The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has commenced the distribution of over $72 million in refunds to consumers affected by Epic Games' billing practices. The game developer, known for Fortnite, allegedly employed design tactics referred to as dark patterns, which led players to make unintended purchases. Additionally, children were able to incur unauthorized charges without parental consent, and some users who disputed these charges were blocked from accessing their purchased content.

The settlement, initially announced in December 2022, required Epic Games to pay $245 million. The FTC claims that Fortnite's button configuration was confusing and inconsistent, causing unwanted charges with a single button press. This could occur when waking the game from sleep mode or during loading screens.

The FTC is distributing its first round of payments today, totaling 629,344 transactions split between PayPal and checks. Consumers chose their preferred payment method upon submitting their claim form. PayPal recipients have 30 days to redeem their payment, while check recipients have 90 days to cash them. On average, each refund amounts to approximately $114.

Consumers with questions can reach out to the refund administrator Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-833-915-0880 or via email at admin@fortniterefund.com. Additional information on the refund process is available on the FTC website. The Commission emphasizes that no fees or account information are required for obtaining a refund.

Eligible individuals can still submit claims online at www.ftc.gov/fortnite. For more detailed data on refunds distributed in FTC cases across states, consumers can refer to the Commission’s interactive dashboards.

In 2023 alone, FTC actions resulted in $330 million being refunded to consumers nationwide. The Federal Trade Commission continues its mission of promoting competition and safeguarding consumer interests without demanding money or making threats.

###