Logdotzip Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 http://www.nypost.co...lApPVWB4FXXRiFN He turned to real-life crime to feed his virtual addiction.A video-game addict forced a fellow geek to fork over 4.7 billion “magic” coins by pulling a realistic-looking gun during a robbery in a Fordham University classroom, The Post has learned.The coins, used to buy items in the swords-and-sorcery video game “RuneScape,” are so treasured by players that they are regularly swapped online for real cash.Suspect Humza Bajwa, 19, of Massachusetts, pretended he was seeking to buy game currency and arranged a deal with fellow player Jonathan Dokler to purchase the nearly 5 billion coins for $3,300 in real money, according to a criminal complaint. JOYSTICKUP: Humza Bajwa (above) allegedly robbed a Fordham student of 4.7 billion “magic” coins to be used in the video game “RuneScape.” Instead of transferring the money online, Bajwa allegedly wanted a face-to-face meeting — and Dokler sent his Fordham pal David Emani to collect the cash.Emani told The Post that he met Bajwa in the school library on July 11 — and had a feeling something was wrong.“He was transferring money from one envelope to another envelope, and I got a glimpse of it and it looked fake,” Emani said. “I was on the phone with John, and I said, ‘Don’t do it. It looks fake.’ ”But Dokler wanted to continue with the transaction, even after Bajwa suddenly said he had to leave and asked to meet again the next night.Emani said he came prepared for the second meeting, in a classroom, with a real $100 bill to compare with Bajwa’s money. “I took it out and said, ‘The money you have is fake,’ ” said Emani. That’s when Bajwa went from white knight to fire-breathing dragon — pointing a realistic-looking BB gun at Emani, the complaint says.“I whispered, ‘Take it easy, man. No need for that gun,’ ” Emani said. “I couldn’t believe I was about to get shot over RuneScape! I was so scared I was about to die.”Bajwa allegedly ordered him to call Dokler and say the transaction was complete and get him to electronically transfer the 4.7 billion RuneScape coins.“I was like, ‘Holy crap!’ I was so afraid,” Emani said. The student said his voice was cracking as he delivered the message.“I kept saying, ‘Hurry up, let’s go, man,’ to John. This guy was holding a gun against my head. I wanted to be finished!”Dokler transferred the coins, and Bajwa left. He didn’t rob Emani of any of his real-world items — including his $100 bill.Emani, who doesn’t even play the video game, was unhurt.After checking surveillance video and talking to the victims, cops busted Bajwa, a resident of Acton, Mass., on July 24.He was hit with charges including second-degree robbery and grand larceny and posted $20,000 bail. If convicted, he faces 15 years in jail.The company behind RuneScape, Jagex Games, prohibits the sale of RuneScape gold or items for real money and may ban any player that engages in “real-world” trading.Dokler said he not longer plays the game but still tries to earn money for schoolbooks by buying RuneScape coins online and reselling them for a profit.He said that in the rough and tumble world of RuneScape, such a brazen crime didn’t shock him.“I’m not terribly surprised because the coins are pretty much as good as cash,” he said. lol my youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sy_Accursed Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I like how they did their research really good for the article there, I mean don't we all love our 'magic coins'... 4 Operation Gold Sparkles :: Chompy Kills :: Full Profound :: Champions :: Barbarian Notes :: Champions Tackle Box :: MA RewardsDragonkin Journals :: Ports Stories :: Elder Chronicles :: Boss Slayer :: Penance King :: Kal'gerion Titles :: Gold Statue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruinous Edge Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 wow just wow, held at gunpoint for RSgp is just wha?? :eek: Quest Cape Achieved 10/08/2012TFU: Ruinous Edge http://www.transformersuniverse.comA piece of glass in the sand under your feet, it cuts you deep and it makes you hate the beauty that you see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T. Skill Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Emani said. “I couldn’t believe I was about to get shot over RuneScape! I was so scared I was about to die.” Hahahahaha Pirate Rosetta stone. Learn a language while you scape.Sounds interesting, but these days how many people really speak Pirate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vezon Dash Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 wow just wow, held at gunpoint for RSgp is just wha?? :eek: I'm not surprised at all to be honest. RSGP has a cash value just as jewelry, cars, and credit cards do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bows Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Is this real life? I can't even begin to comprehend this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thus Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Kid got what he deserves. Moral of the story: never sell or help sell