If your Child's Account was Suspended due to a false birth year being entered...

[ecachuh]

***UPDATE 2/1/2024:   Please click "Go to Solution" at the top of these posts, some have green check mark.  @DerekVM has graciously shared his experience and it has indeed worked for him.   Not saying it will work for everyone or every issue, but it's worth a try.  Patience is important.  Thanks again Derek!

    -   My post below, outlines how to make proper Parent/Child supervised account.  

    -   His solution below, outlines how to possibly get items back from the suspended account.

First and foremost:

- I am just a parent like most of you.  This is what worked for us when our 11-year old's account was suspended and then permanently disabled.  (False year was entered).

- Before doing anything, do your research!  I've learned a lot, and every day there are more and more posts from parents who are completely lost by what is happening with their accounts.  

- I'm just trying to give out information and help if possible.

*Note: If anything is incorrect or should be added, please let me know and I will edit this post.

Posted - 1/8/2024 (rev 1)

Revised - 1/11/2024 (rev 2),   2/6/2024 (rev 3)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

** Everyone has to have their own account that is based on their age.  

- If your child is 10-12, they must have a supervised account.

- If an account was made for a 10–12-year-old by a parent or a child, and a different birth year was entered to bypass age related restrictions, then Meta will suspend it automatically for Violating their Terms of Service.  

- Meta will then ask for ID.  They don't want the parents ID. If you send them a 10–12-year-old child's ID, whatever form you may have, the account will be permanently disabled. 

- The main account is called the Admin account. Children 10-12 are not allowed to use an admin account.

- If you have already redeemed any freebies (i.e., trial periods of Meta +, free games, etc.) these will be disabled along with the account.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

** SOLUTION OPTION (No this solution does not get your items back.  It just gets your child playing again at least)

1) Create proper age-based accounts.   You can create a new account to replace the suspended one.

- Make a parent (Admin) account.  

- Within your parent account, you will create a child account. (Child accounts need their own separate email and login, so have this information ready.)

- You will need to have the Meta phone app as well.  (Phone app uses the same Meta login as on your computer).

- You will need to verify your accounts multiple times so keep your parent and child emails/passwords handy.  

- Yes, you can add more child accounts to your parent account.  Do so the same way you added your first.

2) Confirm you're a parent or Guardian

- You will need a credit or debit card

- You need to enter Zip Code - In the Meta app, your phone will automatically pull up the number pad.   If you reside in UK, Canada, or anywhere else that uses Postal Codes (containing letters):   a) Confirm using a computer or b) type postal code in empty text or somewhere else, copy, paste into zip code field.

3) Factory reset your device

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/fix-a-problem/troubleshoot-headsets-and-accessories/trouble...

4) Update your device if needed.  The device will prompt you.

- In general, your device will not update if it is tied to a child account that has been suspended.

5) Pair Parent account onto headset first 

RANDOM TIPS:

~ ~ You can support up to 5 child or teen accounts. 

~ ~ I do NOT recommend using Facebook or Instagram to login.  If something happens to your social media or Meta Quest accounts (i.e., gets suspended or disabled), all Meta accounts will likely be affected. 

~ ~ Parents / Admins must be at least 18 years of age.

~ ~ If your new headset won't update, it could be because it's tied to a child account that is not supervised.  Your headset must be linked to an Admin account, or a supervised child account.

~ ~ Parents, please do NOT make an account for yourself and let your child use it.  

~ ~ Meta and Horizons have the same login but are different (Horizons = forums, messaging, player avatar settings, and a lot more)

~ ~ Your purchases are linked to your Meta account.  If your Facebook is used in Meta account login, and you delete your Facebook account, then your Meta account, games, and content are also deleted.  (You have 30 days until your FB account is completely deleted so you can always log in to cancel the deletion).

~ ~ Only the Admin on the headset can share their apps with the other users on that same headset.

HELPFUL LINKS:  

**When using any of the links below (except for 'Family Center'), notice on the left-hand side are all the articles that will answer most of your questions.  

Family Center (your dashboard is in family center, then click on teens account) (see activity and adjust parental settings)

https://familycenter.meta.com/dashboard

Meta Horizon (help & support articles)

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/horizon

Create and manage a Meta account for your child.

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/accounts/account-settings-and-management/create-manage-meta...

Confirm you're a parent or guardian.

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/accounts/account-settings-and-management/confirm-parent-or-...

Getting parents started with Parental Supervision

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/accounts/parental-supervision/get-parents-started-with-pare...

Factory reset your Meta Quest headset.

https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/fix-a-problem/troubleshoot-headsets-and-accessories/trouble...

