Warning
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Performing any of these actions will result in a ban! |
The various methods of the scams that are displayed and explained in this page should not be attempted in the game. The sole purpose of this page is to inform unsuspecting players, so that they will be able to avoid such scams. Attempting such illegal actions can result in a punishment.
Scams or hacking are illegal actions that are performed by players, usually for the sole purpose of earning items without working too much for them. Such actions are frowned upon, and most of which can be punishable and may result in a ban from the game itself.
Should you enter a world where illegal actions are taking place, it is highly encouraged for you to leave the world immediately. A simple act of spectating a scam is punishable. If, by chance, a moderator is online, kindly message them (/msg <name of moderator> <message>) once. But only if any is online. It is not encouraged to continuously spam and bombard them with your messages. It is not advisable to try to solve any problems regarding scams by yourself, as it may put you, as well as other players, in unnecessary trouble.
EDIT: With the new update, player can do /report to report the world, mods will check the world. But if you /report and there is nothing wrong with the world. You could get banned for that. When you type /report, you have to make sure that world is just scamming. Not the players.
Reporting scams, even if supported by images or video clips, in the Growtopia Forums, or sending an e-mail to the Support Team is a useless act. The Support Team does not accept photographs or clips of any illegal actions, and the Forums is not a place to report such actions.
There are also worlds in-game that educate players on scams and how to avoid them. One example is STOPDONTDROP, which is currently under the ownership of @MAHHTIN.
Drop Games
Drop Game #1
Drop Game in progress
The Drop Game is one of the most common scams. The scammer tells the participants/victims to drop their items on the ground in order to win a prize. Instead, you will be kicked/banned from the world. A Game Generator can also be used, kicking players back to the spawn, or even a Door Mover to move all players back to the white door. They can also place blocks over your items, preventing you to take it back. Maybe some may give good things but very low chance, Don't risk it!
Usually used drop game tactic in progress
It is advisable to not oblige to whatever the scammer tells you to do. Even if the scammer gives a prize to a player, they might be allied with the owner, convincing you the game is legit.
Drop Game #2
This is drop game in which the scammer lets you lock the world he had already placed blocks in. There will bean entrance in both rooms that are hidden by dark backgrounds, which is very disguised and hard to see. Once you drop your rares, the scammer will enter the entrance and pick up your items.
Another way that they can scam you is with wallpapers in the room. The colored wallpapers is very similar to the blocks used to separate the rooms, disguising the fact they can be walked through and are not blocked off. As you drop your items they will jump into the wallpaper and take them. Secret Passages can also be used, for they have the same design with Wood Blocks.
Drop Game #3 aka. Trust Test
This type of scam is very common between friends. They would pressure the victim to grant them access to their lock or give them items to prove their trust. However, there is a high chance that the person would steal the item. If the victim refuses to give the items, the scammer would break their 'friendship'.
World Trades (Patched)
As of June 3, 2015, you are NOT able to trade a world with loosely dropped items, items in chests and items covered in public blocks. This patch terminated almost ALL scams related to world trade.
World Trade Scam #1
For this scam, the owner puts a checkpoint behind the dropped items in a world so that the checkpoint is not visible. The scammer will put other random items to cover the checkpoint and once you buy it, they will respawn and take it.
This scam also uses doors behind dropped items, there will be items dropped to sweeten the bargain so you will buy the world, but behind the items there is a Entrance, so that the scammer's ally can take the items before you can get a chance to get near them. Usually, there are Cave Backgrounds behind the Cave Entrance to hide it. Always look closely, if you see Cave Background then it is more likely than not a "Trade Key" Scam.
World Trade Scam #2
This world scam is tricky enough to trick some people but some know what it is and to avoid it, they will go into the world with a door leading the items, but the door actually leads to another world with an insanely similar name, some can see on their chat (or can easily tell because its taking some time to travel worlds), so if they go back to the main world, and she/he bought the key, she/he would know that the other world, was actually not part of the world.
World Trade Scam #3
In this scam, the scammer will block out rare items with Secret Passage, which has similar looks with the Wood block. He places it very far from our wrenching range and victims don't usually notice it. The owner might also set the entrance in public, if he plans to put a door from another world above with other players to collect the item below.
