How can I stop my child from making unauthorized in-game purchases?

General
1

So this happened again last week. I opened my bank app and saw three charges I did not recognize from an online game my kid has been playing. My child is 9 years old and I genuinely do not think they understand that those “gems” or “coins” they are buying are real money leaving our account.

I am not just worried about the financial side of it. I am worried about what this is teaching them. Games are literally designed to make kids want to spend. The bright pop-ups, the “limited time” offers, the characters asking you to “just get a little more” so you can unlock the next thing. It is predatory design and kids fall for it hard.

I want to know how to actually stop this from happening again. How do I protect my payment info? What parental settings actually work? And how do I start teaching my kid the real value of money before this becomes a bigger habit? Any advice would be appreciated.

2

The problem is more complicated than you think. Here’s what I recommend.

First, the technical side. Go into your device settings right now and turn on purchase approval requirements. On iOS, go to Screen Time > Content and Privacy > iTunes and App Store Purchases and set all purchases to “Always Require” your password or Face ID. On Android, open the Play Store, go to Settings > Authentication, and turn on biometric or PIN verification for every purchase. This alone stops most accidental or sneaky purchases cold.

Second, remove your payment method from the device entirely and replace it with a prepaid gift card that has a fixed balance. When the balance runs out, it runs out. No card on file means no charges, period.

Third, and this is the part people skip: talk to your kid about what actually happened. Not in a punishing way, but show them the bank statement. Show them that the number on the screen went down in your real bank account. Kids who see physical proof of spending connect the dots way faster than kids who just get told “that costs money.”

Now here is the part I think will genuinely help: use Xnspy. It’s a parental monitoring app that gives you visibility into what your child is actually doing on their device. I use it to set Keyword Alerts for words like “buy,” “gems,” or my card type, so I’m notified instantly if those pop up on screen. For trickier situations, the Keylogger can capture typed payment info, and the Screen Record feature can reveal if friends are pressuring my kid in chats.

The point is to have real evidence, so when you talk about spending boundaries, nobody can just say “I didn’t do it.” You’re not guessing anymore.

Combine all three layers and you have a real defense, not just a temporary fix.

3

Here is exactly what you should configure on each major platform. These are all working methods.

iOS / Apple Devices

  1. Open Settings > Screen Time > enable Screen Time if not already on
  2. Tap “Content and Privacy Restrictions” > enable it
  3. Go to “iTunes and App Store Purchases” > set “In-app Purchases” to “Don’t Allow”
  4. Under “Always Required,” set password requirement for purchases
  5. To block free downloads too, set “Installing Apps” to Don’t Allow

Android / Google Play

  1. Open Play Store > tap profile icon > Settings > Authentication
  2. Enable “Require authentication for purchases” > set to “For all purchases”
  3. Go to Family Library settings and enable purchase approvals under Family Link if your child has their own Google account
  4. Use Google Family Link app on your own phone to approve or deny every app download and purchase remotely in real time

Google Family Link (Standalone)

This is actually one of the most complete free tools available. It lets you:

  • Approve or reject every purchase before it goes through
  • See exactly which apps are installed
  • Set daily screen time limits per app
  • Lock the device remotely

Console-Specific Settings

  • PlayStation: Go to Family Management on PlayStation website, set spending limits to $0 for child accounts
  • Xbox: Microsoft Family Safety app, set a monthly spending allowance and require approval above that
  • Nintendo Switch: Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app (free), set purchase restrictions directly from your phone

One more thing: Check if the game has its own account settings. Many games like Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft have in-game purchase PIN options completely separate from device-level settings. Set those too for double protection.

4

The data around this problem is actually pretty eye-opening, and it changes how you should approach the solution.

According to research by the National Cyber Security Alliance, over 70% of children between the ages of 6 and 12 have made at least one unintended or unauthorized in-app purchase. The average unintended charge per incident ranges from $20 to over $100. What is more telling is that the majority of these purchases happen on mobile devices where payment credentials are pre-saved, meaning the friction to buy something is nearly zero.

Game publishers design what researchers call “dark patterns.” These are specific UI choices that make spending feel smaller, faster, and less real. Things like:

  • Currency conversion (you buy “gems” not dollars, so the real cost is hidden)
  • Artificial scarcity (“only 3 left at this price!”)
  • Social proof nudges (“your friend just unlocked this!”)
  • Reward loops that pause right before a fun moment unless you pay

Understanding that this is an engineered behavior, not just your child being irresponsible, matters because it changes your reaction and your strategy.