Meta Quest Support (PM / Private Message) (Click "Send a Message")

https://metaque.st/CommunitySupport

[Showie0418]

I haven't gotten any extra help from the DM. No accounts back yet. 

[DerekVM · Accepted solution]

I was able to get my son restored; sort of. 

* We had to comply with the required structure of parent account \ child account

*  Purchases made on the suspended child account could not be transferred but we were able to have all of them refunded; purchased between 12/25/2023 - 1/21/2024. 

* Free games that were included with purchase and redeemed by the suspended account were transferred to a valid parent account. 

* The child’s original email account is still locked so a new account (GMail) was required. This account is temporary.

* Our suspended account is not going to be restored. It will be deleted. 

Steps: 

1. Create new email account for child. ex: twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com. The banned, suspended@gmail.com, account will be used to request refunds. 
2. Use parent email (parent@gmail.com) account to log into meta.com. Create an account if necessary. 
3. Once the parent is logged in, use the Family Center to "Add" the childs email (twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com) as a Supervised Account. ( https://familycenter.meta.com/accounts/ )
4. Check the inbox for twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com, complete any necessary registration steps. 
5. Factory reset the headset
6. Log in to headset with parent account
7. Use the headset UI to add the child’s account
8. Once child is playing on the headset with the parent monitored account twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com, start refund process. 
9. If eligible, use meta.com Chat feature to request refunds for any purchases on the suspended account, suspended@gmail.com (https://www.meta.com/help/support/?g1=5677250625703607&g2=5699619870136632&g3=none&et=none&sg=skip).
10. Also use the Chat team to request transfers for any game codes that were redeemed by the suspended account to the valid parent account, parent@gmail.com.
11. After 30 days, the suspended account should be deleted. At this point you can change the child’s monitored account from twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com to the original email (suspended@gmail.com), if desired.
12. If the original account is restored, the account twelveyearoldchild@gmail.com could be abandoned or deleted at the provider at this point.

The support team was very helpful but it took some time. Email will also work but I found Chat to be faster. Verifying identity was very important; account details, purchase history, etc. Also ensuring the parent / child monitored account rule was respected was vital. Good Luck. 

[ecachuh]

WOW!  @DerekVM , you did it! You are the 1st I've seen.  OK well I guess chat is about to get flooded with parents.  Lol

Thank you so much for your endurance, and thank you for sharing your solution and actually taking the time to write the details for everyone! 

You are greatly appreciated!  

[LoulouGurru]

We are having the same issue and the account has been suspended. I have since set up a linked child account to my parent account but I can’t link the account to the headset or do a factory reset as there is just a message on the screen saying update account info by May 8 to continue and there is no option to do anything else.  Any ideas how I can get passed this and reset the headset?  Also can you please let me know how I get onto the chat function as I have been contacting them via email for over 3 weeks and not resolved yet!

[Showie0418]

I have the exact same problem. I started emailing them back and forth January 20th. None of my issues are resolved. I would just wipe it all and start over but I cant because then I'll lose the games I paid for. This is a total scam and no one would buy one of these headsets. BUT You can factory reset t he headset. You need to hold down the power button as well as the minus button until the boot menu pops up. Then use the volume buttons to select. 
Good luck! I hope you actually get some help. 

[LoulouGurru]

We got an email 30mins ago saying the restrictions were lifted but when my son went onto his headset it told him to go to his account and add a code, however when we logged into his account. It asked for his ID for the 3rd time which I uploaded and now the headset is back to having the update your account. Message and then we got an email saying his account. Is permanently disabled and he loses all games etc.  I’ve contacted the support email again and asked if they can help. What a nightmare! I don’t understand why they can’t just change the settings on the account for a 10-12 year old rather than removing the account. And losing all the money we have spent! 

[Bruschi12]

Just a warning to anyone taking this solution, if you do so, do not expect to get a refund. Meta have categorically said they will not refund because it is longer than 14 days since the purchase. Considering the account was suspended more than 25 days before meta told me that I needed to go to facebook to sort things out, it by default means there is no hope whatsoever of getting a refund. An absolute joke of a customer support base. Utterly useless. And happy to take money off us for digital content even though they know the account cant be used because they have suspended it. 

[Chris.masmom]

So if we bought all of our games over a year ago when this stupid thing came out - are we going to loose them all?  I have spent hours on this - and now my kids account is suspended and we can not get to any of the games.

[Chris.masmom]

they suspend our account - after constantly doing everything they said - its insane - they respond on here that they are trying to help me in the public forum and then they send an email that they are closing my issue because someone else is responding - 

[Chris.masmom]

same exact thing has happened to us