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I had a similar problem with Apple. I made an in app purchase (with a YC company nonetheless) and the company gave a limited period to cancel the service for a

I had a similar problem with Apple. I made an in app purchase (with a YC company nonetheless) and the company gave a limited period to cancel the service for a full refund. I cancelled the service within the deadline, and didn’t get a refund. I requested the refund from the YC company who said “they can’t” refund and I have to ask Apple. So I asked Apple for the refund included the YC company policy/purchase date/cancellation email and Apple told me I had to be refunded by the YC company. With no recourse I did a chargeback and Apple blacklisted my debit card which basically bricked my ability to use my phone. All these tech companies have their heads so far up their asses when it comes to cost cutting/customer service, it’s no wonder services like Twitter/FB serve as public shaming, complaint tools to access the otherwise inaccessible tech elite.

lostmsu 8y ago
It looks like in this case its the YC company in the wrong. How could they have claimed you could get a refund, and never provided you that? Even if they did not know Apple does not do it, its their claim and so is their responsibility. You could easily sue in a small claims court.
- Sendotsh 8y ago
  It's my understanding that refunds in the app stores (and Steam, etc) are entirely a feature of the store itself, and the product/app creator hasn't got a say in it or any control over it.
  - tinus_hn 8y ago
    Which is logical as the store handles payments. The creators don’t have your financial information, how could they process a refund?
- bduerst 8y ago
  I think the point isn't who is really to blame here, but it's that no matter what cell service or tech you use, there are situations where they will stop service because of payment disputes even if you're in the right.
moogleii 8y ago
> bricked my ability to use my phone I'm curious, how exactly? As far as I know, you can always use the phone without a linked payment method. You won't be able to download apps or use iCloud, but unlike the original example, your cellular service will still function. Apps will still run.
- will_brown 8y ago
  I think you more accurately framed it than I did. I threw “basically” in there because it wasn’t 100% nonfunctional, but for my purposes it was significant loss of functionality.
  - hinkley 8y ago
    I wonder if you get a new debit card if you can fix this. (though the last time I lost my card, Apple figured out how to bill my new one without me telling them. Wonder if that goes both ways?)
ohiovr 8y ago
My app on the apple App Store is mostly trouble free but occasionally maybe once a year I have to issue a refund. I can’t do it via Apple I just use PayPal. They could be scammers or bullshitters but I doubt it. Besides is the cost of the app worth more than my reputation?
monksy 8y ago
Sony does the same thing. It's a fraudulent activity on their part. What happens: Your card gets used, or you bought something there that didn't work. Sony refuses to refund, if you escalate to a chargeback they'll ban your account and prevent you from accessing anything you bought on their network (even if it's not involved in the dispute).
r00fus 8y ago
> Apple blacklisted my debit card which basically bricked my ability to use my phone You are hyperbolizing. You can just use a different card. It's not like they killed your AppleID which wouldn't kill your phone regardless.
- JohnTHaller 8y ago
  Ever occur to you that someone using a debit card may not be able to "just use a different card"?
  - r00fus 8y ago
    Perhaps this is an America-centric point of view, but almost everyone has multiple cards. You can also use a prepaid credit or cash gift card to create an account or pay for Apple content. Perhaps this US centrism colors Apple's view as well?
    - Terretta 8y ago
      You don’t need a card to keep using the apps you’ve purchased. You don’t need a card to maintain or get an Apple ID (unlike implied bythe default user flow, it’s possible to get w/o one). You don’t need a card on an Apple ID to download free apps. You even don’t need a card on an old account to use apps from that old account on the same device as apps from a new account, you just need to be able to provide valid credentials for both (seems like triggers when the device is trying to update the apps in question).
    - JohnTHaller 8y ago
      Almost everyone of a certain level of means has multiple cards. If you only associate with people around your economic level, it is easy to believe that everyone has multiple cards. I have many friends in NYC with only a single debit card and either no credit cards (due to no or poor credit) or a few credit cards that are all maxed out. It's also worth noting that many companies with subscription services specifically block signing up with gift cards. I do not know if this would apply to Google Pay or not.
  - 8y ago
bradknowles 8y ago
This is why you use virtual cards, such as provided by privacy.com. If it gets blacklisted or compromised or otherwise becomes more hassle than it's worth, just throw it away and create another one.
- wvenable 8y ago
  It's not the card that is blacklisted, it's your account. And depending on the platform, that might be your whole identity.

