Short answer: If an in-app purchase was made without your permission, identify whether Apple or Google Play billed you, secure the account, and use the platform’s refund or unauthorized-charge process. If the charge appeared on a U.S. credit card, a separate billing-error dispute may also be available.

A purchase made by a child or another family member is not automatically the same as an account takeover. Explain what happened accurately. The correct route depends on whether the charge was unauthorized, the item was never delivered, or you simply want to cancel a purchase.

What counts as an unauthorized in-app purchase?

An unfamiliar charge can have several explanations:

That distinction matters. Apple and Google decide refund requests under their platform policies, while a card issuer handles its own fraud and billing-error procedures. Neither route guarantees a refund.

Older enforcement actions show why small digital purchases deserve attention. In 2014, the FTC announced a settlement involving Apple after complaints that children made unauthorized in-app purchases. In a separate complaint, the FTC alleged that Amazon allowed children to make repeated purchases below $20 without parental approval and displayed paid virtual currency in a way that resembled free currency. Those cases are historical and don't establish a current blanket refund rule, but they illustrate how quickly unclear purchase screens and saved payment methods can create problems.

First, identify the charge and protect the account

Before submitting a request, collect the basic details:

  1. Search your email and store purchase history for the receipt.
  2. Record the app name, order number, date, amount, account, and device.
  3. Ask whether another adult or child used the device.
  4. Check Apple family accounts or other Google Accounts. Google says a missing order may have been bought through a different Google Account.
  5. Take screenshots of the charge, missing content, or misleading screen.
  6. If you suspect account access by a stranger, change the account password, review signed-in devices, and contact the payment provider if charges continue.

If the charge is for a subscription, review the store’s subscription settings and cancel future renewals separately. A refund request for an earlier charge shouldn't be your only step.

How to request an Apple in-app purchase refund

Apple directs customers to submit refund requests through reportaproblem.apple.com. The basic process is:

  1. Sign in with the Apple Account used for the purchase.
  2. Choose “I’d like to”, then select “Request a refund.”
  3. Select a reason and choose Next.
  4. Select the app, subscription, or other item.
  5. Submit the request and save the confirmation.

Apple says refund eligibility can vary by country or region. If the charge is still pending, Apple says you can't request a refund yet. After submitting, you can use the same service to check the request’s status.

For a child’s purchase, state that clearly and include the dates, amounts, and whether the child had permission. Don't describe a known family purchase as an account hack simply because it wasn't intended.

How to report an unauthorized Google Play charge

Google’s process is different for a charge that no one you know made. According to Google Play’s instructions for unrecognized charges, unauthorized purchases should generally be reported within 120 days of the transaction.

Use Google’s official reporting process and keep the claim ID and the email address used for the report. Google says those details are needed to check the status. If you can't find the order, check any other Google Accounts used on the device before reporting it.

For a purchase made by a family member, or for content that was paid for but never delivered or doesn't work, use Google Play’s refund process. Google says the developer may be able to help with purchase problems and may process refunds under its policies and applicable laws. Some requests made more than 48 hours after purchase may be directed to the developer.

Google says a refund decision usually arrives within one day, although it can take up to four days. That's a processing estimate, not a promise that the request will be approved.

When to contact your credit card issuer

A store refund request and a credit card billing dispute are separate processes. If a U.S. credit card was billed directly, review the FTC’s guidance on disputing credit card billing errors.

The FTC says that, to use the law’s billing-error protections, you should send the issuer a written dispute that reaches it within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent. Keep a copy of the letter and supporting records. The FTC also says the issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days unless the issue has already been resolved, and resolve the dispute within 90 days.

The linked FTC process is specifically about credit cards. Don't assume the same deadline or protections apply to a debit card, prepaid card, mobile-carrier billing, or a store account. Contact the relevant provider promptly and ask which fraud or dispute procedure applies.

For Google Play purchases charged through a mobile carrier, Google says that charges more than 60 days old should be taken to the carrier’s fraud department immediately.

Prevent accidental purchases by children

Turn on Apple Ask to Buy

Apple’s Ask to Buy instructions let a parent or designated approver review a child’s purchase request before approval. Turn it on through the family settings for the child’s account.

Ask to Buy has limits. Apple says a child’s redownloads, app updates, and redemption-code use don't generate a new approval request. If purchase sharing is enabled, an approved purchase may also be shared with the rest of the Family Sharing group. Review those settings rather than assuming every store action will require approval.

Keep adult payment access separate

Use a child’s own account where the platform supports it, avoid sharing an adult’s store password, and require the available purchase authentication on the device. A device passcode can protect the phone without necessarily preventing a child from using a store account that is already signed in.

On Android, review Google Play account, family, and purchase-authentication settings. The names and options can vary by account and device.

Check the price before approving

Virtual coins, gems, and other digital currency can look similar to free in-game rewards. Check the amount and payment prompt before approving a transaction. Pay attention to repeated small charges, not just one large purchase; several low-cost transactions can create a significant bill.

Turn on transaction alerts where your bank, card issuer, or store account offers them. A quick weekly review of purchase receipts can reveal an unwanted subscription or repeated charge before it grows.

If the refund request is denied

Save the decision, receipt, order number, screenshots, and any messages with the developer or platform. Then:

An FTC complaint or report may help regulators identify broader billing patterns, but it isn't a substitute for a store refund request or a card dispute. For an individual charge, start with the platform that processed the purchase and the payment provider that billed you.

Common questions

Will Apple or Google automatically refund a child’s purchase?

No. Submit a refund request and describe the circumstances. Approval depends on the platform’s review, account history, purchase type, and applicable regional policies.

Is an unfamiliar charge automatically unauthorized?

No. First check other family members, devices, and accounts. An order connected to another Google Account, for example, may not be visible in the account you first checked.

Can I request a refund for a pending Apple charge?

Apple says a pending charge can't be submitted for a refund yet. Wait until it posts, then use Apple’s refund process.

Should I report a purchase made by my child as fraud?

Describe the facts accurately. If your child made the purchase using an account or payment method you provided, treat it as a refund and support issue unless there is separate evidence that an unknown person accessed the account.

This article is focused on U.S. consumers. Apple and Google refund eligibility can vary by country, region, account, and payment method, so check the platform’s current instructions before submitting your request.