In December 2022, Epic Games reached a $540 million settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This was to settle claims that Epic had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by causing millions of players of its battle royale game Fortnite, including children and teens, to unknowingly make in-game purchases.
The settlement was split into two parts. One was a $275 million fine made by Epic directly to the FTC for its COPPA violation. the other was a $245 million amount that would be given to the players of Fortnite as a refund for those in-game purchases.
Today, the FTC announced it had started sending emails to millions of Fortnite players in the US, informing them they can now sign up at the agency's website for their share of the $245 million refund.
Players must be 18 years of age and older to get a refund or have a parent or guardian who can complete the claim form. Players must also qualify for at least one of the following conditions.
- You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022
- Your child made charges to your credit card without your knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018
- Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges
The deadline for filing a claim is January 17, 2024. You can apply at the FTC's website. Players can either use a claim number they received in an email or, if they didn't get one, they can also use their Epic Account ID.
There's no word on when the refunds will be sent out. There's also no word yet on how much money each player will get as it will depend on how many Fortnite players apply for the refund claim.
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