World Trade Scam #4
In this scam, there will be a door with items dropped on it. The scammer will be standing beside a door that may or may not lead to the items. When the victim buys the key, the victim may ban the scammer. However, the scammer's friends (different IP Address) will then enter the door from another world and take back the items.
World Trade Scam #5
This is one of the scams hard to bust, but those who succeed usually gets rich by gaining profit. The scammer will sell a world with an expensive item for a very low cost. They usually won't cover up the items and will stand very close to it. If the buyer doesn't ban the scammer fast enough, he will buy the world without the item, hence getting scammed.
World Trade Scam #6
This scam uses 2 people, one being the owner and the other being an admin. The owner will sell a world with rare items in it which is dropped in a block far away from spawn. Once you purchase it, the owner will pull you in a box and trade you. The admin will then take the item before the owner gets world key. When you have completed the trade, you will notice that there is no items at the place the scammer dropped it.
World Trade Scam #7
The scammer will put rare items in a Treasure Chest, Highly Combustible Box, etc. Then he will tell you to look at a "surprise" underneath the storage item. Meanwhile, he would take the items from the chest, you might ask him to show the items, if you do he would pretend to take the items from an empty chest, puts the items back in and tells you to look a the "surprise again." He will ask you to trade with him so you can get scammed.
World Trade Scam #8
The scammer will try to sell items through a Vending Machine in a world. After the victim sees what is inside the machine, he'll get the items inside the vend, but disguising his act as pulling the victim to trade. After trading, all the victim will get is only an empty vending machine.
World Trade Scam #9
The scammer will put Art Wall behind a Treasure Chest or a Giant Clam. The scammer will put rares like Example : World Locks, Diamond Locks, ATM Machines Other Rares. The scammer will put a Screen Door or a Door 5 to 15 blocks above the treasure chest. The scammer, Example : Scammer2017, might super-broadcast a message like : "SELLING WORLD FOR 15 to 74 World Lock/! 74-100% NO SCAM!!!" Then a range from 11 to 74 people come in a world like : "SELLWORLD45" The victim like example : ScamVictim will be interested into buying that world. The scammer might get a World Key to trade with the victim. A few moments later, the victim now has access to a World Lock, Emerald Lock, or Diamond Lock. The victim tries to take the items. Then the scammer gets 11 to 74 World Locks and then leaves. Then the scammer falls on the Treasure Chest or Giant Clam, punches the chest or clam with Art Wall and then takes the rare items. The victim says "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" and then kicks or bans it's scammer. If you did that in the game, you can get banned from the game for a long period of time.
Casino (Betting)
Casinos are common and are never trusted. You are required to bet your World Locks with another player. You are then asked to spin a Roulette Wheel or something else that is similar. If you manage to win, the owner will either ban you immediately, or will allow you to win in order to gain your trust. Casinos and betting violate the game's rules. If you encounter a casino world, message a Moderator if there is any online. However, if there are no moderators online, ignore the world and leave.
With effect from July 20th, 2015, any kind of betting is banned in Growtopia. Should you ever be caught hosting such illegal actions, you will be banned from the game. Participating in a casino or spectating or doing anything that involves betting will also result in a punishment, but a lighter one.
Fake Growtoken Worlds (Patched)
There are worlds in Growtopia that promise a reward upon completing the game, but end up not giving them a prize. This wastes the players' time and would result in the owner gathering Growtokens from the world. The owner of the world will either make the questions or the obstacles impossible to complete, resulting in players wasting their time trying to get the prize.
Please take note that just because the world does not give a prize doesn't always mean it is a scam. It is only a scam if the world doesn't give a prize to the player even if it says it will.
EDIT: Due to Systems Update, you no longer earn Growtokens by people visiting your worlds.
Password Door Game Scam
Players place password doors and broadcasts that there is a password door game and the winner will get the prize. But the owner puts a different password from the guess area. (e.g. 0 as a password although the door caption is "10 ~ 1000"), making a player's stay much longer in the world. Even if the answer had been guessed correct, it doesn't lead you to the door with the prices you are aiming for.
Fake Broadcast by the owner to lure in new players in the game to waste their time in the world and hence, having their growtokens.
Fake Broadcast Scams (Patched)
During the release of the Legendary Quests, and other new stuff, players will often fake the presence of the new things to 'lure' other Players into the broadcaster/owner's world; usually to gain Growtokens from visitors. The same technique is also used for untradeable items. There are also fake broadcasts of people owning growtoken worlds that they're selling some items for a very low cost. They are lies told to get visitors to stay in the world.
