As with all other online games there will be people out there that want to get ahead by tricking and taking advantage of other players.
Scams are based upon tricking another player into losing valuable items or gold. Hacking has a completely different objective and severity of loss. Hacking involves a player's account being stolen, not simply a player cheating another player.
The simplest advice on avoiding being taken advantage is this:
- If something seems too good to be true, then probably is.
- Never give your password out to anyone. The only entity that will ever need your password is the Runescape website.
Giving Out Passwords
Players must never give out their password. They must keep their password safe. They should not tell it to family, friends, or anyone else.
An untrustworthy friend or a family member may use the password on the player's account and steal all their belongings.
Remember, never give out a password. A password is meant to keep something safe. It should not be told to people.
It is also a good idea for players to check behind them if they are in a public place to make sure that nobody is looking at their computer. People have been known to lose their accounts because someone saw them type in their password.
Scammers
If you're stupid enough to get scammed, then don't play the game.
Known types of scams
There are many different kinds of scams in RuneScape. Many players fall for these scams(because they are stupid), though they can easily be avoided.
Quick switch
Fortuneately for all of the stupid people, Jagex has made a way to stop this scam. neither play can trade something for something else less than a few k of it's wealth rating. But, by doing this, Jagex has also blocked anyone trying to give ANYTHING away for free.
Buying Items at High Prices
Same as above.
Armor Trimming
No one can trim armor. Don't be stupid. If it isnt a skill, then its not real.
Alt F4
If you press Alt + f4, your internet window will close.
=Trust game
Don't worry about this one, since it won't work anymore.
Edgeville Scam
Players may private message other players saying that they are selling something rare at an incredibly low price. The player selling will want the player buying to come to Edgeville's wilderness. When the buyer gets there, they will enter the wilderness with all their money and trade the seller. The seller will then get a friend to kill the buyer, or kill the buyer himself if the buyer's level is close enough to theirs.
It is very simple to avoid this scam. Do not trade in or around the wilderness or near Edgeville.
Two person trade scam
A buyer is offering way over the odds for an item which is not incredibly rare.
A seller not too far away is offering the item at a lower price, but still considerably higher than the going rate.
They are in league and you will be left with an unwanted item at an excessive price. The way to avoid this scam is to know the prices, and never buy an overpriced item, as even if the trade did turn out to be legitimate, you could be beaten to it.
Selling Rare Items
A player may be selling an item that they are saying rare. However, they may be lying. --- whoever edited this is an idiot.
Avoiding scamming
Players can easily avoid being scammed by following these points.
- Take time trading. Observe the items the other player is putting up.
- Be wary of trades near Edgeville or the Wilderness.
- Be wary of trades with people offering very high prices.
- Know the items involved in your trade.
- Don't be an idiot.
What to do when scammed
If you are scammed, then you are probably pretty stupid. So i suggest quitting the game so you can finally have a life.
Hackers
In runescape, people refer to password thieves as hackers. Although there are a few people who literally hack your computer through a trojan with a keylogger, that usually never happens
Hacking in RuneScape involves a player entering another player's account. This usually happens when the player has visited a site with a keylogger or they had given out their password. This is a very common thing that happens everyday. However, this can be avoided. There are easy steps that can be taken to keep a player's account safe from being hacked.
Players can only be hacked when they are not playing their character. It is impossible to be hacked when the player is still playing.
Known hacking methods
Websites
Some websites are not safe for players. While some sites may look secure, many are not.
RuneScape Wannabes
Some websites may claim that they are RuneScape and look very similar to the site. However, if the player looks at the address bar, they will probably see something wrong with it, such as instead of saying http://www.runescape.com, it might have more words or letters.
Fan Sites
Some fan sites are not safe as well. There have been security issues with some fan sites, where players have been able to hack these websites and put viruses or keyloggers on them. It is best to run a virus scan or adware/spyware scan after visiting a fan site.
Links
Players should never follow a link that directs to RuneScape. They should only bookmark the site on their own, not use another site's link to RuneScape. Clicking on another site's RuneScape link may contain a keylogger. Keyloggers are viruses that go into the player's computer and will record everything they type. The information is then sent to the creator of the keylogger. If the player types in their account name and password on RuneScape's official site, the keylogger will log it and send it to its creator. The keylogger's creator will then go to RuneScape, enter the player's account name and password, and go on their account, stealing all their belongings.
If the player is using a fan site forum, they should not use their RuneScape username or password on that site. Players should use a different account name and password whenever possible.
