Lawsuit accuses Facebook of ripping off kids.

Facebook just can't catch a break.

Facebook Ripped Off Game-Playing Kids And Their Parents In Multi-Year "Friendly Fraud" Scheme

Facebook engaged in a multi-year effort to trick kids and their parents into racking up massive charges based on deceptive in-game purchases - then refused to give the money back, according to unsealed records in a class action lawsuit.

The in-game charges which added up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars were part of a system of "friendly fraud," according to Reveal News' Nathan Halverson, citing over 135 pages of unsealed documents which include employee emails, Facebook memos and secret strategies.

The lawyers have internal Facebook documents that make it clear they were deliberately exploiting the kids and encouraging them to rack up big fees. I hate the whole concept of in-game purchases. It was annoying as hell back when it was just fake money your character found, but now that they're increasingly expecting people to spend real money for all sorts of junky add-ons, it's increasingly looking like a scam.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Freemium in the most disturbing trend in video gaming to such a degree its in a class all its own; as if its the only disturbing trend, the sea change that it is. Next up Google Playstore.

1-900-CRACKPIPE

How long until Facebook files for bankruptcy protection?

Any guesses?

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Cell phone companies have been known to do this.

Sneaking ads that if you accidently click it signs you up for. "game coins" that charges 9.99 a month.

It happened to me, and I looked up the company, went into Google play, sure enough I never downloaded anything.

I made them refund it but only by threatening to switch companies. It was going on for seven months.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

So if people willingly hand over their money how is it really fraud? There's a pokies app people play, you can't win real money but if you run out of coins you can pay real money for fake coins, world series of poker is the same, you can buy poker chips to play online but you can't cash them in.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

What a shock! Facebook playing fast and loose. They are squeezing additional blood from their product [the users] whose names and information they sell to anyone with the cash. They have always treated their product slaves so well in the past with their honest and forthright supreme leader, Zucky McZuckface.

Typical. Once a man is worth billions then he realize he doesn't have enough and gets even more greedy.

I thought you needed to be eighteen years old to gamble, ID required.

If you link a credit card, or any payment method, to Facebook...


Well.
I don't need to say the rest, now, do I?

originally posted by: a325nt
If you link a credit card, or any payment method, to Facebook...


Well.
I don't need to say the rest, now, do I?

Perhaps you do because it seems somehow personal responsibility is not a factor in how some people view these things.