Investigation launched into in-app purchases

The Office of Fair Trading in the UK is launching an investigation into mobile apps offering in-game purchases.

There have been several instances over the last year of children unknowingly purchasing add-ons from free apps.

Now an investigation is being prepared to find out if children are being unfairly targeted and exploited.

"We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs," the OFT's Cavendish Elithorn told the BBC.

Elithorn added that the aim wasn't to ban in-app purchases, but to make sure that game developers are complying with the law.

Last month it was reported that a five-year-old spent £1700 GBP when playing Zombies vs. Ninjas on the iPad.