People don’t usually set out to spend four figures inside a game. It tends to happen the boring way: a stored card, a kid who learns the passcode, a “just one more” loop, or a mechanic that makes money feel like tokens. And because games span phones, consoles, esports staples, and everything in between, the stories don’t all look the same. Here are 18 real-world cases, ordered from the highest totals down, where spending got out of hand quickly.
1. George Johnson, $16, 293.10 (Sonic Forces)
Jessica Johnson thought her account had been hacked—then realized her six-year-old, George, was buying rings inside Sonic Forces on an iPad tied to her PayPal. The total, according to what she told Good Morning America, hit $16,293.10 before she could fully stop it.
2. Jacques Strydom, $16,000 (Loot boxes across games like Counter-Strike and FIFA/EA FC)
If you’ve ever watched someone open packs “just to unwind,” this is the extreme version. New Zealand gamer Jacques Strydom told RNZ he’d spent about $16,000 on loot boxes, and the number sounded even worse once he said it out loud on air.
3. An unnamed Austrian Counter-Strike player, $15,426.73 (CS:GO cases)
A player in Austria spent €14,096.58, which Dexerto reports as $15,426.73, on cases—then a court ordered Valve to refund the money after the cases were ruled illegal gambling under Austrian law. It’s a rare example where the receipt pile actually came back as cash.
4. Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag, $15,000 (Counter-Strike case openings)
Case-opening streams can blur the line between content and compulsion. One report described Nadeshot burning $15,000 on Counter-Strike cases over a short run, pulling only a tiny fraction back in valuable items compared to the spend.
5. Lance Perkins’ 17-year-old son, $8,206.43 (FIFA microtransactions on Xbox)
Canadian father Lance Perkins opened his bill and saw FIFA charges stacking into the thousands—eventually totaling $8,206.43. The story stuck because even the teen reportedly didn’t grasp how the purchases were compounding until the statement landed.
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6. Lily Neale, $6,131 (multiple iPad games, including Smurfs’ Village and others)
This one reads like the early-era iPad cautionary tale: Lily Neale, age 8, ran up $6,131 worth of in-app purchases on her dad Lee Neale’s account across several games. The bill was so intense it literally froze the bank account before the family pieced together what happened.
7. Faisall Shugaa, $5,767.55 (Jurassic World: The Game)
Mohamed Shugaa discovered the problem when a business payment got declined—never a great moment to learn your kid has been buying digital dinosaurs. Reports put Faisall’s Jurassic World: The Game spree at $5,767.55, tied to dozens of Apple transactions in a tight window.
8. Jerry Marion’s daughter, $4,986 (Township)
Some games feel harmless because the vibe is cozy—until the “just speed it up” button gets pressed 800 times. Canadian dad Jerry Marion said his daughter’s Township purchases totaled $4,986, a number that’s hard to associate with cartoon crops until you see the statement.
9. Ariana Ferri, $4,000 (Brawl Stars and Stumble Guys)
Ariana Ferri, 11, bought in-game items across Brawl Stars and Stumble Guys without her parents realizing the total had climbed to $4,000. Her dad, Joey Ferri, described it as a slow leak that became a burst once they finally added it up.
10. Jonathan Peniket, $3,770 (FIFA Ultimate Team packs)
UK player Jonathan Peniket talked about spending £3,000, reported as $3,770, on FUT packs while chasing that next hit of luck. The part that lands is how normal it sounded at the start—until the total stopped being abstract.
11. Primrose Munday, $3,095 (Roblox)
Robux doesn’t feel like money, which is kind of the point. Primrose Munday (age 10) ran up £2,500, reported as $3,095, on Roblox purchases before her mom realized the iPad was connected and spending was frictionless.
12. Paula Marner’s twins, $3,000 (Clash of Clans)
Back in the peak Clash of Clans years, Canadian mom Paula Marner said her twins spent $3,000 on in-app purchases. It’s the kind of total that makes you re-evaluate what “free-to-play” means in a household with kids and a saved password.
13. Danny Kitchen, $2,500 (Zombies vs. Ninjas)
This one has the most “how is this even possible?” energy. Danny Kitchen (age 5) rang up $2,500 in purchases playing Zombies vs. Ninjas, a bill his mom only spotted after the damage was already done.
14. Dr. Muhammad Mutaza’s son, $1,792 (Dragons: Rise of Berk)
An hour with a phone game shouldn’t cost a vacation. But one report says Dr. Muhammad Mutaza saw an App Store bill of GBP 1,289.70 ($1,792) after his son made roughly 30 in-app purchases in Dragons: Rise of Berk.
15. A U.K. father’s 6-year-old twins, $1,587.14 (iPad games with in-app purchases)
Two days, a dad’s iPad, and a total of $1,587.14 in charges. The story doesn’t even need the game list to sting—just the reminder that kids can tap fast when the system keeps saying “OK.”
16. Theo Rowland-Fry, $1,460 (The Simpsons: Tapped Out)
Eight-year-old Theo Rowland-Fry ran up £980, reported as $1,460, buying donuts in The Simpsons: Tapped Out. His parents only noticed after their balance dropped hard enough to trigger the obvious question: “Wait, where did the money go?”
17. Madison Kay, $1,400 (Smurfs’ Village)
The Smurfberries era was basically the prototype for modern “kid + stored payment method” chaos. Madison Kay, age 8, racked up $1,400 in Smurfs’ Village purchases, real money spent on blue fantasy fruit.
18. Thenniel Vasquez, $1,162.32 (Roblox and Coin Master)
Canadian mom Maria Vasquez said her 8-year-old, Thenniel, spent $1,162.32, split across Roblox and Coin Master. It’s not the biggest number on this list, but it’s big enough to ruin a month if it hits at the wrong time.
