![]() ![]() ![]() 19, 2023, the FTC says you can file a claim using your Epic Account ID, or you can seek help from the administrator at 1-83 or If you don’t know your Epic Account ID, you can follow these steps to find it. People who receive an email from the FTC with a claim number may apply for compensation at According to the FTC, it is emailing more than 37 million people who may be eligible for compensation. The FTC is not asking for any additional proof that the purchases were made or were unwanted at this time, but it may do so at a later date, the FTC spokesperson said. People whose accounts were locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after reporting wrongful charges to their credit card companyĪn FTC spokesperson confirmed to VERIFY that you can request a refund for any unwanted item you were charged for, which the FTC will then confirm by cross-referencing information it has on player purchases.People whose children made charges without parental knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018.People who were charged in-game currency for items they didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022.The following people are eligible to file a claim with the FTC to receive compensation from this settlement: V-Bucks are then used to buy any items in the in-game shop, Epic Games explains. Gamers use real-world money to purchase Fortnite’s in-game currency, V-Bucks. The FTC’s decision and order requires Epic to take the alleged facts in the complaint as true in any subsequent civil litigation by or on behalf of the FTC. Additionally, the FTC claims that Fortnite’s payment system was so confusing that millions of players of all ages were charged for items they didn’t want. Kids could buy hundreds of dollars worth of digital items in Fortnite without parental confirmation by using payment information the game may have saved without the parent’s knowledge, the FTC claims. ![]() – COPPA: Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a U.S.The FTC says Epic charged gamers of all ages for unwanted items purchased through the in-game store and locked the accounts of customers who disputed wrongful charges with their credit card companies. – Epic Games: a video game development company responsible for popular games like Fortnite – FTC: Federal Trade Commission, a government agency responsible for protecting consumer rights and promoting competition in the market Source: article with information from the FTC Title: FTC Details How Gamers Can Get Refunds from Epic Games Settlement The game also no longer features paid random item loot boxes. Fortnite has implemented changes to provide a more robust refund system, instant purchase cancellations, and special accounts for players under 13 that comply with COPPA. The company collected information on children under 13 without parental consent.Īs part of the settlement, Epic Games is now banned from using dark patterns in Fortnite and cannot lock player accounts when chargebacks are requested. In addition to the refund portion, Epic Games was fined an additional $275 million for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The FTC received over 1 million complaints regarding accidental purchases, which were ignored by Epic Games, leading to the lawsuit. The FTC’s investigation centered around Fortnite’s lack of safeguards against accidental purchases, known as “dark patterns.” These design elements allowed accidental purchases to occur in various scenarios, such as waking the game from sleep or during loading screens. The exact amount each gamer will receive has not been determined yet, as it will depend on the number of claims filed.įiling a claim will not have any impact on a player’s Fortnite account, and all purchased items will still be retained. Minors under 18 years old will require a parent or guardian to complete the form on their behalf. The deadline to apply for refunds is January 17, 2024. To claim a refund, affected gamers can visit the FTC’s website, where instructions and a claim form are available. Parents whose children made unauthorized purchases between January 2017 and November 2018 are also eligible to file a claim. The settlement covers purchases made between January 2017 and September 2022, as well as accounts that were locked after gamers disputed charges during that time period. The FTC has now provided further details on how gamers can claim their refunds. As part of the settlement, $245 million of that fine will be used to refund affected gamers. Late last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined Epic Games $520 million for deceptive practices that tricked players into making in-game purchases. ![]()
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