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Game Maker Says 40% of iTunes In-App Buys Are Fraud

Posted by Soulskill on from the most-of-the-remainder-are-probably-three-year-olds dept.

chicksdaddy writes "Hong Kong-based Lakoo, maker of the Empire Online game, says that 4 in 10 in-application purchases by users of the iOS version of its MMORPG are fraudulent, and made through compromised iTunes accounts. But Apple has turned a deaf ear to its requests for help to stop the bogus activity."

2 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. This ... by gstoddart · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This is why I have actually turned off in-app purchases.

    I don't want it (I'm not willing to buy stuff to make a free game easier/shinier), and I don't trust the developers with direct access to my account. Of course, I haven't given Apple any means of actually billing me -- for pretty much the same reason.

    Though, in this case, it seems to be more about people getting into other people's account and doing fraudulent charges.

    I just think the whole concept of letting a game have a shortcut to my VISA is a stupid idea. If I really need to purchase something from the iTunes store (and, I have yet to do this), I'll buy a friggin' points card.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:This ... by gstoddart · · Score: 1, Interesting

      We just released an app with in-app purchase. You'll be happy to know that we (developers) don't have direct access to your account. Apple handles all the authentication and transaction, and all we (developers) get is a digital receipt of the transaction.

      Oh, I get that you don't have the account information.

      That doesn't mean that I would trust you or any other developer with anything in the game which could attempt to spend my money. For one, I'm not willing to give you any, and two, I don't trust the mechanism.

      Any game that wants to pop up a "Click OK to buy in-game" crap, well, I'm not going to buy it, and I don't want to inadvertently click "Yes". My solution is to prevent any app from having the option. It's turned off on the system level.

      For the same reason that I don't let any company I deal with have access to my checking account so they can directly take money. I will decide when I give you money, it will likely be on a credit card so I can have control over it, and you don't have the option to decide "now is the time for more money". Any company which insists the only method I have of dealing with them involves that kind of access gets told to PFO -- than includes Pay Pal.

      Good luck with your app, but for a lot of us, in-app purchases is a sign that maybe I really don't want your app very much to begin with.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.