Nearly one million 'Fortnite' users getting FTC refunds for unauthorized charges

AppleInsider

The FTC is handing out $126 million in "Fortnite" refunds after years of shady charges, surprise bills, and retaliatory bans. Here's how to get yours.

Credit: Epic Games

Nearly one million Fortnite players are getting refunds totaling $126 million. The payouts address years of unauthorized charges and access restrictions tied to billing disputes.

This round of payouts is for those who submitted a valid claim before February 14, 2025. The FTC is currently reviewing claims that were made after February 14 and will provide information to claimants at a later date.

In addition to the payout, Epic now has to get positive consent before charging users, and may no longer lock players out of accounts for disputing charges.

For more information related to payouts, you can head to the Fortnite Refunds page.

The FTC also urges affected users to file claims via the Fortnite Refund form. The deadline to file is July 9, 2025.

The following scenarios are eligible to apply for a refund:

• Players who were charged in-game currency for items they didn't want between January 2017 and September 2022


• Unauthorized in-game purchases made by a minor using a parent's credit card between January 2017 and November 2018


• Players whose accounts were locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after submitting wrongful charge claims with their credit card company

Those who are applying for a refund must live in the U.S. and be 18 years or older. Parents and guardians may complete claim forms for those who are under 18.

Players will get refunds either by check or PayPal payment. Payout amounts will depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim.

"Fortnite" only recently returned to iPhone after a nearly five-year ban from the App Store. August of 2020, Epic willingly violated Apple's App Store rules by allowing players the option to purchase Fortnite's in-game currency directly from Epic.



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charles1

This is the reason the Apple app store exists: to restrain greedy and fraudulent software developers.

applezulu

charles1 said:

This is the reason the Apple app store exists: to restrain greedy and fraudulent software developers.

charles1 said:

This is the reason the Apple app store exists: to restrain greedy and fraudulent software developers.

That's worth saying twice.

ssfe11

Despicable Sweeney! Now this pos is trying to backstab legitimate Apple. The courts need to see this!

fred257

I had no idea about this. My mother nd has changed about this whole App Store debacle 

ihatescreennames

AppleInsider said:

Players will get refunds either by check or PayPal payment. Payout amounts will depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim.

Hey, now. That isn’t fair. I don’t want to use either a check or PayPal and my preferred method is Apple Cash. Shouldn’t the courts force Epic to allow me to choose the way I want to be paid? I don’t want to go through their system. 

anilu_777

Poor, poor Epic. Imagine cheating their customers who paid and chose their platform in good faith. 🙄 One of the many reasons I’ll stick to the App Store. (Cancelling is also a breeze there)

ashsaturday

One of the reasons that Sweeney needed to open up marketplace, and sue everyone was to cover the costs of refunding all of his customers who he wants to open, said marketplace for.

ssfe11

IMO only a minuscule amount of people will leave the safety, private, ease of use and everything centralized walled Garden.

9secondkox2

Welcome back to the Wild West! 

That’s progress in the eyes of certsin political leaders and entire coalitions like the EU. 

Pushing companies to have more and more leeway to do what they want with you. 

If it’s this bad in this scenario, just imagine what the EU will be dealing with. 

Good going guys! 

edited June 29

nikon8

PSA.  Parents.  Please do not let your kids play for Fortnite. 

apple4thewin

Is this the same refund as before? Or is this a second one? I remember receiving a check back in December.

macgui

The following scenarios are eligible to apply for a refund:

• Unauthorized in-game purchases made by a minor using a parent's credit card between January 2017 and November 2018

What is it about this that merits a refund? How is any website supposed to know if a kid has or doesn't have permission to use Mom or Dad's card? I'm not seeing anything that makes it Epic's fault for accepting these charges.

It reminds me of the woman years back who did work from home and gave her young child (6yo?) her/an iPad to play with. He was able to spend thousands of dollars on power ups and video games, while her attention was elsewhere. There were parental controls in place that could have prevented the charges. That's aside from giving the kid an iPad and telling him to go play.

Go away Son. You bother me.

That might be a tad unfair, but not much. So if unauthorized game purchases by a minor blah blah, are being refunded, what is Epic required to do to prevent this? What now is the parent's role and accountability?

I'm not talking about parenting in general, but there are many areas and incidents where there are dedicated steps a parent could have taken but didn't, resulting in something bad happening. Like these credit card charges. 

Hey, I didn't know so I don't owe.

What a crock.