Epic Games Fortnite Comparison: How to Submit Your Claim

WASHINGTON — Parents whose children bought virtual gear for the popular Fortnite video game without their knowledge could receive a refund soon.

U.S. regulators begin notifying More than 37 million people have been emailed notifying them that they may be entitled to compensation Part of a legal agreement with Fortnite manufacturer Epic Games Inc.

The Federal Trade Commission announced late last year that Epic Games would pay $520 million in penalties and restitution to resolve complaints related to children’s privacy and its payment methods that led players to make unintended purchases.

Part of that $520 million consists of $245 million in customer refunds as part of a settlement reached in March. It’s intended to cover some of the cost of unwanted V-Bucks, the game’s in-game currency, or virtual items like outfits or cartoonish purple llama loot boxes.

Consumers have until January 17th submit a claim.

Epic Games also agreed to pay a $275 million fine for collecting personal information from Fortnite players under the age of 13 without informing their parents or obtaining their consent. It was the largest penalty ever imposed for violating an FTC rule.

Those eligible for refunds, according to the FTC, include Fortnite users who were charged in-game currency for items they didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022; those whose child made charges to their credit card without their knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018; and those whose accounts were suspended after complaining to their credit card company about unlawful charges.

Epic Games said after settling the case in December that it would take additional safeguards to prevent unintentional purchases. An updated statement on Tuesday said has referred people to the FTC’s site.

Fortnite players in the US who have been charged for unwanted purchases can request a refund online at www.fortniterefund.com/file-a-claim. If the person is under 18 years old, the form must be completed by a parent or guardian.

According to the FTCYou can request a refund if any of these statements are true:

• You were charged in-game currency for items you did not want between January 2017 and September 2022
• Your child made charges to your credit card between January 2017 and November 2018 without your knowledge
• Your account was suspended between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about unlawful charges

If your claim is approved, the amount will depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim. A payment shipping date has not yet been set, but the FTC said it will update information online as it becomes available.