RSGP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruinous Edge Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 wow just wow, held at gunpoint for RSgp is just wha?? :eek: I'm not surprised at all to be honest. RSGP has a cash value just as jewelry, cars, and credit cards do.still you expect this sort of news article over drugs etc. but an online currency or as reporter puts it 'magic coins' lol Quest Cape Achieved 10/08/2012TFU: Ruinous Edge http://www.transformersuniverse.comA piece of glass in the sand under your feet, it cuts you deep and it makes you hate the beauty that you see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vezon Dash Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Kid got what he deserves. Moral of the story: never sell or help sell RSGP. The kid doing the transaction in person didn't play Runescape, so you can't put any blame on him since he was just being a good friend. You could also say "moral of the story: never sell anything to another person in person." @Edge, Currency is currency. That RSGP could have netted him $3,300. That is enough to buy a used car. Don't knock it.Nobody would care if the story were about drugs since that kind of thing happens every day, but this is something that might surprise a person or two. (just look at your reaction) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thus Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Kid got what he deserves. Moral of the story: never sell or help sell RSGP. The kid doing the transaction in person didn't play Runescape, so you can't put any blame on him since he was just being a good friend. You could also say "moral of the story: never sell anything to another person in person."I really don't care about the kid that got held up. His friend is 4.7bil in the hole, which is hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKoolKandy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 The coins, used to buy items in the swords-and-sorcery video game “RuneScape,” are so treasured by players that they are regularly swapped online for real cash. Favourite part. 1 Slayer; it's just what I do.Thanks Hugger 88 for the awesome siggy!Click show if you want to see achievements.Achievments: Maxed/Comp'd 7th of August 2012. 120 Dungeoneering sometime early december 2011. 99 Slayer achieved October 22nd, 2010. 99 Prayer achieved September 99 18th 2010. Summoning achieved September 14th 2010. 99 Defence achieved May 8th 2010. 99 Constituton achieved April 24th 2010. 99 Attack achieved on January 29th 2010 at 8:00 PM. Questpoint Cape on August 30th 2009.99 Strength (11:47 P.M. August 17 2009). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thus Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 The coins, used to buy items in the swords-and-sorcery video game “RuneScape,” are so treasured by players that they are regularly swapped online for real cash. Favourite part. They actually did they research for this part. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Paul Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 went from white knight to fire-breathing dragon :thumbup: pointing a realistic-looking BB gun at Emani Seriously though, this story is almost too good to be true. Working on max and completionist capes. 2435/2475 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercifull Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 If I was a gambling man, which I'm not, I would put money on them having links to dicers/flower game clans. 6 Mercifull <3 Suzi "We don't want players to be able to buy their way to success in RuneScape. If we let players start doing this, it devalues RuneScape for others. We feel your status in real-life shouldn't affect your ability to be successful in RuneScape" Jagex 01/04/01 - 02/03/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makoto_the_Phoenix Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 This ain't the first time a story like this has emerged. The only thing now is that fewer people see RWTing as one of the three "major evils" that continue to harm the community. I'm glad that no one was hurt over this, but perhaps he'd like to make an honest, less potential-gun-pointed-at-head-oriented living doing something else? Linux User/Enthusiast | Full-Stack Software Engineer | Stack Overflow Member | GIMP User...Alright, the Elf City update lured me back to RS over a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercifull Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 This is what free trade has brought us:Increased scammingIncreased "hacking"Gamblingand now real world violence 1 Mercifull <3 Suzi "We don't want players to be able to buy their way to success in RuneScape. If we let players start doing this, it devalues RuneScape for others. We feel your status in real-life shouldn't affect your ability to be successful in RuneScape" Jagex 01/04/01 - 02/03/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makoto_the_Phoenix Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 This is what free trade has brought us:Increased scammingIncreased "hacking"Gamblingand now real world violence Diverging thoughts here:This is really