Refund Opportunity: Fortnite Players to Get $126 Million

Gamers of the popular online game, Fortnite, who inadvertently paid for unwanted items might be eligible for a portion of $126 million in reimbursements being distributed by the Federal Trade Commission this week.

The FTC is inviting eligible players to resubmit their claims in a $245 million settlement agreement with Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite. Epic was accused of employing unfair online tactics that led players, especially children playing without supervision, to make unauthorized in-game purchases.

This settlement, initially disclosed in December 2022, is recognized as the gaming industry's highest refund sum ever by the FTC. At that time, it was asserted that Epic misguided users into making purchases within the game that they had not intended to buy.

The FTC announced plans to dispatch nearly 970,000 payments via checks and PayPal on June 25 and June 26 to individuals with verified refund claims. The first wave of refunds, exceeding $22 million, had already been concluded in December.

In a related agreement, Epic faced a $275 million penalty last year due to accusations of infringing upon the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Steps to Claim Your Refund

Interested Fortnite players should consult the designated website to check their eligibility for these refunds. The timeline to submit claims has been prolonged until July 9, beyond the initial cut-off date of February 14. Those who have already submitted claims need not take any additional measures if it was after the previous deadline.

Recipients of checks should deposit them within 90 days, and PayPal reimbursements must be processed within 30 days from receipt, as directed by the FTC.

To file for a refund, having a claim number or your Epic Account ID is essential. Those under 18 will require a parent or guardian to submit on their behalf.