EDIT : You can't get Growtokens from player visits since the Systems Update.
Fake Shops
Common these days in Growtopia, players will pretend they're quitting and would Broadcast, Custom-Broadcast, or Super Broadcast saying that he is quitting and the items are for sale. He would indicate the price of the item he's selling for a very low price, but he does not answer to any replies of buyers in the world.
Fake Game Worlds
A sign that a world is a game world is if its name is ridiculously long like WLLLLLLLLLLL or WIIIIIINNNNNN. It will usually be a world with a hall at the beginning telling you to rate 5 and that it isn't a scam. The prizes may seem good. The first obstacle is most likely a dragon gate bridge (dragon gates set on public so anybody can punch it and send you falling onto death spikes) and then an impossible password game. Some may actually have real prizes, but probably not good ones. (Example: In three prize chutes, one is 20 World Locks, 2nd is a Dragon Hand, and 3rd is a Dirt Seed. You will probably win the dirt seed or not win anything at all, since some worlds have an impassable/password door at the very end.)
Donate to Win
Players are required to donate the rarest item to the scammer to receive a promised prize. Alternate players, or puppets, are commonly used to lure unsuspecting players into the game. Players will then donate rare items to the scammer. However, the players will not receive any rewards and will instead be banned from the world.
Work Hiring
A player broadcasts asking players to help him break and says there will be a prize at the end. They do this to because they are too lazy to break themselves and cannot afford to pay their breaker. They will either ban or give a lame prize at the end, or even ignore the player after helping him/her break. But this not means all who asks for help are scammers; sometimes they don't really intend to give a prize for work but merely asking for other players to help.
Note: Some also advertise this as XP farming (which it kind of is, since you get free experience for high rarity items).
Account Password Scam
The scammer will sell the password of a different account which is a "fake account" (nothing in the inventory, level one, no clothes) to scam the people who are buying. Once they buy it, they will login with the password and realize that they have been scammed.
Pro Item Scam
Usually a higher leveled player scamming a low level player. The scammer will offer an uncommon but useless item like Wiggly Worm or Radioactive Chemical (Because they are not easy to obtain in the lower levels) for a world or lots of seeds.The victim will not know he/she is getting something of no value.
Phishing Scams
Phishing Scams #1
This scam is very simple. The scammer says he/she can hack Growtopia for the player but the player must send him/her the password. This type of scam is often done on YouTube videos (many times with a link to a website that claims to give gems and is littered with all types of advertisements).
Phishing Scam # 2
This scam is similar to type #1 but far more advanced. This scam is an advanced application that sends the player's password to the scammer's mail. This application could possibly bring malware to player's PC. This scam is often done by advanced scammers.
Phishing Scam # 3
Like type #2, this phishing takes scamming into another step. Since email providers such as gmail will disable the mail from being overused by many IP at the same time, the application will directly upload save.dat file via FTP, PHP, or whatever service available to the scammer's server. This is very dangerous and can be undetected.
NOTE: save.dat file is a configuration file save locally storing user's settings, password, and other sensitive information.
EDIT: Since early 2015, user's password is encrypted and no longer visible from save.dat file. However the user's password can be accessed by directly replacing the local save.dat file with stolen save.dat file.
Vending Scam
This costs a high price to conduct, yet it is one of the most successful scams made, but it's success rate is very much unknown.
In one kind, the owner makes the area very dark and slow, placing Water Buckets and dark wallpapers like The Darkness or Dark Cave Background. There is usually a portal underneath the Vending Machine in case the scam doesn't go as planned. Owner will super broadcast that he's/she's selling items for cheap, cheap enough to attract a lot of players to buy and go to his world. Before he/she opens the gate to the vend, he changes the price of a vending machine hidden among the dark wallpapers very cheap, the price the buyers are expecting (ex: Portcullis 50/ World Lock). But in the real vending, the price is very expensive (ex: Portcullis 5/ World Lock). Some players will be able to see this, but the owner sells the items in cheap price in the first sales, making others to believe that it's legit. Some of these lucky buyers could be an ally or a friend; they already know what to expect when the gates open to the vends. When the owners sense that the victims are believing his set-up lie, he/she changes the price quickly to confuse buyers. If he sees that the scam had failed, he opens up the portal below the vends, having Growtokens from the people that entered his world.
