This is not a rant! I just want to see and discuss people's opinions on scamming.

 

 

 

First a little history of me.

 

 

 

I started playing Runescape in September 2002. I was never an amazing leveler, and I haven't "achieved" anything in eyes of most people. I was however an avid reader of Tip.it forums, never really posted much, but I did read alot.

 

 

 

When Runescape 2 came out, I saw the decline of the "good" population in Runescape. Most people left RS to other MMORPGs where they could escape the growing number of n00bs and 1337ppl. I was tempted to go with them, but i stuck with RS because I was against the idea of paying to play a game (I was F2P 90% of my RS life).

 

 

 

When school and exams came into my life I was forced to leave RS for quite awhile. When i cam back I found that most my friends left for games such as World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. Also the number beggars and bots on Runescape was too much to bear. I was just about to quit, when my friend told me of a scam that we could do to make some money. His scam was very simple, but it worked like charm.

 

 

 

The scam required two people. First of all one of the scammers would take a sizeable amount of money, e.g 300k+, and a decent weapon, R2H, etc. Then he would go into Falador or Varrock and say:

 

 

 

"Quitting RS!! Giving away 300k and a R2H!!!!

 

 

 

Amazingly, the scammer would soon have a decent sized group messaging him and telling him to give it to them. The scammer would then tell them to follow him and he would go to a small corner, far from large groups. This is where the second scammer comes in. The First scammer would say:

 

 

 

"To get the R2H, you must answer my question. First to answer, gets the prize"

 

 

 

The First scammer then gives the question, the second scammer already knowing the answer, is the first to answer and gets the R2H. He then walks around and acts exciting shouting:

 

 

 

"It worked!! he gave me my R2h!!

 

 

 

The crowd, now eager for the 300k is listening intently to the First scammer. He then tells them:

 

 

 

"To get the 300k, you have to play a trust game. You give me 1gp and ill give it to you back. The one who trusts me the most, gets the 300k"

 

 

 

Some of the crowd will leave, but not the inexperienced, power-hungry mid-levels. They eagerlly give the money starting at 1gp, then 1k, then 100k, even 1000k! When the first scammer thinks he has milked his group enough he just logs out with the money. As simple as that.

 

 

 

I was soon banned, but i had accumlated 6000k in the process.

 

I quit after i was banned and I joined World of Warcraft (believe me, you pay more you get more :D ).

 

 

 

But, back to the orginal topic, why is scamming against the rules?

 

In my scams, I never used third-party programs, or bots. I never forced anyone one to give me their money. In fact, i asked them to give me their money, and they gave it to me. Technically, they were stupid enough to give someone their money, shouldn't they be reprimanded?

 

 

 

Scamming doesn't do anything to make the game easier, it doesn't effect the game mechanics, all I was doing was feeding on the greed of other players, who wanted a free lunch.

 

 

 

So, what do you think about this, Do you still think that scamming should be a bannable offence, or do you agree with me, that stupidity shouldn't be rewarded?

 

 

 

Please post your opininons, not your flames.

 

 

 

P.S. For anyone stupid enough to try the scam above, you deserve a slap.

Is the answer not obvious? Even the manual about Runescape clearly explains why. Lying or deceiving a fellow player for your own selfish gains is highly condemned and that enough is a reason for it to be against the rules

Probably because scamming in real life is against the law, and so it is logical that it should be in a game.

Is the answer not obvious? Even the manual about Runescape clearly explains why. Lying or deceiving a fellow player for your own selfish gains is highly condemned and that enough is a reason for it to be against the rules

,+1 exactly

They have answered this questions a couple of times recently. When they were talking about luring they said how it is against the nature of the game.

Yeah I'm not even going to give an intelligent post..

 

 

 

Leave Tip.it right now..

Let's make conning people legal!

For the same reason that lying, cheating and fraud are illegal in every society ever created by mankind.

 

 

 

If you even need to ask, you have some serious problems.

 

 

 

~q

It's not legal IRL, why should it be legal in rs? You are giving them the idea that you will give them their money back and more, and you are not doing it eventually, that sounds pretty sad to me, good that you're banned, read the rules before you start playing another game.

Yeah I'm not even going to give an intelligent post..

 

 

 

Leave Tip.it right now..

 

 

 

oh boo hoo, so he scammed people.

 

who cares?

 

 

 

 

 

ive always wondered the same thing. People hardly ever get banned for "scamming" anyway. If you're dumb enough to fall for it, its not really a scam, it's you being an idiot.

that's alot like asking "why is it against the rules for me to pull a gun on a store clerk and take all the money from the till?"

you should think about that there's many young players in runescape that almost trust everyone because they think everyone is nice, well is it right to take use of players?