Analytical breakdown of your defense layers:

• Device purchase locks: Prevent unauthorized access and purchases (High effectiveness)
• Remove saved payment information: Reduces impulse buying and unauthorized transactions (Very high effectiveness)
• Spending allowance systems: Encourages responsible spending habits through controlled budgets (Medium–high effectiveness)
• Financial literacy education: Builds long-term money management skills and decision-making (High effectiveness over time)
• Ongoing monitoring and oversight: Creates accountability and helps identify problems early (High effectiveness)

The most underused layer is the behavioral one. Set up a “game budget” your child controls themselves. A small weekly amount they can spend or save. When they choose to spend it on in-game items, they see the real trade-off. Research from Cambridge University shows that children who manage even small amounts of real money develop better spending judgment significantly faster than those who only receive abstract warnings.

5

I literally went through this exact thing with my nephew and lemme tell you, the “just turn on parental controls” advice alone does NOT cut it.

Here is what actually worked for us, step by step:

Step 1: The Nuclear Option First

Remove every saved payment method from every device your kid uses. Not just the main one. ALL of them. Check the browser saved cards, check Apple Pay, check Google Pay, check the game’s own wallet if it has one. If there is no payment method attached, there is literally nothing to charge.

Step 2: Dedicated Kid Account

Do not let your child play on YOUR account. Create a separate child account for them (Apple Family Sharing or Google Family Link both do this for free). Child accounts have spending restrictions built in at the OS level. This is a structural fix, not just a setting you can forget to update.

Step 3: Gift Card System

If your kid wants to spend in games, make them earn it and use a gift card loaded with a specific amount. When it is gone it is gone. This is not punishment. This is how money actually works and the sooner they get that, the better.

Step 4: Check App Permissions Regularly

Some games will store a “payment token” after the first purchase that lets future purchases go through without re-entering card details. Go into each game’s settings and revoke any stored payment permissions or saved methods inside the app itself.

Step 5: Monthly Review Together

Sit down with your kid once a month, look at what they spent in games and what they got for it. Was it worth it? This habit builds financial thinking without making the whole thing feel like a punishment session.

The gift card method is the one most parents sleep on and it is lowkey the most effective of all of them.

6

Protecting Your Child from Unauthorized In-Game Purchases Through Platform Parental Controls

Most parents do not realize that almost every major gaming and device platform already has robust parental spending controls built in for free. The issue is that they are buried in settings menus and the defaults are almost always set to allow purchases freely.

Setting a Hard Spending Limit Through Microsoft Family Safety

If your child plays on Xbox, PC via Game Pass, or any Microsoft platform, the Microsoft Family Safety app is genuinely one of the best tools available. Here is the exact process:

  1. Download Microsoft Family Safety on your phone
  2. Add your child’s Microsoft account to your family group
  3. Go to their profile > Spending > Monthly Allowance
  4. Set the allowance to $0 or any fixed amount you choose
  5. Enable “Require organizer approval for purchases above allowance”

Every purchase request above the limit now comes to your phone as a notification, which you approve or deny in real time.

Apple Screen Time Spending Locks

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > iTunes and App Store Purchases. Here you will find the option to block in-app purchases entirely or require your Apple ID password each time. For younger kids, blocking them entirely is the right call. For teenagers, requiring password approval teaches them to ask first.

The “Ask to Buy” Feature in Apple Family Sharing

This is different from Screen Time. Under Family Sharing, enable “Ask to Buy” for your child’s account. This sends every single purchase attempt, including free downloads, to your device for approval. You get a notification, you review it, you approve or deny. It takes 10 seconds and puts you fully in the loop.

7

Here is the thing about protecting children from unauthorized in-game purchases that gets overlooked all the time: the WHY matters as much as the HOW.

Kids who understand why something is off-limits are about 3x less likely to find workarounds than kids who are just told “no” without any context. That is not parenting advice from me, that is backed by behavioral research on impulse control in children.

So here is a practical framework for the financial literacy conversation:

The Real Cost Comparison Method

Next time your child wants to buy in-game currency, pull up something they love in real life. A meal at their favorite restaurant, a toy they wanted, a day out somewhere fun. Then show them how many of those in-game purchases it takes to equal that real thing. When a kid realizes that 10 rounds of buying “gems” equals a trip to the trampoline park, the math hits differently.