The second one is very much easier; it doesn't require unnecessary items to make the scam successful. The owner does a very simple super broadcast saying he's selling items for a low price (ex: Coffee Maker 3/ World Lock. Players immediately rushes in to buy Coffee Makers, but finds out late that they have bought Coffee.
The third one is also easier, the scammer puts an item in a display block underneath the vending machine, and fill the vending machine with a similar texture or name. The player will buy the item in the machine, thinking they're buying the item on the display block, but instead a similar item. e.g. The owner puts pet bunny in a display block underneath a vending machine, then he puts cuddly bunny in the vending machine. The unsuspecting victim bought the cuddly bunny for an overpriced price instead of the Pet Bunny
The Counterfeit Scam
This is almost the same as a World Trade Scam but slightly different. This could also be done in trade. A scammer will drop a seed or block that is identical, or almost identical to a cheaper seed or block. One of the example is "Crystal Block Seed and Open Sign Seed", "Blackrock Wall Seed and Ocean Rock Seed" , "Pinball Bumper Seed and Yellow Block Seed", "Emerald Block Seed and Cash Register Seed" and "Birth Certificate and Secret of Growtopia" and "Fire Escape Seed" and "Black Block Seed" and "Chandelier seed with Sand seed" It is very rare to find two different seeds with the same or similar colour and pattern. Then the scammer cover it with a block and broadcast that he is selling it for cheap. After you buy the world key, break the block and get the items, you are realized that you got scammed by the identical block or seed.
Trade Scam
You may think that trading is impossible to scam but finally it came. This scam is totally different from any other scam. The scammer will make the player pay attention to somewhere else while the scammer is changing items quickly, or will use lag as an excuse to change the items. It is quick that the player cannot press "Accept Trade" button. When the scammer stopped, the player, without realizing that the trade has changed like 10 World Lock to 1World Lock or diamond locks into ice, will accept the trade without realizing the trade has already changed.
Fake Friendship Scam
A lot of scammer will ask us to add them as a friend, there is usually 2 types of scams.
Fake Friendship #1
A lot of random players can ask us to add them as a friend, usually new players, and mean no harm. But some of them will befriend you to take your items or put you in danger. They could ask you to play Casino (which is now illegal) or gain your trust too much and have a way to get the items you have.
Fake Friendship #2
In this case of scam, scammer will randomly ask to add us. (They are usually same country as you so it is more easy to get your trust.) In the beginning, they will be nice with you and almost do everything with you. But when they gain enough trust from you, they will suddenly being mad with you.(Such as not answering your question, remove your access in their world, etc.) If you ask them their reason, they will usually answer "I do not trust you." (Or even not answer.) And if you drop item in their world or give them access, they will take all your item and remove you as a friend. If you ask them to return, they mostly will answer "No one tells you to drop / No one tells you to give me access."
If they scammed you very much (like 50 wls or more), they might even sb about you and say you are scammer which give them items and say they are scammer.
How To Avoid
If someone asks you to add them as a friend, it's okay. But if they ask for anything about your personal property in Growtopia (or real life), you shouldn't give them and remove them at once, unless you ACTUALLY know them in real life.
Fake Items
There are a lot of items still left to discover in Growtopia, but some of them are very much fake and are really not part of the game.
Bat Wings (@Play's Wings)
Moderator @Play have his own Moderator item, the Play Wings, which looks like a gargoyle behind a mannequin. Since then, scammers trick players into selling worlds with @Play's wings in a mannequin, with the gargoyle acting as the wings itself. Moderator items are untradeable.
Samurai Sword
This is thought to be a Legendary item before and scammers sell them for huge amounts of World Locks. It is simply a Black Growsaber over a White Block.
"@Seth is at my world" scam
This scam is usually when the owner of a world (should be a good one) broadcasts that any moderator or famous youtuber is at their world and tell people to come and take screenshots. Example: @Seth is in my world come meet him! This scam is usually to get people to be interested in the world and to possibly rate it 5 and to earn growtokens.