 

if someone was selling me a third age part for 100k i would stop the trade and tell him about how much its worth, its in nature (or should be)

 

its ethically wrong, would you run in front of a parson in a wheelchair and take the elevator or would u kindly wait some seconds to let him in?

 

you have think about it ad a real life problem, many play because in games u can do anything whit out being unleagal, well that's correct till it comes to multi player games, its real persons out there, would u be happy if jagax starts playing god and ban you becose they think your stupid or u got to much money...

 

if u don't see the problem i suggest u take a long time to think about the similarity of real life and online games

 

 

 

plz note many peoples want a better world. how can we get it if we take advantage of each other?

I understand your point and I partially agree, but then normal newbs would get scammed because they don't know better yet.

Hm, sounds like a discussion similiar to that of euthanasia. But we won't go there..

Because it's immoral(not sure if that's how it's spelled) and your being just as lazy as the people who are falling for your scam when you scam someone O:)

Scamming doesn't do anything to make the game easier, it doesn't effect the game mechanics

 

 

 

Scamming most certainly does affect the game. A lot of the skills are "buyable" (Dragon Bones, Gold Ore, etc). When you scam people, you make the game easier for you and harder for the people you scammed. Is that not blantantly obvious?

It's not allowed because it pushes people to quit playing runescape - so Jagex loose out on money.

 

 

 

Amongst other reasons, but that is the main one.

oh boo hoo, so he scammed people.

 

who cares?

 

 

 

 

 

ive always wondered the same thing. People hardly ever get banned for "scamming" anyway. If you're dumb enough to fall for it, its not really a scam, it's you being an idiot.

 

Ok, first off just because few people get banned for it doesn't mean its ok :shame: .

 

Would you scam a old woman (or man) in real life and say its ok because;

 

A) You didn't get caught (e.g. not getting banned)

 

B) They were stupid enough to fall for it. (e.g. they fell for the scam)

 

 

 

Your saying in real life the police (mods are Jagex's "police") shouldn't have the right to throw you in jail (e.g. banned in game) if you scam someone, now who's the idiot :XD: .

 

 

 

And I care.

Yeah I'm not even going to give an intelligent post..

 

 

 

Leave Tip.it right now..

 

 

 

oh boo hoo, so he scammed people.

 

who cares?

 

 

 

 

 

ive always wondered the same thing. People hardly ever get banned for "scamming" anyway. If you're dumb enough to fall for it, its not really a scam, it's you being an idiot.

 

 

 

Wth is your problem, people have their own opions.. Plus I've never fallen for that scam anyways. so calm down

Scamming in real life is basically fraud. Now, though fraud is indeed illegal in real life, doesn't automatically make scamming illegal. However, it is in no sense or way moral.

 

Think of it this way - there are hundreds of different religions/beliefs in this world but what do they have in common? What do atheists have in common with catholics, muslims with buddhists etc? The common element here is the moral code and ethics. Yes, it may vary, but it stays the same in most points. Fraud is simply not accepteable as a practice as it is deeply immoral.

 

What has that got to do with an mmorpg? Easy, the main code of conduct just has to translate from real world to a game that kids play, it is unthinkable otherwise. Young people are very susceptible to their surroundings, whether they admit it or not and game or not, but the morals need to be there.

 

Long and winding but I hope you do catch my drift here - I'm struggling to save my cat from her irrational passion for the fan so if I missed anything, I'm sorry :roll:

If you did it in real life you would be dropping the soap in jail right now, so yeah...

 

 

 

Leave Tip.it right now..

Probably because scamming in real life is against the law, and so it is logical that it should be in a game.

 

no its not, if u ask someone for a dollar and they give it to u its ur property

 

 

 

WOW FTW \ (watch the flames ppl)

 

 

 

as for y, Jagex need to protect little 3rd graders with limited vocabularies who ask their mommies to pay for their games... good source of income

yep, its because if jagex would make it not against the rules they would lose their biggset income: the power hungry mid level 8 year olds ( i don't say all 8 year olds are power hungry stupids, just a example). Thoug i would say let the scamming begin so that the noobs would stop playing and cry to their mommy's

no its not, if u ask someone for a dollar and they give it to u its ur property

If you tell them they can win money by giving you that dollar, then it's illegal.

If all RuneScape players were adults, had an average or better IQ and a very good understanding of English I think most people will agree with you (including me). There is nothing wrong with taking greedy fools money.

 

 

 

However there are a lot of RuneScapers who do not fit into these categories and by scamming people you will unwittingly take vulnerable people's money.

 

 

 

Personally I have no sympathy for people who have been scammed unless they have a severe deficiency in the 3 areas I mentioned. I started this game at the tender age of 15 back in 2001 and I have never been scammed a penny because I have never been greedy, or stupid enough to think there is such a thing as a free lunch.

 

 

 

I can see your point about a survial of the fittest society but unfortunately life is not that simple. The vulnerable people in the world have to be protected.