part of this class may submit their claims until January 13, 2014 at this website.

The settlement defines the affected class as U.S. residents who paid for an in-app purchase of game currency charged to their iTunes account by a minor without their knowledge or permission in a “Qualified App.”

To find out if a particular app counts is “qualified,” go to this page and begin typing in the app’s name.

Those who claim $30 or less in purchases will receive a $5 iTunes Store credit, or $5 cash if the claimant no longer has an active iTunes account.

If you wish to receive more than the $5, then you’ll have to list the date of each purchase, and the price paid. All of these purchases must have been made within a 45-day period, or you must add a separate note explaining why the child was able to continue making in-app purchases beyond an initial 45-day period.

[via 9to5mac.com]

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