Anet bans ebay farmers! - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

allience

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Mo/Me

10 Mar 2006 at 18:04 - 1

[Edit] i'm NOT complaining about this. it's only a post for INFORMATION purposes

if you are thinking that Anet has no idea what's going on in uw or augry int district u're very wrong. my friend got 2 of his accounts banned and below is the reply i got from Anet after asking why they banned.

As u can see, i bolded an important part of the reply, and this leads me to 1 weird conclusion. if one CONSTANTLY farms 1 spot, Anet is likely to ban u. now don't get me wrong, i'm not talking about the regular person farming ectos.

all that my friend did in the game each day after day is farm UW, and his only char was a 55 life monk. he did not directly ebay anything as far as i know (chek the bold part in the reply). i'm unaware how anet decides if a person farms for ebay purposes or for game grind but gathering a big ammount of items/ectos without ever improving his char must have been a decision factor.

all you farmers beware, Anet has its eyes on you like big brother. be scared, be very very scared.

Quote:

Hello (name removed),

Thank you for contacting us about your Guild Wars game account.

Your account was permanently closed because you engaged in the sale of in-game items for cash or other items with real world value, or you engaged in gathering items to be sold for cash or other items with real world value. Both actions are against our User Agreement, where Section 7 states, "You may not sell or auction any Guild Wars accounts, characters, items, coin or copyrighted material, nor may you assist others in doing so."

Protests regarding the termination of your Guild Wars game account will not be addressed or entertained. We will not accept appeals in cases such as this because of the depth of the analysis prior to the block. We regret the necessity of terminating any game account, but we will continue to take all necessary actions to protect the Guild Wars community and to assure that players are abiding by our User Agreement.

Please keep in mind that Guild Wars is a global game with hundreds of thousands of players. This means that standards of behavior must be upheld. For your convenience, you can obtain more information about our rules at the addresses listed below.

- User Agreement: http://www.guildwars.com/legal/users-agreement.php
- Rules of Conduct: http://www.guildwars.com/legal/rulesofconduct.php
- Conduct Breaches & Outcomes: http://www.guildwars.com/legal/condu...d_outcomes.php

Regards,
The Guild Wars Support Team

Kakumei

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2005

Grind is subjective

learn this please

10 Mar 2006 at 18:07 - 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by allience

he did not directly ebay anything as far as i know (chek the bold part in the reply).

What about indirectly?

Canadian Bacon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Ontario, Canada

Kingdom of Tyria [KoT]

10 Mar 2006 at 18:07 - 3

Owned.

Young Hero

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Mi

N/Mo

10 Mar 2006 at 18:11 - 4

Break the rules, pay the price.Bu bye

MSecorsky

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

So Cal

The Sinister Vanguard

Me/

10 Mar 2006 at 18:12 - 5

High fives, ANet.

The decision had to be based on more than just his farming habits.

Fantus

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 18:17 - 6

Well done, A-Net! That's all I have to say here.

Big_Iron

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

The Edge

Tormented Weapons [emo]

10 Mar 2006 at 18:18 - 7

I'm sure they didn't do this without some hard evidence. Anet doesn't want to ban legit customers. It's bad business. They also know farming is standard practice in all MMO's. I don't think you got all the facts from your friend.

calamitykell

Banned

Join Date: Aug 2005

N.Y.C.

10 Mar 2006 at 18:19 - 8

Ditto. Kudos to ANet.

Orbberius

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 18:19 - 9

Haha nice

Teklord

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Lloyd.ab.ca

Lords of All

R/Mo

10 Mar 2006 at 18:21 - 10

The topic title itself says "Anet bans eBay farmers!" Since it says eBay Farmers... I really fail to see an issue with this. They're doing exactly what they should be doing.

Sekkira

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canberra, AU

10 Mar 2006 at 18:26 - 11

Quote:

or you engaged in gathering items to be sold for cash or other items with real world value.

I'd like to know how they detirmine that one.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 18:36 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sekkira

I'd like to know how they detirmine that one.

that part is easy.

they said months ago in an interview that they were not going after the small abuser but waiting until they could bring down whole farming networks at one shot.

his *friend* (notice it is always a *friend* who has all the details and it is never the *friend* who makes the complaint?) was a gathering middleman/girl and they simply flagged where all the stuff gathered went and watched others deliver to that person as well.

follow where he makes his/her deliveries up the food chain to ebay.

poof squash the whole bunch.

3 cheers for getting rid of garbage

Diablo???

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Seattle

SPQR

N/R

10 Mar 2006 at 18:37 - 13

Thank goodness.

