OT: In praise of Steam's customer service

My previous experience with internet ordering has been cheap prices but shocking customer service. 

The story starts out with a young boy, a credit card tied to a steam account, and a 'free to play co-op game' .  Free to play games sometimes have expensive addons.  Buying with someone else's money was so much fun, he thought he would buy gifts for other friends too.  And look at all these other games to buy. 

This happened over a month. Think of a dollar amount you would hit the roof with.  Add a zero.

Sob Sob.

Yes, as a parent I am responsible - if for nothing else than allowing the credit card to be linked to the account.  However, talk to other teenagers, or their parents, and my story is not at all uncommon (though many of these stories involve phone bills).  Let the parent beware.




Steam have an established procedure to handle unauthorised purchases.  They also let you know that while they might be able to help, they will terminate the account involved, and block any further access to that particular credit card.

Not a problem.  We had already cancelled the credit card, and gave them the full history; including that it was our son, and the details of the unauthorised transactions, and would be very happy for the account to be terminated.

Steam reset my hopes of customer service - in a very good way.

As requested, we have processed the refunds and enabled account.

Your bank or credit card issuer will return the funds to your account - please allow 3-5 business days for the funds to be posted.

Please note in the future that Steam purchases, per the Steam Subscriber Agreement, are not refundable - this refund was issued as a one-time customer service gesture.
Today the funds were returned to my bank account.  As a bonus - if only for the child involved, they allowed him to keep his account as well - which I was not expecting.

Now my only 'problem' is working out which month or year my son is allowed near a computer again.