in app or 976,.. you decide

I was a kid and working on homework and bored and in need of cheering up

I saw on the TV "DIAL A JOKE!"

976 laff!!

I thought, Hey thats cool, and called. I liked it so much I called again.  

I then called again and again until I reached the end of the month and my mom asking me what I was writing down.

I said it was jokes I was getting from this number I call , I saw it on TV

My MOM looked at it and then called and she had both an appalled look and an angry one at the same time.

I found out it was 59 cents a call at the time. Thats a lot of money when you call 112 times

I told my mom I wanted to be popular at school and everyone thought I was great

well I was for 112 days at least

I know this is strange that I brought up both a personal event today and also something seemingly unrelated, but Hey , You know I have good reason for this story:

In App Purchases. Its on iTunes and its just like 976 or 1 900 purchases

you see you get something that is free and play and then you are hawked to buy something that will get you ahead or make you more popular, or "in the know"

it costs MONEY

but most of the time its a game of something your kid will do,.. and guess what its a kid who sill buy and do so without realizing whats gonna happen

I had this happen to a friend the other day, and to the tune of 478 dollars and 23 cents.

it took 6 days and a banned credit card to work at getting this refunded and the iTunes folks saying you need to place restrictions on the device to make it incapable of buying "IN APP PURCHASES"

Itunes even sent instructions and said if this happened again, TOUGH LUCK

You know I agree, but this goes with what I had said before if you choose to allow your kid to handle something like a iPod touch or even a go phone,.. you better make it work a certain way or "KAPOW!" you got a bill you might not be able to get refunded on.

My friend was lucky, he has knowledge on ways you can work the system and was able to get a refund THIS TIME. but it takes time

LOTS of time, and you have to jump through hoops to get it.

Please feel free to explore options and do not be afraid to ask about how to if you have to. These guys want your money and hate to give it back, not cause they're mean but because some 8 year old wants to be popular at school and be the shit amongst his friends and not realize a bill comes attached.

That being said,… I have one more question,.. why are you allowing the iPod to be your baby sitter and not keep an eye on it? Please take a good look at your childs habits or you may get a bill that goes KAPOW11 as you're planning your next vacation.

good night!!