Jered Stuffco
Sun
CREDIT: Jon Murray, The Province Jimmy Goh, with bills, thought the game his son played was harmless. Now, he thinks it’s a scam because its extras cost money.
An online game aimed at children can result in parents being billed for hundreds of dollars in phone charges — all for imaginary items purchased in cyberspace.
Vancouver dad Jimmy Goh was shocked when he looked at his Telus bill last month–all 16 pages of it.
The total tab: more than $300.
“I thought it was some kind of mistake at first. It almost [looked] like an adult phone line,” Goh told The Province.
Instead, Goh realized his son Brandon was responsible for the pricey phone bill.
The 12-year-old had been playing the Internet game Habbo Hotel and multiple-dialling the website’s 900 number– at $3 a pop — to buy credits for the game.
“He didn’t understand the concept of it adding up. It’s ridiculous. I think it’s a scam, because the kids don’t know,” Goh said.
Goh knew his son was playing the game, but he thought it looked harmless and legitimate.
The game’s website is promoted by www.muchmusic.com and has a link to the government of Canada‘s Kid’s Help Line.
Goh has blocked 900 numbers on his home phone — and banned his son from using the phone and the Internet.
Now he wants to warn other parents in the Lower Mainland.
“I can’t be alone. There are other kids like my son, but I think the parents are keeping quiet,” he said.
On Friday afternoon, more than 2,000 users were playing the game in Canada. Another 5,400 were logged on in the U.S.
Representatives from Sulake, the Finnish-based company that owns and operates Habbo Hotel, did not respond to phone calls or e-mails from The Province.
Vancouver‘s Better Business Bureau wasn’t aware of any outstanding complaints against the company.
“We wouldn’t necessarily get any complaints, because the parents would take a strip out of their kids,” said the Better Business Bureau’s Sheila Charneski.
Telus was also unaware of any complaints.
Habbo Hotel promotes itself as an online gaming community where 13-to-20-year-olds can meet new friends and hang out online.
“It’s not hard to break into conversation for the first time, and you’ll soon find a friend who has something in common with you,” reads Habbo’s website.
Signing up is free, but players are encouraged to take advantage of Habbo extras, like eating, diving into the hotel’s virtual swimming pool and customizing hotel rooms with furniture purchases.
To do this, players have to buy credits — via credit cards, text messages, cheques or by calling the company’s 900 number.
Canadian law requires that 900 numbers have an 18-second preamble warning callers of the cost.
And callers under the age of 18 must get parental permission.
© The Vancouver Province 2005
