STG's Policy on Scammers (of all types..?)?

[Zeus]

Hello all,

I was just wondering STS's policy on scammers in general? In game, there are many of them lurking around. However, despite being reported and shown evidence, the scammers still manage to come back around on the same characters?

I've spoken to some of them and they often say that they are getting their bans appealed. Then... not only that... they start scamming/tricking people again!?

I'm extremely perplexed. I understand that STS will not do anything in regards to returning stuff but can STS at least make the firm policy of banning them like they used to?? To see these players consistently allowed back into the games is disheartening, especially when knowing they are profiting off of somebody else's misfortune.

Note: I have not been scammed, but just annoyed on the amount of scam threads there are. With each scam, the community degrades further because people realize that they can get away with scams.


Food for thought...

~Apollo

[Zeus]

Example A: Platinum sellers...I know of one that managed to get the ban appealed and still come back to scam more people?

Example B: Comma abuse scammers... I know so many that keep on abusing this game glitch in order to steal hard-earned money from other players? They are still allowed to remain in game...?

If there is not a strict policy towards banning scammers, scammers will only continue because they know that there is no fear or at worst, there is a temporary ban.

[zappaxe]

I have no idea what their policy is but I totally know how you feel. I don't know if its that they aren't even investigating or they think that if someone fools you, you are fair game. It also might be that the team is swamped. I mean they are making more games while maintaining many more and they can barely get a new cap in pl let alone investigate a scam. I honestly don't know the reason but I feel your frustrations man :/

[Zeus]

I have no idea what their policy is but I totally know how you feel. I don't know if its that they aren't even investigating or they think that if someone fools you, you are fair game. It also might be that the team is swamped. I mean they are making more games while maintaining many more and they can barely get a new cap in pl let alone investigate a scam. I honestly don't know the reason but I feel your frustrations man :/

The thing is though that these players that do get banned, get banned for either a limited time or manage to abuse support and appeal bans... What gives? Then they go around scamming yet again. There needs to be an end.

I am not asking much... just ban those who attempt to abuse others for their own personal gain & breaking many ToS rules in the process.

[Alfai]

Perhaps a dedicated team to dive into this matter?

Its very time consuming for them to dive into the bottom of each case.while addressing one anther 10pops.nt including of people beong reported for othr offense.and investigating by checking logs etc is surely tedious.

Great job from sts but keeping up everyday with the birth of new type or scams and tactics might need to be relook.

[Energizeric]

I have no idea about their policy, but obviously they do give lifetime bans as two of my close friends in AL (one of whom we both know well from PL) were banned for life from STS games, apparently for trying to sell in game items for real money (or so I was told).

It seems as if they take that sort of violation as much more serious than someone who scams for in game virtual gold or items. Those players seem to get away with temporary bans or no punishment at all.

Here's my solution:

STS should make jail in one of the towns, and when you commit an in-game crime worthy of punishment, instead of giving a temporary ban, they should make it so that when you sign in your are in that jail and stuck there and cannot leave until your time there is up. Maybe you should have an orange jump suit as well, and other players can come visit you and make fun. Maybe even a nice fine as well that results in your losing a certain amount of your gold, depending on the seriousness of the crime.

Since it's an in-game crime, make it an in-game punishment. (BTW, this was meant as a joke!)

[KingFu]

Let's get our priorities straight. There will always be people scamming and skulduggery, and there will always be stupid greedy people look for an easy way out. I'd sooner see the devs focus on the content of the game than banning scammers.

[Zeus]

Let's get our priorities straight. There will always be people scamming and skulduggery, and there will always be stupid greedy people look for an easy way out. I'd sooner see the devs focus on the content of the game than banning scammers.

True, but the community is also terrible in this game... a nice balance between the two would be great.

[vholt]

I have no idea about their policy, but obviously they do give lifetime bans as two of my close friends in AL (one of whom we both know well from PL) were banned for life from STS games, apparently for trying to sell in game items for real money (or so I was told).

It seems as if they take that sort of violation as much more serious than someone who scams for in game virtual gold or items. Those players seem to get away with temporary bans or no punishment at all.

Here's my solution:

STS should make jail in one of the towns, and when you commit an in-game crime worthy of punishment, instead of giving a temporary ban, they should make it so that when you sign in your are in that jail and stuck there and cannot leave until your time there is up. Maybe you should have an orange jump suit as well, and other players can come visit you and make fun. Maybe even a nice fine as well that results in your losing a certain amount of your gold, depending on the seriousness of the crime.

Since it's an in-game crime, make it an in-game punishment. (BTW, this was meant as a joke!)

Joke? I think its a great idea! Then their reputation is ruined and once they are released they have so much shame and fame (the bad type) that they cant play anymore (BTW, this was meant as a joke too)


...


