Jagex Battle with Runescape Scammers

Jagex have attempted many things to combat the scammers in runescape and have succeeded to a limited extent with recent changes and planned future changes to the game.

Runescape scams come in various forms and many old scams were initiated by macro users buying up all resources available in the shop and controlling the number of large scale suppliers of resources.

In early october, Jagex redone how shops work and now there is a tabbed window where the shop stock is infinite but more expensive than the player stock. This improvement by Jagex has resulted in making an impact on legitimate merchanters in the game but has also made a much bigger impact on players using macros to buy shop stock that could later be used in trade scams with quick switching of numbers.

The development in october was the first in a series of game developments aimed at limiting the impact of players who try to scam other people. Lootshare helped to prevent so called friends lying about what was dropped in multi-combat zones when fighting larger monsters while the assist system directly helped people protect their items by borrowing the skills of other people... meaning no items were traded which would prevent a scammer from being able to logout after receiving items.

This bodes well to impact how much scammers affect playing runescape, but all players should still be aware of trust scams and never to become a victim of these by lending out highly valued items to so called ingame friends. In addition, players should not download any suspicious files on any runescape fan site as it could lead to a keylogger being installed.

An interesting thread on zybez community forums can shed more light on this type of behaviour:
Zybez Helping the fight against runescape scam sites

Runescape Login Update

Jagex are aware a number of scams in runescape revolve around people attemtping to fool players by immitating how the main runescape.com site looks. This has led to many people foolishly entering their actual runescape password into someone elses site and therefore having their account taken over.

Jagex announced the new login update that will hopefully help people become more aware when they enter their login details. It is stated that the new login is more secure although the main benefit should be to inform all players to take extra caution when entering their password onto websites.

There are numerous runescape help sites and fan sites that do genuinely help players who have problems. However, there are numerous sites who deliberately try and fool people into entering their password information.

Gradually Jagex are working their way through all the scams and closing as many loop holes as they can. The cumulative affect of all the security upgrades and increased attention on how to reduce scams, should make a large impact on the number of people who do get scammed.

There is still a long way to go to win the overall battle with scammers, but Jagex have made another stride in the right direction.

Runescape Trade Scams

Trade scams in runescape are likely the most frequent method people use to cheat. Jagex have so far not been able to effectively prevent this type of scamming on runescape due to the nature of the way their ingame report abuse feature works.

I made sample video to try and highlight the fact - simply as when I went to world 18 Edgeville bank a scammer by the name of 69Stoner4 tried to scam me by switching the total amount of cash in a trade. I was aware and took my time and checked the 2nd trade screen, many people do not check the 2nd trade screen and fall victim to such scams.



The video serves a purpose to inform people of the importance of being vigilante when dealing in busy trading locations. I didn't capture the scam on video as I was simply starting to record at the time - maybe next video I get the scam in action.

Hopefully Jagex realise the scale of such trade scams in runescape and properly implement a method to report people while the trade window is open. Currently this isn't the case so scammers are easily able to avoid being reported in any busy trading area.

Jagex Blocks Your Password Scam

Runescape creators Jagex have updated the game today with the aim of helping prevent people from divulging their password ingame. It is against the rules to either tell someone else your password or to try and obtain the password of another player.

The update is a basic ingame protection against one of the longstanding runescape scams that almost every player will have come across at some point. The basic scam being that someone would walk around saying, "Jagex blocks your password" and then try to prove it by typing in asterisks as if it was blocking the password. This caused some people to try it out and they would foolishly type their password only to endanger their account.

Basic security from this update is aimed at eradicating this well known runescape password scam. However, Jagex have stated that it is only a basic check and that players should not attempt to try it out by typing their password ingame. It is a new security update and it may still leave player accounts vulnerable to other runescape scams. Although with the recent introduction of the wilderness ditch that was aimed at resolving the wilderness trade lure scam, Jagex seem to be tackling one scam after another.

