My 8-Year-Old Spent Thousands on Game Add-Ons—Here’s How to Stop It Happening to You

your 8-year-old’s glued to Roblox or Fortnite, happily clicking away, and you think, “Great, they’re entertained.” Then the bank statement hits—thousands of pounds gone on game add-ons, from virtual skins to power-ups. That’s my story, and at Computer Assistance in Oxford, we’ve seen it too often. Kids don’t realize those “£4.99” purchases stack up fast—my son’s £2,000 spree happened in weeks! Here’s what went wrong and how parents can lock it down.

How Did This Happen? A Tech Tale of Tiny Transactions

It started innocently—my son begged for a £10 Roblox gift card. I caved, linked my card for “one more,” and forgot to unlink it. Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox make buying add-ons (skins, V-Bucks, Robux) a breeze—one click, no password, no fuss. He didn’t know each tap cost real money—£4.99 here, £9.99 there, until it hit £2,000. The Xbox app didn’t flag it, and I missed the emails. Sound familiar? At Computer Assistance, we’ve helped Oxford parents unravel similar tech traps.

Step 1 – Check the Damage

First, audit the chaos. On Xbox, go to “Settings > Account > Payment & Billing” to see purchases—mine showed 200+ transactions! PlayStation? “Account Management > Transaction History.” For mobile games (iOS/Android), check your App Store or Google Play history. If it’s bad, request refunds—Apple and Google often refund accidental kid purchases if you act fast (within 48 hours, ideally).

Step 2 – Lock It Down with Parental Controls

Here’s how to stop the spending spree:

• Xbox: Enable “Require password for purchases” in “Family & Friends” settings—takes 2 minutes.
• PlayStation: Set a monthly limit (£0 works!) under “Parental Controls > Spending Limit.”
• iOS: Turn on “Ask to Buy” in “Screen Time > Family Sharing”—you approve every purchase.
• Android: In Google Play, set “Require authentication for purchases” under “Settings > Authentication.”
• Games: Fortnite and Roblox have in-game PINs—set one in their parental settings.

Step 3 – Tech Support from the Pros

DIY not cutting it? At Computer Assistance, we’ve seen kids bypass controls with sneaky tricks (like guessing passwords). We can:

• Set up bulletproof restrictions on your devices—£50 well spent vs. thousands lost.
• Monitor accounts with AI tools we’ve built—smart alerts for odd spending.
• Recover data if purchases crash your system (yes, it happens!).

A Happy Ending

After my £2,000 wake-up, I got £1,500 refunded (thank you, Microsoft!), locked down the Xbox, and now my son’s V-Bucks come from chores—not my card. Don’t let your kid’s gaming turn into a budget buster—take control today.

Worried about game spending? Ring Computer Assistance in Oxford at 01865 451177 or Book a Tech Check—we’ll keep your tech (and wallet) safe!