A V-Bucks charge appeared on your mom's card without her permission

V-Bucks are the in-game currency for Fortnite, a free-to-play video game. When a charge shows up on a credit card statement, it usually means someone with access to that card — often a child or teenager — made a purchase in the game without asking. The charge typically ranges from $9.99 to $99.99, though larger amounts are possible if multiple purchases stacked up.

The transaction may appear under the name "Epic Games" or "Fortnite" on the statement, sometimes with a location code that looks unfamiliar. Your mom's card details were likely saved in a gaming account (either her own or a family member's), which made the purchase possible with a single click or button press.

Key Takeaways

  • V-Bucks charges come from Epic Games, the company that makes Fortnite, and appear on statements under that name or as a Fortnite transaction.
  • Most V-Bucks purchases happen because a child or teen used a saved card without permission, not because of fraud or a hacked account.
  • Your mom can contact Epic Games directly to request a refund, which they may grant once per account if the purchase was recent and unauthorized.
  • Preventing future charges means removing the card from any gaming accounts, enabling purchase restrictions in the game settings, or both.
  • If the card itself was compromised (not just the gaming account), your mom should contact her credit card issuer to dispute the charge and request a new card.

How to tell if this was unauthorized or a family member's purchase

Start by asking anyone in the household who plays Fortnite or has access to gaming accounts linked to that card. V-Bucks purchases are intentional — they require navigating to the store section of the game and confirming the purchase. Accidental clicks are rare, though they do happen.

If no one admits to it, or if the card details were used without permission, the next step depends on whether you think the card itself was compromised or just the gaming account. If your mom uses that card only at trusted retailers and this is the only suspicious charge, the gaming account is the likely culprit. If there are other unfamiliar charges on the statement, the card may have been hacked, and you should treat it as a broader fraud issue.

Requesting a refund from Epic Games

Epic Games has a refund policy for V-Bucks purchases made within the last 30 days. Your mom can request one refund per account per year through the Epic Games website. To start, she should visit the Epic Games support page and sign in to the account that made the purchase, or create an account if one does not exist.

From there, she can submit a refund request through the "Help" section, selecting "Refund a Purchase" and choosing the V-Bucks transaction from the list. Epic Games will ask for a reason — "Unauthorized Purchase" is an option. The company typically responds within a few business days. If approved, the refund goes back to the original payment method (the credit card) within 5 to 10 business days.

If the purchase was made more than 30 days ago, or if your mom has already used her one annual refund, Epic Games is unlikely to grant another one. In that case, the next option is to dispute the charge with the credit card issuer.

Disputing the charge with the credit card company

If Epic Games denies the refund or if your mom prefers not to contact them, she can dispute the charge directly with her credit card issuer. This is called a chargeback. She should call the number on the back of her card and tell them the charge was unauthorized.

The credit card company will open a dispute and typically refund the amount while they investigate. They may ask for details about the charge and whether she recognizes Epic Games or Fortnite. Be honest about whether this was a family member's purchase — if it was, the dispute may be denied, since the card was not actually compromised. However, if a child made the purchase without permission and your mom is the cardholder, most issuers will side with her.

The dispute process usually takes 30 to 60 days. During that time, the refund is often provisional, meaning your mom gets the money back when ready but the issuer continues investigating. If Epic Games or the issuer's investigation finds that the purchase was authorized, the refund may be reversed.

Removing the card from gaming accounts to prevent future charges

Once the when ready issue is resolved, remove the card from any gaming accounts to stop future unauthorized purchases. This is the most important step.

If your mom has her own Epic Games account, she should sign in, go to Account Settings, then Payment Methods, and delete the card. If a child or teen has an account linked to her card, she should ask them to do the same, or change the account password so she can do it herself. Some households use a shared family account — in that case, remove the card and use a different payment method (like a gift card or a separate debit card with a low balance) if anyone needs to make purchases.

She should also check any other gaming platforms or app stores where the card might be saved, such as the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or Apple App Store. Saved payment methods across multiple platforms are a common source of unauthorized charges.

Setting up purchase restrictions in Fortnite

Fortnite has built-in parental controls that can prevent purchases without a PIN or password. To enable this, the account holder should sign in to their Epic Games account on the website, go to Account Settings, then Parental Controls. They can set a PIN that must be entered before any V-Bucks purchase is allowed.

This is useful if a child or teen uses the account with permission but should not be able to spend money without asking. The PIN requirement applies to all purchases on that account, so the account holder will need to enter it if they want to buy V-Bucks themselves.

On the gaming console side (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), parental controls can also restrict purchases. These settings vary by platform, but all three allow the account owner to require a password or PIN before any in-game purchase goes through.

What to do if the card was actually compromised

If there are multiple unfamiliar charges on the statement beyond the V-Bucks transaction, or if your mom does not recognize the merchant names, the card itself may have been hacked. In that case, she should contact her credit card issuer when ready and request a new card.

The issuer will cancel the old card and send a replacement, usually within 5 to 10 business days. She should also review the full statement for other suspicious charges and dispute those as well. Once the new card arrives, she can update her payment information on any legitimate accounts (banking, subscriptions, etc.) but should not save it to gaming platforms or app stores unless necessary.

If her card information was stolen, it may have come from a data breach at a retailer, a phishing email, or a compromised website. Changing her passwords for important accounts (email, banking, shopping) is also a good precaution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my mom get a refund if the purchase was made more than 30 days ago?

Epic Games' standard refund window is 30 days, and they typically grant only one refund per account per year. If your mom is outside that window and has already used her annual refund, Epic Games is unlikely to approve another one. Her best option would be to dispute the charge with her credit card issuer, though the issuer may also deny it if they determine the purchase was authorized by someone with access to the account.

Will disputing the charge hurt my mom's credit score?

No. Disputing a charge does not affect credit scores. It is a normal consumer protection process. However, if the issuer investigates and finds the purchase was authorized, the refund may be reversed, and the charge will remain on the statement.

What if my child made the purchase and now refuses to pay back the money?

That is a family matter, not a credit card issue. Your mom can still dispute the charge with her issuer or request a refund from Epic Games, but she should also have a conversation with the child about responsibility and consequences. Some parents deduct the amount from allowance or require chores to earn it back.

Can I prevent my child from playing Fortnite without buying V-Bucks?

Yes. Fortnite is free to play, and V-Bucks are optional — they buy cosmetic items like skins and emotes that do not affect gameplay. Your child can play the entire game without spending money. Enabling the PIN requirement in Parental Controls (described above) will prevent purchases while still allowing the game to be played.

Where else might my card be saved that could cause similar charges?

Check the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop, Steam, and any other gaming or app platforms. Saved payment methods on these platforms can be used for in-game purchases across many games, not just Fortnite. Remove the card from any platform where it is not actively needed.