nothing new. Players have been hacked and physically intimidated before 2007 to the tune of GP/rares/whole accounts. This is what the community voted for (to the tune of 91%). cheek(tongue); Linux User/Enthusiast | Full-Stack Software Engineer | Stack Overflow Member | GIMP User...Alright, the Elf City update lured me back to RS over a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alg Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 This is what free trade has brought us:I'd say the existence of gambling groups has more to do with the fact that Jagex did nothing to stop that culture from developing early on. We had "merchant" clans before they brought free trade back, and we all know what eventually happened with them. 1 I painted some stuff and put it on tumblr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riptide Mage Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 This is what the community voted for (to the tune of 91%). cheek(tongue); Pass by reference tongue to cheek? 3 You make it sound like running through a few level 87 monsters is hard which it really shouldn't be at your level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercifull Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Well "the community" are idiots. If you asked everyone in the country if they'd like to pay tax yes or no, the majority would say no. But the country can't survive with noone paying tax. For the record: I was one of the 9% saying no to free trade. 2 Mercifull <3 Suzi "We don't want players to be able to buy their way to success in RuneScape. If we let players start doing this, it devalues RuneScape for others. We feel your status in real-life shouldn't affect your ability to be successful in RuneScape" Jagex 01/04/01 - 02/03/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thus Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Well "the community" are idiots. If you asked everyone in the country if they'd like to pay tax yes or no, the majority would say no. But the country can't survive with noone paying tax. For the record: I was one of the 9% saying no to free trade.How about you not derail this thread. What's done is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I'm getting a mixed feeling of laughter, wanting to facepalm and confusion. ........::::: Rainy's YouTube Channel - Rainy's Twitter - Rainy's Facebook - Rainy's DeviantArt - Rainy's Tumblr - Rainy's Tip.It Profile :::::......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randox Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Those are some pretty lazy fake bills (read: laser printer and normal paper) to be spotted that easily. I always get a kick out of people risking jail time over a computer game, real world value or not. Something about that scenario is always so surreal. Other than that, nothing new, except perhaps the gun part. Also the RWT element is new I think. The past incidents I remember have been people who knew the account owner in person, and I think they always stopped at knives. Also, as a side note, that he didn't take the real hundred dollar bill makes me wonder if he thought is wasn't robbery if he didn't steal anything real. I feel like even if that were the case, pointing a gun at someone still seems like it's against the law, even if it was a bb gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Paul Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Those are some pretty lazy fake bills (read: laser printer and normal paper) to be spotted that easily. I always get a kick out of people risking jail time over a computer game, real world value or not. Something about that scenario is always so surreal. Other than that, nothing new, except perhaps the gun part. Also the RWT element is new I think. The past incidents I remember have been people who knew the account owner in person, and I think they always stopped at knives. Also, as a side note, that he didn't take the real hundred dollar bill makes me wonder if he thought is wasn't robbery if he didn't steal anything real. I feel like even if that were the case, pointing a gun at someone still seems like it's against the law, even if it was a bb gun. I wonder though if the gun was even real. Why call it "realistic looking"? Still though, I think it's illegal to pull a toy gun on someone if you remove that orange safety cap on the end of the barrel. For all practical purposes, the victim thinks it's a real gun. Working on max and completionist capes. 2435/2475 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Well "the community" are idiots. If you asked everyone in the country if they'd like to pay tax yes or no, the majority would say no. But the country can't survive with noone paying tax. For the record: I was one of the 9% saying no to free trade. I wasn't aware people like this still existed: people who were willing to cripple a game for a stop-gap prevention method that didn't even solve what it intended. It sure as [bleep] wasn't buying them time to be used for development to solve the underlying causes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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