If the current trend continues of eliminating one runescape scam per week, this time next year runescape may well be scam free. That is not saying that there are only 52 possible runescape scams, as there are numerous scams that are not well known and Jagex cannot effectively code all known scams out of the game. It is player education and awareness that needs raised in order to totally eliminate scams from runescape.

Overall, it is another step in the right direction by Jagex and along with educating people on their account safety, Jagex are making it harder for both scammers and players to become victims of scams in runescape.

Wilderness Trade Lure Scam

The runescape wilderness has had a ditch added to its edge. Jagex introduced the wilderness ditch to overcome the problem suffered by many players - the wilderness trade lure scam.

The Scam:
Player A would approach Player B in a bank (normally Edgeville bank) or some location relatively close to the wilderness. Player A would trade with Player B and then go into the wilderness. Player B would follow them to trade with them and once Player B entered the wild, they would get attacked and normally lose most of their inventory and items they were wearing.

This runescape scam caused many players to lose large amounts of items of considerable virtual wealth. In some cases it was the final straw for players who have consequently quit runescape. Jagex felt they had to act and the wilderness ditch was their reaction - although it is not known whether it is a permanent fixture yet. Perhaps Jagex are working on a better solution that will be unveiled at a later date.

The scam prevention:
Since the wilderness ditch has now been added to runescape, any player trying to scam another person using the trade lure scam, will find that they can no longer dupe a player into unwillingly entering the wilderness. The ditch causes players to have to manually hop over the ditch to enter the wild and has a safe spot right beside it.

Runescape Players Reaction:
Obviously many runescape players are in favour of this - especially if they have been a victim to this type of scam. However, for the players who love pking, it has become a contentious issue with many people wanting it to revert back to how it used to be.

Jagex will have the final say and all I can add is that it is a step in the right direction. It makes sure people willingly enter into the wilderness and that they can not be duped again.

My Suggestion:
The ditch itself does help prevent this runescape scam from happening, although regular pkers are against it. I would suggest that Jagex keep the ditch but make an auto-hop feature which can be selected by players - similar to the accept aid feature. Players would therefore be able to automatically hop over the ditch (and not interfere with their clue hunting or pking runs) if they had selected the ability to auto-hop.

Meanwhile, any player who had not selected the autohop feature would be safe from this trade lure scam as they would have to manually hop over if they wanted to enter the wilderness. This is a compromise on the solution implemented by Jagex and the deseire of the honest pking players. It retains the ability to prevent this scam but does not hinder the gameplay in any way.

Runescape Password Scams

Runescape password scams have been the bane of many players since Jagex first launched the game. It is something that all players should be aware of and is in fact part of jagex rules on the game, players should never reveal their password to anyone.

Recently I received an email from a player who had been scammed out of all their items. They contacted me through my main runescape help site instead of contacting Jagex directly. I do not always check my emails and as such it was a couple of days before I was able to get back to them and set them straight.

I will point this out - I am not a member of Jagex team and the role I have is simply running a runescape help site. I cannot access information on runescape player accounts and I cannot help players with any issues related to the game. Players who are a victim of any runescape scams should contact jagex via their main website - www.runescape.com

Anyway, back with the runescape password scam. This player had revealed their password to an ingame friend who later raided all the items in their bank. They obviously regretted giving out their password - but they had revealed it.

I feel sorry for people who get duped into revealing their runescape password, but there is nothing I can do and nothing that Jagex will do either. It is against their rules and they may end up banning both the person who revealed their password and the person who obtained it.

One of the easiest ways to avoid scams is to not reveal the information scammers are trying to extract. It will make it a lot easier for everyone concerned, players in general, me and Jagex. Runescape scams and scammers will continue to exist, but players should learn not to voluntarily give out helpful information to scammers.

Runescape Trust Scams

Runescape trust scams are among the more devious types of scams in the game. They generally involve building trust over time, either directly or indirectly, with the ultimate goal to make a large gain for the scammer.