The Delay Rule

Introduce a 24-hour rule for any in-game purchase over a certain amount. If they still want it tomorrow, talk about it. Most of the time, the urge to buy passes. This is the same principle behind cooling-off periods in consumer protection law, and it works on kids too.

Let Them Experience Running Out

This sounds counterintuitive but let them spend their own allowed game budget and run out. Do not top it up. Let them sit with that feeling for a week. It is one of the most effective ways to build natural spending judgment around protecting kids from unauthorized and impulsive in-game purchases.

The goal is not to make gaming feel like a minefield. It is to build a kid who naturally thinks before they tap.

8

I want to zoom in on something because the platform-level controls are great, but some specific games have their own purchasing systems that operate almost independently of device settings.

Why Popular Games Make It So Easy to Spend Without Realizing It

Roblox

Roblox uses “Robux” as its currency. Even if you lock down device purchases, if a child has a Roblox account with a balance, they can spend freely inside the game. Go to roblox.com > account settings > Billing and remove any saved payment methods there. There is also a parental PIN feature under Settings > Security. Set a PIN your child does not know and Robux purchases require it.

Fortnite / Epic Games

Epic has its own wallet system. Go to epicgames.com, log into the account, go to Account > Payment Methods and remove all saved cards. Under Parental Controls in Epic’s settings, you can set a PIN that is required for any purchase attempt. This is separate from your PlayStation, Xbox, or PC store controls.

In-Game Battle Pass Subscriptions

This one trips people up constantly. Battle passes are often set to auto-renew. Even if you cancel the current one, check whether auto-renewal is turned on in the game’s subscription settings AND in the platform store (Apple, Google, Xbox, PlayStation all have separate subscription management pages). One cancellation is often not enough.

What to Do Right Now

  1. List every game your child plays
  2. Log into each game’s own website account settings
  3. Remove saved payment info from each one individually
  4. Set any available in-game PIN or parental code
  5. Check for active subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal

Platform controls and in-game controls are two different systems. You need both.

9

I want to add something different to this thread: the chargeback and refund process, because even with all the prevention steps in place, stuff still happens and knowing how to recover financially is important.

Apple App Store Refunds

Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in, find the charge, click “Report a Problem,” and select “I didn’t authorize this purchase” or “My child made this purchase.” Apple’s refund policy for unauthorized child purchases is relatively generous. You can usually get a refund within 7 to 14 days for recent transactions.

Google Play Refunds

Go to play.google.com > Order History > tap the order > “Request a refund.” For in-app purchases, you have 48 hours from the time of purchase to request a standard refund. For unauthorized child purchases, Google does review cases beyond 48 hours, especially if parental controls were not enabled at the time and this is a first occurrence.

PlayStation and Xbox

Both have refund request processes through their support pages. They are stricter than Apple and Google, but for unauthorized purchases, especially by minors, they will review on a case-by-case basis. Always frame it as an unauthorized purchase by a child, provide the account details, and be specific about which transactions you are disputing.

Credit Card Chargeback as Last Resort

If the platform denies your refund, contact your bank and dispute the charges as unauthorized. Most banks side with the cardholder in these cases. This should be your last move since it can affect your account standing with the platform, but it is absolutely an option.

10

I think talking about email and SMS purchase alerts here will be helpful.

This is not a blocking method, but it is an early warning system that most parents completely miss, and it genuinely changes how fast you can catch something before it spirals.

Here is how it works and why it matters:

Set Up Transaction Alerts on Your Bank or Card

Go into your bank or credit card app right now. Find the notifications or alerts section. Turn on instant alerts for every transaction, even small ones. Set the threshold to $0.01 so you get pinged for literally any charge. Most banks offer this for free and the notification hits your phone within seconds of a charge going through.

This means even if your child finds a way around device-level controls or makes a purchase on a platform you forgot to lock, you know about it within moments. You can respond immediately, contact the platform for a refund while the transaction is still fresh, and have a real-time conversation with your kid about what just happened.

Why Small Amounts Matter

In-game purchases are often designed to start tiny, like $0.99 or $1.99, to get below the threshold of what feels significant. Kids figure out quickly that small amounts do not seem to trigger a response. If your alerts are set to only notify you of charges above $5 or $10, you are going to miss the pattern of small repeated charges that adds up to a serious amount over time.

Pair It With a Dedicated Card

Open a separate low-limit card used only for digital purchases and subscriptions. Load it with a fixed amount each month. When alerts come in on that card, you know immediately it is connected to device activity and not your main spending. You get full visibility without having to dig through your primary bank statement to figure out what is what.