Skip to main content
Ages 10–13 · Online safety

Online money safety at 10-13 — apps, games and free trials

In-game purchases, "free" trials, fake influencer DMs, ads pretending to be content. The internet is designed to extract money from you in ways most adults don't notice. Here's how it works and how to spot it.

Age band
10–13
Reading time
7–9 min read
Topic
Online money safety
UK relevance
UK-wide
Year
2026/27
Last reviewed
2026-05-11

What this guide covers

Online services use a few tricks to get money out of young users: in-game purchases with rare-feeling rewards, "free" trials that auto-bill, ads pretending to be content, and DMs from fake influencers. None of these are illegal, but most are designed to be confusing. Knowing the patterns is half the protection.

①In-game purchases — how Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft really work

The games are usually free to download. The companies make money from in-game currency (Robux in Roblox, V-Bucks in Fortnite, Minecoins in Minecraft, FC Points in EAFC).

The pattern is the same in every game:

  1. You earn small amounts of currency just by playing
  2. You can buy big bundles with real money
  3. The bundle prices are designed to never quite match what you want — you always have a bit left over or need a tiny bit more
  4. Most desirable items are "limited edition" or have countdown timers, creating urgency
  5. Loot boxes (random rewards) make some items so rare you need many tries
Avg UK 11-13 spend
~£8/month
Top 5% of spenders
£60+/month
Refund success rate
~40% (if you ask)

If you (or a sibling) made a purchase you regret, you usually can get a refund. Apple, Google, Microsoft and Sony all have refund forms. Be quick — usually within 14 days. Tell a parent immediately if it was accidental.

②Free trials that aren't really free

A common pattern: a service offers "7 days free." You enter card details to start. On day 8, it charges you the monthly fee — usually £5-15. Then again every month, automatically, until you cancel.

Examples that catch teens:

The rule. Before starting any free trial, set a reminder on your phone for day 6 of the trial to either cancel or decide. Don't rely on remembering. The services count on you forgetting — it's their business model.

Cancelling is usually 2-3 taps. If it's more complicated than that, it's often deliberate — the company hopes you give up. Persist or ask a parent to help.

③Ads that look like content

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat have rules: paid promotions must be labelled. But the labels are often tiny, and influencers find ways around them.

Things to spot:

None of this is illegal or even bad. It's just useful to recognise it as advertising. The product might still be good — but the creator was paid to talk about it, and that's different from genuine recommendation.

What to be very wary of: "investing tips" on TikTok, "easy money" videos showing teens with stacks of cash, or anyone telling you to "DM for the secret to making money fast." These are almost always either scams, money mule recruitment, or unregulated trading promotions that lose people money. See the scams guide.

④DMs from fake influencers

A growing pattern in 2024-2026: scammers create profiles that copy a real influencer's photos and name. They DM hundreds of fans saying "you won my giveaway! DM me to claim."

The "prize" is usually:

Real influencers don't DM individual fans about prizes. Real giveaways are announced publicly on the main feed.

The hard rule. If you "won" something you didn't enter, you didn't win it. Block, report, move on. Never pay any fee to "release" a prize — that's never how legitimate prizes work in the UK.

⑤Parental controls and "spend limits"

Most platforms have settings that block in-app purchases without permission. Worth knowing they exist:

If you're sharing a device or account with a parent's card on file, having spend limits set is good for everyone — it protects you from accidental triple-tap purchases as much as it protects the family budget.

NCNational Curriculum links

Full mapping in the curriculum map.

Cite this guide
UK Tax Drag (2026). Online money safety at 10-13 — apps, games and free trials. Ages 10–13 guide. Available at: https://kids.uktaxdrag.co.uk/ages-10-13-online-money-safety.html
Curriculum mapping: see UK Financial Education Curriculum Map (Version 1.0).
Not financial advice. This guide explains how the UK system works for learning. If you're under 18, ask a parent or carer before doing anything with real money. UK rates and rules can change — always check gov.uk for the latest.