Amazon Will Refund Over $70 Million In Unauthorized In-App Charges

Amazon and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have agreed to end appeals related unauthorized in-app charges. The court found Amazon was wrong to bill consumers for unauthorized in-app charges. In April 2016, a federal district court noted Amazon billed customers for child related unauthorized purchases using mobile apps. The federal district court came to terms that Amazon did not get parental consent for these in-app purchases.

The Federal Trade Commission and Amazon agreed to allow the refund process to begin soon. Consumers will be eligible for refunds expecting to total more than $70 million in-app purchases. Refunds will qualify on purchases made from November 2011 to May 2016. Amazon will be offering refunds to those affected shortly.

Acting director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection Thomas B. Pahl comments, This case demonstrates what should be a bedrock principle for all companiesyou must get customers consent before you charge them.

Furthermore, anyone who was wrongfully charged for in-app purchases made by children between November 2011 and May 2016 may likely be eligible to get a proper refund. The FTC and Amazon in 2014 had an instance which urged Amazon to provide more preventable action for possible unauthorized purchases. At the time, Amazon did not comply to require password protection for they felt their notifications would suffice.