In all seriousness, lets just have a warrior equipped with a ban-hammer, and scammers have to PvP him 1v1

[Wutzgood]

Best way to stop scammers is if people just didn't get scammed in the first place. Best piece of advise is don't trust anyone unless you know them. I see them all the time and I just ignore their scams.

[Kuazzae]

Example A: Platinum sellers...I know of one that managed to get the ban appealed and still come back to scam more people?

Example B: Comma abuse scammers... I know so many that keep on abusing this game glitch in order to steal hard-earned money from other players? They are still allowed to remain in game...?

If there is not a strict policy towards banning scammers, scammers will only continue because they know that there is no fear or at worst, there is a temporary ban.

Completely agree with you, but the most disturbing part is that I've seen here in the forum actually been proud of this "trick"... (bold sentence)

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/show...ighlight=magic

Is this so common that they can openly talk about this in the forum?? I have to say that a DEV respond to that... but even so...

I've never been scamed in AL, but i do worry about naive players that don't read the forum.


EDIT: I remember in an early ZELDA game if we stole itens from the shop our IGN would permently be changed to "THIEF"... maybe this can be a solution... a permenent TITLE "SCAMMER"

[Zeus]

Completely agree with you, but the most disturbing part is that I've seen here in the forum actually been proud of this "trick"... (bold sentence)

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/show...ighlight=magic

Is this so common that they can openly talk about this in the forum?? I have to say that a DEV respond to that... but even so...

I've never been scamed in AL, but i do worry about naive players that don't read the forum.


EDIT: I remember in an early ZELDA game if we stole itens from the shop our IGN would permently be changed to "THIEF"... maybe this can be a solution... a permenent TITLE "SCAMMER"

Seems like a developer did comment... JustG. Anyways, if that statement is true... how are scammers able to come back into the game?

[Kuazzae]

Seems like a developer did comment... JustG. Anyways, if that statement is true... how are scammers able to come back into the game?

Yes, like I said, a DEV did comment, but even so I was really surprised that someone talked about that so opnly... it seams that this scams are becoming so common that "it's normal", again not saying that is the opinion of the DEVS, but the opinion of the ones that make these scams.

[FluffNStuff]

Seems like a developer did comment... JustG. Anyways, if that statement is true... how are scammers able to come back into the game?

The same way any kid gets off easy for doing something bad they do all the time. Convince their parents it was the first time, it was a dumb mistake and it will never happen again. Now, that only works once ... unless perhaps Mom busts them the first time and she didn't talk to Dad.

Perhaps that is what is going on. While we talk about a list of scammers, STS support NEEDS a list of them accessible to all employees. That way if a player gets banned, and their name is on that list already, they can't pretend like this was an isolated incident.
Now, this will only work if we as player vigilantly report these scammers. That way they don't have clean records when they go to appeal. I understand if they get busted getting away with it once, but the shear amount they scam and get away with is ridiculous. This isn't PL, there is A LOT of real world money in the items they are scamming and it has to be costing STS business.

[Kuazzae]

When we report a player I'm assuming that STS contacts the player and ask for a justification... maybe the scamed person should see the justification and have a chance to refute.

Something like this:

Player X respond to the Report by sayin this:

Would you like to refute?

This seems complex but can actually be an easy process.

[chitgoks]

most scammers are low lvl players who created an alt. not much fun to make fun of them if its not their main toon

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[GoodSyntax]

Would player/moderators be such a bad idea?

I'm certain that there are some folks who are active in game, active in forums and are all-around upstanding citizens whom could carry the authority for temporary bans. If the privileged is abused, then they lose their moderator status, or get banned themselves.

Like most things, I think that the general community is aware of what is right and what is wrong. Unlike the early days of PL, when the Devs had a strong presence in-game, it seems that much of the onus has fallen on the players to be vigilant and to report inappropriate behavior. Such a hands-off approach almost leave an authority vacuum, which STS elected "Guardians" could fulfill.

Without at least the perceived threat of bans/punishment/disciplinary action, scammers and their ilk will continue to brazenly break down a community that many have worked so hard to establish and nurture.

[chitgoks]

reading all threads about scams i figure this will never get resolved and scammers' real toons wont get banned

it will take resources to have a team look through all scam complaints. devs should not be the ones handling these.

if login info includes device mac id then the scammer's real toon when logged in can be checked and the accnt getting banned.

thats one way though. it should be a good start.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Uzii]

I like Energizeric idea with all the seriousness

[KingFu]

True, but the community is also terrible in this game... a nice balance between the two would be great.

I beg to differ. I don't mind scammers, because I'm not dumb enough to fall for them.