It’s no secret that nowadays, tons of mobile games and apps are free to download and easily accessible to young gamers. Even though the downloads are free, many games use various tactics to encourage players to spend money. When the player is a kid, like the 11-year-old girl in this story, the concept of money can feel completely out of reach. That’s why this heartbreaking story has been stirring up the online community recently. A fifth-grade girl from a primary school in Henan, China, ended up spending all her seriously ill mother’s medical funds on in-game purchases.
According to reports from various media outlets, this story is truly tragic. It happened in Jiaozhou city, Henan province. The mother was hospitalized last December after suffering a stroke, and the father, busy caring for his wife, gave their daughter his phone so she could stay in touch. However, the phone was linked to a bank debit card. One day, when the father went to the bank to withdraw money for his wife’s medication, he was shocked to find his account had been drained by over 15,000 yuan (around 500 million VND).
Upon investigation, it turned out the charges were all from the father’s daughter spending on mobile games. The bills started piling up from January 1st and continued until March 22nd. At times, the 11-year-old spent nearly 5,000 yuan (about 170 million VND) in just half an hour on these games. Meanwhile, her mother’s condition remained serious and required ongoing treatment.
Things got even tougher when the father asked the game company for a refund but was told his daughter had been dishonest during registration. She didn’t use her real name, which let her bypass certain game restrictions. Fortunately, the company promised to try their best to help him get the money back, but the situation is still under review.
Video summary of the story:
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