Child spending money on PlayStation network

[keaney247]

Hello,

So I don't really know where to start. It's come out yesterday my child has been using my debit card on his PS4 without me knowing since November 2020. He's spent just short of £2400.00, I'm at a complete loss, he doesn't seem to grasp what he's done. The money was taken from an account I have setup to pay for day to day things, Netflix, Amazon......all that kinda stuff. First thing, yes I know I should have checked it, but I didn't know he was doing it to start with and I don't get paper statements from it, I've been working all over the country doing Covid based stuff, checking that account didn't really cross my mind. I'm going to call the bank tomorrow, is there any chance I'd be able to recall the money or anything I can do about it at all? I can't believe the bank didn't highlight it as unusual spending? Some days there's 15 payments going out! So if there's any advice people can share I'd be extremely grateful, I'm really not hear for smart arse comments, can we keep those from a different day please.

Cheers all.

[dudleybloke]

How old is he?

[keaney247]

He turned 12 last week.

[DanL]

Pick it up with PlayStation and hope they refund you. You’ll also need to set up parental controls to prevent this happening again.

[keaney247]

I've got his PS now, he doesn't live with me, he's with his mum in the week and me weekends. He's changed all the passwords I'd set on it originally so I'm trying to sort all that out now. Like many people, we've had a torrid time the past year but this has blown me away.

[colin_p]

Had this about ten years ago but thankfully it was only about a £100

Some shouting, a weeks x-box ban and a total ban on any DLC whilst at the same time removing the means to pay.

And don't forget to shout at the little sod so he properly understands!

[keaney247]

I read the riot act to him, I don't think he understands how wrong it is, it's not like he's seen the money, he's just got things he wanted, I genuinely don't understand it. The thing is, all the the time this has happened, he's saved up his pocket money and gone to buy ps card's! Or given me the money to pick him one up if I've gone shopping, my mind's blown.

[Colonel Cupcake]

Take his play station off him and have him scrubbing your garden flagstones at NMW until the debt is paid off.

It will make him see just how much hard graft is required to earn that money and make him think if it is worth spending it on the crap he has bought.

[dudleybloke]

12 hour shifts down the asbestos mines until its paid off with interest.
Once he's recovered from the whipping.

[The Rotrex Kid]

Very very unlikely you’ll get any money back unfortunately. You should never use your card details on PSN, if you want to buy him anything in the future, get a gift card. They actually work out cheaper too.

Best to be grateful you caught it now!

[Groat]

At 12 he should be capable of formal operational thinking. Try asking HIM what he thinks should be done? The reply will give you an idea of how he'll be problem-solving as an adult, not to mention what he understands about personal responsibility.

Edited by Groat on Sunday 11th April 14:46

[PistonRings]

Unfortunately you will be lucky to get a refund, plenty of similar stories out there and generally it's not a reason for refund. In fact the ps policy is that his account should have been a child account with a wallet limit: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/store/un...

I have these conversations often with people at work with kids, they want help setting up xyz, and I try and ensure they fully understand the how it's setup before letting the kids have it. Not much you can do now and hindsight is always 20:20, other than as others have said, find a way to hammer home the value of what he's spent.

[Rick101]

Was covered on Moneybox a while back.
Not a good situation and I suspect unlikely to get a full refund.

Whilst it's easy to say I didn't know, you're the adult should have checks in place.
There are plenty of systems to prevent this happening.

Hope you can get something back and more importantly both learn something from it.
Worth searching for the Moneybox episode, may give you some ammunition for arguing your point.

Edited by Rick101 on Sunday 11th April 15:13

[gregs656]

This isn’t uncommon. You’re unlikely to see that money again I think.

[keaney247]

Thanks, I'll take a look, see what comes up. There were passwords set by myself but he'd changed them all without me knowing, I guess he must have had my phone and deleted the emails before I'd seen them, I honestly don't know.

[AJB88]

Ban him from the Playstation for atleast 6 months I say, only one way to learn.

[keaney247]

I don't see him getting it back to be honest.

[NMNeil]

dudleybloke said:

12 hour shifts down the asbestos mines until its paid off with interest.
Once he's recovered from the whipping.

Only a 12 hours shift?
You softie

[xeny]

keaney247 said:

I read the riot act to him, I don't think he understands how wrong it is, it's not like he's seen the money, he's just got things he wanted, I genuinely don't understand it. The thing is, all the the time this has happened, he's saved up his pocket money and gone to buy ps card's! Or given me the money to pick him one up if I've gone shopping, my mind's blown.

The pocket money is physical. The cards are (?) physical. The debit card and the DLC aren't - they're not real to him. It's an extreme version of people being more willing to spend with a debit card than with cash.

[Pistonheader101]

Does he have any behavioural issues? Is he on the spectrum at all?

Putting the money part to one side - it’s probably highlighted a bigger issue.