Kids shopped online with my money!

My kids got ahold of my phone and went on a crazy shopping spree (my card information is stored on my phone). By the time I caught them they had spend more than a thousand francs. Can I cancel these orders and get my money back?

Hi there,

In Switzerland, children who have not reached legal age may not make purchases in excess of their personal money (pocket money) without the consent of a parent.

In the case of purchases for which you are formally billed, you can cancel the orders and send the bills back. If purchases were paid in cash at a store, you can return the purchased goods (in new condition) and request your money back.

When purchases are made online and charged immediately (to a credit card or digital wallet, for example), the process is more difficult because it involves the payment service providers. In this case you will have to ask the merchant to cancel the charge (if possible) or dispute the transaction with your credit card issuer or digital wallet provider and request a chargeback. This can be a lengthy and involving procedure.

If the merchants in question are outside of Switzerland they will not fall under Swiss law. In that case you will need to investigate the laws applicable in the countries which the merchants are domiciled in.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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