A Kentucky boy ordered 70,000 Dum Dum lollipops for his friends from his mom’s phone. According to the Associated Press, 8-year-old Liam LaFavers was playing on his mom’s phone when he unknowingly placed a massive order for 22 cases of Dum Dums on Amazon.
His mother, Holly LaFavers, didn’t find out until $4,000 was withdrawn from her account and cases of candy started landing on her doorstep. “He told me that he wanted to have a carnival, and he was ordering the Dum-Dums as prizes for his carnival,” Holly explained. But when she saw the price tag, she said she nearly fainted.
The $4,000 Candy Crisis: How the Order Slipped Through
The surprise began when Holly noticed 22 huge boxes of Dum Dums delivered to her front door. Confused, she rushed to check her Amazon order history—and found the massive candy haul sitting in her account. She tried to cancel it, but the order had already been processed. By then, $4,000 had already been charged to her account. To make matters worse, eight more boxes were still on their way.
While Amazon eventually refunded the money, it didn’t happen immediately. Holly had to contact the company, her bank, and even a few local news outlets to speed up the process. Once the story gained traction, Amazon returned the full amount.
Kids and Tech: A Cautionary Tale for Every Parent
Liam’s story is funny, sweet (literally), and a little terrifying for parents everywhere. It also brings attention to the importance of setting parental controls on smartphones and apps. Many parents don’t realize how easily a child can navigate shopping platforms like Amazon. A few clicks could lead to thousands of dollars in unexpected charges without proper restrictions. In this case, it was candy. But it could’ve just as easily been electronics or furniture.
Holly says she uses passcode protection and purchase approval settings to prevent future accidents.
Conclusion: Kentucky Boy Orders 70,000 Dum Dum Lollipops From Mom’s Phone—And Teaches Parents a $4,000 Lesson
The story of a Kentucky boy ordering 70,000 Dum Dum lollipops for his friends from his mom’s phone is equal parts hilarious and eye-opening.
While Liam’s carnival dream may have turned into a $4,000 surprise, it sparked a much-needed reminder about tech safety in households with kids. With shopping apps, one swipe can turn into a shipping nightmare. So if your kid has access to your phone, make sure your settings are locked down.