This type of scam has much greater impact on the overall player attitude in the game as it a more personal assault that was planned out well in advance. Runescape scams of this nature directly impact on a persons desire to continue playing the game. It is therefore in the interest of Jagex to aim to stamp this out of the game. However, it is very hard to tell when a scammer will pounce, so players should always assess the situation carefully before parting with anything of value.

Some of the most common methods of trust scams in runescape are:

• quitting runescape scams
• low level player scamming a high level player
• the trust game - asking for items or password to trust them
• building trust over time
• the boyfriend/girlfriend scam - similar to building trust over time
• training account scam
• runescape member scam
• asking personal information to gain recovery questions information
• account sharing - involves divulging password
• bodyguards or protectors

The above list of common trust scams in runescape are all easily avoided by following Jagex rules and remaining alert to unbelievable events or situations. If a player is looking to scam you in runescape, they will inevitably get caught out over time if people simply stick by the rules and remember to report any attempted scams ingame via the report abuse feature.

Overall, runescape scams, and in particular, runescape trust scams can be very damaging to players and leave them with a very bad impression of the game - as well as seriously affect their real life situation.

In an ideal world, runescape scams would not be a thing anyone had to worry about - but it isn't an ideal world and with it being virtual, people will tend to take extra risks to get away with scamming, as they do not feel it is ethically wrong. Afterall, runescape is a game, although it is real players who play the game and it is real players who are affected every day by runescape scams.

Ebay delisting Virtual Items

The good news for runescape players is that the chances of them being scammed by users of paypal and ebay has reduced considerably as Ebay is actively delisting many virtual item trades.

The amount of virtual trades being listed will gradually drop off as more and more people are informed of the decision. This is also good news for Jagex and many other MMORPG game companies where they did not intend virtual currency or items to be traded for real life currency or items. It means the integrity of many MMORPG games can remain intact.

Ebay quoted legal complexities surrounding their decision. This is due to the intellectual property rights of virtual characters, currencies and items still belonging to most MMORPG companies such as Jagex. All runescape players agree that Jagex remain the owners of all characters, currency and items found in runescape when they sign up and therefore cannot effectively sell them or they are in violation of the agreement.

Legal complexities may have been the reason Ebay obliged to delist such trades, however, many players will have also been a victim of the fraudulent trades in the past. This will not appease them fully, but will prevent many future victims.

A notable exception is Second Life, where the Linden dollar is able to be traded in exchange for real USD. The signup process for this game is different to most other MMORPG's and therefore is able to be listed.

Runescape Private Servers

There has been a great deal on search activity looking for Runescape Private Servers. However, this has mainly been generated by only a small number of people and is likely aimed at trying to boost the visibility of their own runescape private server site.

Extra caution must be taken to ensure that honest runescape players are not fooled into registering and using the same character name and password as they use on the main runescape.com site.

Most of the private servers are in fact attempts to gain access to an honest players account or a foolish players account. If ever required to download anything then you run the risk of having a keylogger installed, so be warned and stay safe and only access your runescape account from the actual main runescape.com website.

The same sites that offer private server access will normally offer various runescape cheats and runescape stat editor downloads. Again, extra caution should be taken as the majority of downloads associated with runescape are an attempt to gain control of your player account on the main game.

Forewarned is forearmed, or so the saying goes - so always treat any runescape download with extra caution and you will help insure the integrity of your account and your computer system.

Recovery Questions - Important -

Many people still have not set their recovery questions for their Runescape account. If you are not aware of the purpose of setting the recovery questions then you should take a run through the stronghold of security at the barbarian village. It will serve as an ingame reminder on the importance of your overall account security.

The recovery questions should be unique to you, and at no time should you ever reveal them to anyone. Especially not to anyone who you have met through playing runescape as it will enable them to permanently gain control over your playin character.

