The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is informing over 37 million people via email that they may be eligible for compensation as part of a legal settlement with Epic Games, the maker of the popular video game Fortnite. The settlement, which was finalized in March, requires Epic Games to pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to address complaints regarding children’s privacy and deceptive payment methods.
Out of the $520 million settlement, $245 million has been allocated for customer refunds. This refund is intended to cover expenses related to unwanted purchases made through the game’s in-game currency, V-Bucks, as well as virtual items like outfits and loot crates.
To be eligible for a refund, consumers have until January 17th to submit a claim. The refund applies to Fortnite users who were charged in-game currency for items they did not want between January 2017 and September 2022. It also covers individuals whose children made unauthorized charges to their credit cards between January 2017 and November 2018, as well as those whose accounts were locked after they reported wrongful charges to their credit card companies.
The settlement also includes a $275 million fine for Epic Games for collecting personal information on players under the age of 13 without parental consent, which is the largest penalty ever imposed for violating an FTC rule.
In response to the settlement, Epic Games has committed to implementing additional safeguards to prevent unintended purchases. The company encourages affected individuals to refer to the FTC’s webpage for further information.
Sources:
– Federal Trade Commission
– Epic Games
