BANGKOK, 25 June 2014 – More cases of exorbitant bills charged to parents of children who played the game Cookie Run on mobile electronic devices were reported on Tuesday, after mobile phone service provider AIS recently waived a bill charged to the parent of a 13-year-old who had incurred a 200,000 baht fee buy purchasing in-game items.
In Phitsanulok, officials from Phutthachinnarat Phitthaya School visited the family of a student in Mathayom 1 level to inquire about the details of the bill they received. The amount stated by the bill was close to 200,000 baht, prompting the family to contact the AIS branch at Central Plaza Phitsanulok.
Another case was reported in Phetchaburi, where the in-game purchasing by an 8-year-old boy resulted in a bill with a total of 163,000 baht. The boy’s parents said that normally the mobile phone and data usage fees would not exceed 2,000 baht per month, and they were shocked to see the amount being charged for the May-June period. The parents have already lodged a complaint with the provincial consumer protection office, and were also planning to take the matter to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC).
In Lampang province, the grandparents of an 8-year-old told reporters on Tuesday that 129,000 baht had been deducted from their bank account due to charges incurred from various games played by the child. The local consumer protection network has paid a visit to the family to offer assistance.
Advanced Info Service Plc. indicated this week it was aware of the inadvertent purchases made through Google Play Store, and had already shut down the service for post-paid users. It also promised to waive the fees inadvertently incurred to all customers.