Password block
Some players will say that JAGeX has made an update that allows players to not say their password or that the censor blocks player's passwords. However, this is a scam.
The player may say, "Jagex blocks your pass! ******* see?" This is not true. A player's password can only be censored if it is a swear. Also, players must never give out their password. If a player does tell their password, then they are only asking to be hacked. If you ever do accidentally tell someone your password of suspect they already know it, change the password as soon as you can.
Players doing this scam can be reported. A player simply has to click on the "report abuse" button and report the rule breaker for breaking Rule #3.
JAGeX Impersonators
JAGeX is the company that makes RuneScape. Some players will claim that they are JAGeX staff or that they know people who work for JAGeX and that they can give you something if you give them your password.
The scammer tends to offer one of 3 various thnigs:
- Free items.
- A free membership.
- A swift banning if you do not comply.
However, this is always a scam. JAGeX staff will never contact players in the game. NEVER use your password on any website except the runescape login page. Don't use it anywhere else, not even on another website account. They will only contact players using the message center. Also, JAGeX staff members always have a gold crown beside their name and most of them have the word Mod before their name.
If a player sees another player doing this, the player can be reported for breaking Rule #5.
Emails from JAGeX
Players will never receive an email from JAGeX.
JAGeX will never send players an email. This is said all over RuneScape's website so that all players will know.
If a player does receive an email from JAGeX, it is a player trying to hack accounts and must be deleted right away. All of these emails have keyloggers and will steal the player's password.
JAGeX will only send players messages through the message center, which is located on RuneScape's website.
Preventing hacking
There are very simple rules that can be followed to protect a player's RuneScape account as well as their computer from keyloggers and other players.
- Players must never give out their password. If a player does this, then they are only asking to be hacked.
- Make a hard to guess password. Try making the password contain letters, numbers, capital letters, and symbols, such as aBc123?!?. A password with letters, numbers, and symbols is much, much harder to guess with a program than a password with only letters.
- Players should change their password often. Once a month is recommended. However, players should not change their password on a non-secured public wireless connection or a connection. Doing so can not only get the player's RuneScape password hacked, but also other player's passwords as well. So if the player is using an unsecured public wireless connection, they should not change their password until they use their own internet connection.
- Players should try to not use their password on other sites. Try making many different passwords and keeping them somewhere safe in case the player forgets them.
- Players should run a virus scan or a adware/spyware scan on their computer once a week. This is the easiest way to not get hacked. An excellent program for this is Hitman Pro, which not only checks for spyware but for all kinds of invasive programs.
- Some sites are unsafe. Some fan sites and pornographic sites contain keyloggers, so if a player visits them, they should run a virus scan or adware/spyware scan after visiting these sites.
- Players are strongly recommended that they set recovery questions. These can be accessed on RuneScape's main website. Players enter 5 questions about them that only they would know. It is best if you make questions that only you can answer, not your friends, family, etc.
- Players must never download auto programs. These programs as well as the sites always have keyloggers.
- For a web browser, use Mozilla Firefox or Opera instead of Internet Explorer. Many viruses are made for Internet Explorer because it is the most common browser used, there aren't as many viruses for other browsers.
- Players are strongly recommended that they set a bank PIN. This personal identification number can be made when they go to a bank. The player has to talk to the banker and ask about a PIN number. The player can then make a four number password for their bank. This PIN can be hacked from keyloggers that make Screen shots in the right time, but it's safer then without. It is almost impossible to be hacked if a player uses a PIN.
What to do when hacked
JAGeX will not give players back the items they lost. Many players turn to JAGeX when they get hacked. However, they do not give items back because people could potentially take advantage of getting free items.
If a player is hacked, they could raise their skills and sell the produce. In time, the player will be able to afford new items. The problem is when players get rare items like event items stolen, still they will not be refunded so be very careful when dealing with these items.
Auto Programs
Many players cheat on RuneScape and use a program that does the work for them. This is against RuneScape's Rule #13.
Some sites allow players to download and use auto programs. These sites sometimes have keyloggers. The programs also sometimes have keyloggers.
Players must exercise caution when visiting these auto program sites.
- Autoers usually have default clothing and odd names. They are also usually level 3.
- Not everyone thats level 3 is an autoer. Sometimes you may find a level 3 skill pure.
- Autoers follow a very specific path. Unless they have an anti-random exploit in them, they'll be killed when they receive a random.
EXAMPLE:
Macro: *Starts chopping*
Tree Spirit: Leave these woods and never return!
Macro: *Keeps chopping and dies*
Real_player: *Reports Macro*