Starsky-sama

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Land of the Z Chest \o/

[NOT]-Nomads of Turmoil.

W/

10 Mar 2006 at 18:37 - 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by allience

if one CONSTANTLY farms 1 spot, Anet is likely to ban u.

From 1st reading your post and reading the Anet reply. IMO. you should delete the above part you mentioned (quoted you on). If this is what you interpeted from Anet's reply, then everyone would have been banned at a daily basis/ months ago for "farming". The fact that Anet's reply is stating that some ebay thing was linked to your friend's accounts that's why he was banned. It was just stating all the facts pertaining to their reason why a banned occured and didnt specify which one your friend commited.

Unless, you are 100% sure that your friend never tried even once, used the terms "Guild wars + real cash" and ebay together. You already have your answer, really.

/hmm. (The 1st thing that caught my eye on the thread: The use of "sad face" w/ title "bans ebay farmers". that is really contradicting...??)

Teklord

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Lloyd.ab.ca

Lords of All

R/Mo

10 Mar 2006 at 18:38 - 15

I would submit that is determined by reviewing logs for large "one-sided" trades between two accounts. And that one of those two accounts is either already suspected or proven to engage in the selling of in game items for real profit on eBay.

Presumably someone wouldn't on a regular basis hand out say 50 Ectos for example to other people without getting something in return.

Mordakai

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Kyhlo

W/

10 Mar 2006 at 18:40 - 16

Everyone bookmark this so we can reference it when the "What's wrong with buying Gold on Ebay?" thread starts again...

wsmcasey

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Right behind you.

HeRo

W/Rt

10 Mar 2006 at 18:42 - 17

You reap what you sow.

Diablo???

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Seattle

SPQR

N/R

10 Mar 2006 at 18:42 - 18

Anet should hoist his char model in the middle of Ascalon with a noose. So that everyone in town can throw tomatoes at him... just like the good'ol middle ages.

allience

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Mo/Me

10 Mar 2006 at 18:45 - 19

i didn't post this as a complaint, stop flaming me, it's not even my accounts! my post was meant for information purposes, specially for hardcore farmers and for those who also farm for ebay. i'm not accusing anet, i'm just letting evey1 know that they do ban for INDIRECT ebaying.

like sekkira, i'd like to know how Anet determines who farms hardcore for themselves and who 'indirectly' farms for another person that ebays.

i'm supposing that they track a suspected Character and see what it does with the items they obtain. i also think that to AVOID being banned for stuff like this, one should at least make more then 1 char on the account and also improve that char's items so they see that u don't just get many valuable items and 'mysteriously' trade them for nothing.

i know for a fact that hey track specific chars because in a previous email i sent them, they needed the character's NAME on the banned account. i had only provided them the account and password and without the char's name, they were not able to tell me why they banned.

Zephro

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 18:47 - 20

Aaaaand the scamming chinese monks are still rampant in ToA. Including some infamous repeat offenders.
When will the crackdown on them happen?

Rayne Nightfyre

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Acolytes of Lyssa [AL]

Me/A

10 Mar 2006 at 18:47 - 21

*Forsees the closing of this thread*

Anyway, ArenaNet did nothing wrong here, somehow you or your friend or whoever did involve real-life money, and there was proof of it. A-Net will only take that sort of action if they have confirmed proof. So your friend had this coming, go A-Net!

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 18:48 - 22

i think this covers it nicely

Quote:

Selling in-game items for cash is clearly against the terms of service, and engaging in any farming or storage activity that assists other people in selling in-game items for cash is also against the terms of service. If you're farming gold or items for someone who sells them for cash, you need to stop now. We are currently gathering data, and when we take action it will be to close entire networks of accounts at once: those used for farming, those used for storage, and those used for distribution.

wsmcasey

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Right behind you.

HeRo

W/Rt

10 Mar 2006 at 18:49 - 23

That would be fun as hell! You could have a stage and an executioner with all the medieval torture devices. Put him on the rack and watch him yell.............."freedom!"......"freedom!".

wts rotten tomatoes......100g each.......pm me if interested.

xxSilhouette

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Lost in the sands of time...

Blood Of Orr [BoO]

R/Rt

10 Mar 2006 at 18:50 - 24

I created a 55 monk and farm in the same area outside of augury rock 10-15 times a day and i have had no issue like this whatsoever.

chances are if this is really your 'friend' - they didn't give you all of the details. And a lot of people get tempted into selling something they earn from playing a game for real cash.

Anet wouldnt just ban someone for farming - like others have said farming is just part of the game and there not going to punish us for that.

I also like how you were the one who emailed for your friend...and how in the email it says that YOUR account was permenantly closed, and you were contacting for a friend.

