Fortnite players 'tricked' into unwanted purchases are starting to get
refunds. Here's how to apply
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 [December 11, 2024] By
WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. consumers who were “tricked” into purchases they
didn't want from Fortnite maker Epic Games are now starting to receive
refund checks, the Federal Trade Commission said this week.
Back in 2022, Epic agreed to pay a total of $520 million to settle
complaints revolving around children’s privacy and payment methods on
its popular Fortnite game. The FTC alleged the video game giant used
deceptive online design tactics to trick Fortnite players, including
children, into making unintended purchases “based on the press of a
single button."
Consumers could be charged while doing something as simple as attempting
the wake the game from sleep mode, for example, or by pressing a nearby
button when trying to preview an item, the agency said. The FTC also
accused Epic of blocking some users who disputed the charges from
accessing the content they purchased.
Beyond a $275 million fine related to collecting personal information on
players under the age of 13, the settlement included $245 million in
customer refunds. Now, the first batch of those refunds are being sent
out.
On Monday, the FTC announced it was sending over 629,00 payments to
eligible customers who submitted claims. About half of those refunds are
PayPal payments, which should be redeemed within 30 days, and the rest
are checks, which should be cashed within 90 days.
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This Jan. 28, 2015 photo shows the Federal Trade Commission building
in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
 The average refund is about $114,
the FTC noted. This first round of payments amounts to a total of
more than $72 million, according to the agency — leaving about $173
million left to be distributed.
Impacted consumers can still apply for a refund online. People who
are eligible for these payouts include Fortnite players who were
charged in-game currency for items they didn’t want or saw their
account locked after complaining to a credit card company about
wrongful charges between January 2017 and September 2022 — as well
as parents whose child made charges on their credit cards without
their knowledge from January 2018 through November 2018.
You can learn more about applying for a refund on the FTC's website.
The deadline for submitting a claim is January 10, 2025.
At the time the settlement was announced in December 2022, Epic said
it accepted the agreement because it wanted "to be at the forefront
of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our
players.” The Cary, North Carolina-based added that it was already
rolling out changes “to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations
of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide
for others in our industry.”
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