lostmsu 8y ago

It looks like in this case its the YC company in the wrong. How could they have claimed you could get a refund, and never provided you that? Even if they did not know Apple does not do it, its their claim and so is their responsibility. You could easily sue in a small claims court.

Sendotsh 8y ago
It's my understanding that refunds in the app stores (and Steam, etc) are entirely a feature of the store itself, and the product/app creator hasn't got a say in it or any control over it.
- tinus_hn 8y ago
  Which is logical as the store handles payments. The creators don’t have your financial information, how could they process a refund?
bduerst 8y ago
I think the point isn't who is really to blame here, but it's that no matter what cell service or tech you use, there are situations where they will stop service because of payment disputes even if you're in the right.

moogleii 8y ago

> bricked my ability to use my phone I'm curious, how exactly? As far as I know, you can always use the phone without a linked payment method. You won't be able to download apps or use iCloud, but unlike the original example, your cellular service will still function. Apps will still run.

will_brown 8y ago
I think you more accurately framed it than I did. I threw “basically” in there because it wasn’t 100% nonfunctional, but for my purposes it was significant loss of functionality.
- hinkley 8y ago
  I wonder if you get a new debit card if you can fix this. (though the last time I lost my card, Apple figured out how to bill my new one without me telling them. Wonder if that goes both ways?)

ohiovr 8y ago

My app on the apple App Store is mostly trouble free but occasionally maybe once a year I have to issue a refund. I can’t do it via Apple I just use PayPal. They could be scammers or bullshitters but I doubt it. Besides is the cost of the app worth more than my reputation?

monksy 8y ago

Sony does the same thing. It's a fraudulent activity on their part. What happens: Your card gets used, or you bought something there that didn't work. Sony refuses to refund, if you escalate to a chargeback they'll ban your account and prevent you from accessing anything you bought on their network (even if it's not involved in the dispute).

r00fus 8y ago

> Apple blacklisted my debit card which basically bricked my ability to use my phone You are hyperbolizing. You can just use a different card. It's not like they killed your AppleID which wouldn't kill your phone regardless.

JohnTHaller 8y ago
Ever occur to you that someone using a debit card may not be able to "just use a different card"?
- r00fus 8y ago
  Perhaps this is an America-centric point of view, but almost everyone has multiple cards. You can also use a prepaid credit or cash gift card to create an account or pay for Apple content. Perhaps this US centrism colors Apple's view as well?
  - Terretta 8y ago
    You don’t need a card to keep using the apps you’ve purchased. You don’t need a card to maintain or get an Apple ID (unlike implied bythe default user flow, it’s possible to get w/o one). You don’t need a card on an Apple ID to download free apps. You even don’t need a card on an old account to use apps from that old account on the same device as apps from a new account, you just need to be able to provide valid credentials for both (seems like triggers when the device is trying to update the apps in question).
  - JohnTHaller 8y ago
    Almost everyone of a certain level of means has multiple cards. If you only associate with people around your economic level, it is easy to believe that everyone has multiple cards. I have many friends in NYC with only a single debit card and either no credit cards (due to no or poor credit) or a few credit cards that are all maxed out. It's also worth noting that many companies with subscription services specifically block signing up with gift cards. I do not know if this would apply to Google Pay or not.
- 8y ago

bradknowles 8y ago

This is why you use virtual cards, such as provided by privacy.com. If it gets blacklisted or compromised or otherwise becomes more hassle than it's worth, just throw it away and create another one.

wvenable 8y ago
It's not the card that is blacklisted, it's your account. And depending on the platform, that might be your whole identity.