Granamyr

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2005

Mo/

10 Mar 2006 at 18:55 - 25

I agree, it's scary that ANet's policy is to ban without giving any evidence to back up their reasoning and that there are no appeals. Scarier still is the groupthink displayed by this forum that ANet is ALWAYS right when they wield their immensely powerful ban weapon. I don't know what inspires you to give a company this kind of trust without any evidence that they've only punished the guilty.

Do you trust Wal-Mart this much? Do you trust Microsoft this much? Do you trust the US government this much? What has ANet done to earn such a privilege that you don't ever question their judgement but rather praise every banning action they take?

TimberOwl

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

Mo/Me

10 Mar 2006 at 19:00 - 26

Well done Anet, thye are finally doing something about it. this should help the in-game economy.

Diablo???

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Seattle

SPQR

N/R

10 Mar 2006 at 19:00 - 27

The goverment reserves the right to search your vehicles. Restruants reserves the right to refuse service. Arenanet reserves the right to terminate any account that infringes on their interest and property. Freedom without the successful enforcement of rules and conduct creates anarchy and economic corruption, such as profiteering ebayers.

What anet has done was necessary in preserving the prosperity of the online community.

lyra_song

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/Mo

10 Mar 2006 at 19:03 - 28

Most probably Anet is watching for evidence of this:

Farmer A spends 24 hours a day farming 1 spot. Farmer A doesnt play missions.

Farmer A has many one-sided transactions of rare items/gold to Storage B (Storage B doesnt give money or items back)

Storage B has all characters loaded with rare items and gold. Storage B doesnt play missions or kill monsters.

Storage B has one-sided transactions with Distributor C.

Distributor C never kills monsters or even play missions and spends all his time having one-sided transactions with Ebay Buyers D, E, and F.

Anet cross references the different accounts, IPs, and flow of gold and items from one account to the other. They decide by the data that the accounts are part of an ebay network and shut them down.

Most likely, the OP's friend fits the data of Farmer A.

to quote you"all that my friend did in the game each day after day is farm UW, and his only char was a 55 life monk."

Tell me thats not suspicious?

CyberNigma

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

San Antonio, TX

W/R

10 Mar 2006 at 19:11 - 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teklord

I would submit that is determined by reviewing logs for large "one-sided" trades between two accounts. And that one of those two accounts is either already suspected or proven to engage in the selling of in game items for real profit on eBay.

Presumably someone wouldn't on a regular basis hand out say 50 Ectos for example to other people without getting something in return.

By that reasoning, anyone with a storage account (aka second account) would trigger the same response. Having multiple accounts is not frowned upon by ANet. They even said if you have multiple accounts and want say Factions then you have to buy one for each account..

I'm all about banning accounts for violating the rules. The only thing that worries me though is the fact that there's no appeals process by default. In response to a previous comment that they wouldn't ban legit accounts because of the backlash (bad business), I'd say that's not true. Nobody here is going to believe someone who says they were legit but were banned wrongfully for being a pro farmer. Most people will figure that you must have done 'something' to deserve it and leave it at that.

With that said, your *friend* must have deserved to be banned so quit whining.

:-)

allience

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Mo/Me

10 Mar 2006 at 19:19 - 30

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyra_song

Most probably Anet is watching for evidence of this:

Farmer A spends 24 hours a day farming 1 spot. Farmer A doesnt play missions.

Farmer A has many one-sided transactions of rare items/gold to Storage B (Storage B doesnt give money or items back)

Storage B has all characters loaded with rare items and gold. Storage B doesnt play missions or kill monsters.

Storage B has one-sided transactions with Distributor C.

Distributor C never kills monsters or even play missions and spends all his time having one-sided transactions with Ebay Buyers D, E, and F.

Anet cross references the different accounts, IPs, and flow of gold and items from one account to the other. They decide by the data that the accounts are part of an ebay network and shut them down.

Most likely, the OP's friend fits the data of Farmer A.

to quote you"all that my friend did in the game each day after day is farm UW, and his only char was a 55 life monk."

Tell me thats not suspicious?

you got the essential. as for what i said, it's exacly what i meant, that's ALL he does and that's why he got banned. i always told him to play the damn missions or to make a new char, i knew i was onto something..

on another note, i regularly gave items to 'myself' since i own more than 1 account. i also have an account with 1 monk that i used for farming uw in europe. i did the exact same thing as this person for 3 months and then i got fed up of pve and quit it. probably the only reason i didn't get banned was coz i improved my chars equipment.

my friend probly deserves the ban technically speaking but i'm just annoyed because Anet's 'ban' profile could very much fit a hardcore farmer that farms for himself. i also don't like the idea of constantly being wached

Solange

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2006

Kings Army of Surmia [KAOS]

10 Mar 2006 at 19:26 - 31

Thank You A.net

Pump It Up!!!!!!

wsmcasey

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Right behind you.