Jagex are trying to educate all players in Runescape that your account security is the most important aspect for your continued enjoyment of the game. If you have still not set appropriate security questions, then you should do immediately after reading this posting.

Once recovery questions are set successfully, you should still be careful what information you reveal to people when they ask you questions. Always remember to never reveal the information you may have used in setting the recovery questions. It is well known that the most experienced scammers in runescape will befriend people and draw out bits and pieces of information over time before they move in and try to take control of your account.

Jagex designed the stronghold of security to refresh your memory of the importance of your overall account security. My advice is use it before you lose your account.

Lumbridge Swamp Scam

The Lumbridge Swamp Scam was a very popular scam ingame on Runescape, although it is not as common now, there are still people who are unaware of it. Jagex have made additional signs warning people of the hazards of going into the Lumbridge Swamp Cave and this has resulted in less people being fooled.



The additional warning signs implemented by Jagex should be observed by players who are unsure about entering the Swamp Caves. Players should be safe if they wear a Spiny Helm and take a lit Saphire Lantern in their inventory. Other forms of lanterns may get extinguished and unless a light source is also taken, could result in a player losing items.

For players unaware of the entrance to the Swamp Caves, they can easily get to it from Draynor Village bank - simply head south into the swamp until you come to the candle maker. This NPC will be able to sell basic light sources, although it is advised to bring the Saphire Lantern.

Player Security

Jagex have now started to proactively promote player security and awareness to help reduce the amount of scams that have plagued the game and seen many naive players carelessly give their password information to 'friends' they had only just met.

Players should always make sure they are fully aware of Jagex rules for playing RuneScape as sticking by those rules WILL reduce chances of you becoming a victim of a serial scammer or a chancer.

In any walk of life there is always the small print. In this instance, the small print appears to be the game rules whereby many players simply do not educate themselves and become aware of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. READ THE RULES, simple but effective if followed to prevent you compromising your computer security.

When a computer has its security compromised, it can have some serious knock-on affects that can cause a lot of further problems, especially if using a shared computer then it can give access to confidential files that can include credit card information, bank security details and so forth.

Runescape may only be a game, and it may only be kids looking to scam items from each other. However, the potential consequences of compromising your computer security can lead to all private information being sent to unknown sources.

Playing by the rules will severely reduce chances of you receiving a computer virus therefore reducing the overall risk of compromising your computer security.

My motto, play safe, stay safe.

Tweaks and Bugfixes

With the update last week concentrating on bugfixes as well as tweaking some smaller aspects of the game, all players can be assured that it is getting more difficult to abuse bugs within the game that effectively result in scamming others.

There are a few very simple rules to follow to reduce your chances of being scammed:

1. Never reveal your password to anyone
2. Never download any autominer software as they may contain keyloggers
3. Do not buy any runescape money for real money
4. Do not trade real items or money for runescape items or money
5. Never accept .exe files from strangers or anyone you do not trust inherently

Overall, if you play by Jagex Rules you will severely reduce the risks of being scammed. Many people do take the game very seriously and it is real people that are adversely affected when they are a victim. It is a game at the end of the day, and should be enjoyed by people rather than destroyed by a small minority of players.

Ever been trade scammed in Runescape?

The question is a simple one. Many thousands of people regularly fall victim to some type of scam on runescape and then hate the game for their own misfortune.

There is no requirement for players to do as they are told or believe everything that they are told about items that they are not familiar with. The very simple rule of thumb to follow is if anything feels too good to be true then it invariably is too good to be true.

Always exercise caution when you feel you are being offered an absolute bargain. It is often the case that the bargain is really an opportunity for a chancer to try and make some quick cash at your expense by quickly changing items in the trade window. ALWAYS double check the second trade window before confirming any ingame trade.

An extra few seconds to confirm the second screen can save you a fortune in the long term and really help improve your overall enjoyment of the game.