HeRo

W/Rt

10 Mar 2006 at 19:27 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Granamyr

What has ANet done to earn such a privilege that you don't ever question their judgement but rather praise every banning action they take?

What has ANet done? They made the game and set the rules of conduct. After installing the game you pressed the button agreeing to abide by these rules. You paid for the right to play this game, but ANet reserves the right to revoke those privileges if you break the agreement that you accepted. YOUR PLAYING ON THEIR TERMS! Even if this was a Democracy, if you break the law you will pay the price.

Naxohs Seralna

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2005

Norway

House of the Silver Phoenix (HSP)

E/R

10 Mar 2006 at 19:38 - 33

Quote:

Originally Posted by allience

he did not directly ebay anything as far as i know

Key words are bolded.

Big kudos to ArenaNet! Get those dirty scab eBayers out of the game!

Diablo???

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

Seattle

SPQR

N/R

10 Mar 2006 at 19:43 - 34

I agree it would suck if a hardcore farmer was wrongfully banned on such accusations, but Anet wouldn't risk a wrongful ban without thorough research and inspections. Knowing that 80% of the guild wars populous as farmers, such actions would be counter profiting.

TheMosesPHD

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2006

Oregon

Mo Mo Patty Blinks [MoMo]

R/

10 Mar 2006 at 19:59 - 35

Well whether or not he really was going against the EULA or not, if this kid was farming so hardcore all the time that it looked like he was amassing gold for real world profit, then I'd have to say it's better off that he is now restricted access from the game. Most all of us have some level of addiction to the game, but if it gets that bad, regardless of how it affects the game, hopefully this kid has a little more time to stand in the sun or just hang out in the real world. Welcome to life young one! Have fun discovering all the tangible goodness that is the real world!

heavy metal rules

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2005

cape cod, ma

{bkr} bad karma ressurection

W/

10 Mar 2006 at 20:04 - 36

i've been reporting people for selling their second accounts. I reported one the other day. and i'm glad anet is stopping these people. *granamyr, the evidence that anet needs is a screen pic of someone saying what they are doing, either the screen pic is of a pm between the two, or if it's in general chat. 2 thumbs up for anet..

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 20:13 - 37

Quote:

Originally Posted by allience

on another note, i regularly gave items to 'myself' since i own more than 1 account. i also have an account with 1 monk that i used for farming uw in europe. i did the exact same thing as this person for 3 months and then i got fed up of pve and quit it. probably the only reason i didn't get banned was coz i improved my chars equipment.

close but no cigar.

the reason your account wasnt touched was because you were not in contact with or funneling items to other flagged accounts.

if one sided swaps were it i would be long gone for account to account switching.

they have been watching for months and logging what goes where and from them to the top and ebay.

if some lawyer tries to get a class action suit going over this i am willing to bet Anet has the logs to prove guilt before banning

Teklord

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Lloyd.ab.ca

Lords of All

R/Mo

10 Mar 2006 at 20:16 - 38

Screenshot proof would never be enough on it's own. If it was, I'd be having lots of fun with photoshop getting the idiots of the world banned...

Also for those that thought my logic posted earlier was a profile for all Farmers in general. Go back and read it again, this time pay attention to the sentence referring to the eBay link. If there is no eBay link in the chain, then it's just regular farming (or trading between storage accounts).

Gargle Blaster

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2005

10 Mar 2006 at 20:18 - 39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Granamyr

I agree, it's scary that ANet's policy is to ban without giving any evidence to back up their reasoning and that there are no appeals. Scarier still is the groupthink displayed by this forum that ANet is ALWAYS right when they wield their immensely powerful ban weapon. I don't know what inspires you to give a company this kind of trust without any evidence that they've only punished the guilty.

Do you trust Wal-Mart this much? Do you trust Microsoft this much? Do you trust the US government this much? What has ANet done to earn such a privilege that you don't ever question their judgement but rather praise every banning action they take?

yall need to read this one again... there should be some way to check if anet's actions are just.

i agree that somthing should be done about people breaking the ULA, but without any evidence to prove guilt there is no justice.

MSecorsky

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

So Cal

The Sinister Vanguard

Me/

10 Mar 2006 at 20:18 - 40

C'mon, think about it. An account with one character only, and a 55 monk that does nothing but farm one location day in and day out.

No other characters? At all?

This goes beyond suspicion.