PATCHED: You no longer get growtokens from people entering your world (Systems Update)
Fake Youtube Recording
In this scam, scammers pretend to be youtubers recording a video in their channel. They will ask you to be featured in their video that could be about scammings or a simple skit that will require you to drop an item. They pretend to be youtubers to gain players' trust, knowing that someone famous won't scam them to protect their reputation. Once you drop an item, the scammer could either ban/kick you or block the items, preventing you from getting it back.
Super Broadcast Scam
A lot of people doesn't have enough gems to do a Super Broadcast, so they buy SB's from players that can do. But some of the buyers won't give their payment after the victim's SB; they can simply leave, ban, kick, or ignore him. Or it could be vice versa; payment will be given first and the seller would not do the Super Broadcast.
Selling gems this way is very risky, but some people made "Super Broadcast worlds" where players can sell their gems safely by having a midman, or an admin of the world to help them guide and negotiate with the buyer without getting scammed. But, not all SB worlds and their admins are trusted.
Phone Booth Scams (PATCHED)
Phone Booth when punched.
Phone Booth when wrenched.
This scam is using one of the item from the superhero pack, called Phone Booth. This item would allow you to store and remove your clothing items, but you won't be able to see it's content from the outside. You could take a look by punching the Phone Booth, and once you clicked "Yes", all your clothing item you're wearing will be replaced by the items inside.
Phone Booth Scam #1
The owner will access you to a world with a Phone Booth. He will ask you to punch the machine and put your items inside to prove your trust. After that, he will remove your access and either kick/ban you from the world.
Phone Booth Scam #2
The scammer will have a Phone Booth in the world they're about to sell, and they would wear rare clothing. Then he'd put those items in the Phone Booth and quickly use their wrench to take those items out without putting them on. When its bought, the victim will find the Phone Booth empty.
EDIT : This scam its patched, only the owner can use the Phone Booth.
Spleef Scam
This scam is commonly used (be careful!) and it's easy. The owner puts a rare prize (e.g. World Lock) and hosts the spleef. The owner will ask people to pay when they died. The payment is usually a fairly small but rare clothes item or huge lock. At the end, the victims realized that they have been scammed and realize their mistakes.
How to avoid: If you get asked to pay for life in a spleef game, never pay. It is safer not to pay. At least a quarter of spleef games are scams. (And another quarter is a bad prize)
With effect of July 20th 2015, Any kind of betting is banned in Growtopia, Paying for a chance to win is included as betting, should you be caught, you will be punished, to a lesser extent (cursed).
Glitch Seed Scam
Type #1
The glitch seed scam is used by players to trick other players that the seed is a glitch so the scammer will sell it in a high price. The scammer will place the seed (which is not really a glitch seed) in a world and sell the world in a high price. Then the scammer will tell others that it is a glitch seed, so players will be interested in buying it. So when the player who bought the world will receive a seed that isn't really a glitch.
How to avoid: Now Glitch Clothing Seeds aren't glitch seeds, many are being added because of the Clothing Compactor. Otherwise, ask the owner to buy it from trade. If he/she says no, it's a scam.
Type #2
This is the new scam that rare to find but be advanced scam type. Owner will drop any same (or almost) color (layer and main colour) and then drop glass pane seed in treasure chest and cover it with water. And owner will bc that it was a glitch seed. When other ask owner to show in treasure chest , owner will quickly open and close the chest. So it may look like a new seed. When a player bought that world will receive 2 seed (1 glass pane and other depend on owner to drop).
How to avoid: If there is a Treasure Chest, water over it and items in it, its a scam no matter what. Just shout "SCAM" to warn other players and instantly leave the world.
Treasure Chest Scam (Patched)
This is a scam that is rarely used. The scammer will put the rare item in the edge of the treasure chest which is sticking out and broadcast she/he is selling the world and then pull some random people that to prove everyone that the treasure chest is not public. He/she will later punch the treasure chest showing everyone the item inside. Once trading with the victim the trade menu that warns you about getting scammed will block the treasure chest and that makes the victim distracted. And the scammer will be REALLY close to the edge of the treasure chest which the item is sticking out of (It's closed) and quickly punch it to get the item and close it quickly. The victim won't notice and he/she will accept the trade while the owner quickly leaves or stay. When the player bought the scam world he/she will get nothing in the chest.
UPDATE: Owners of worlds are not allowed to take the world key when there are items in treasure chests or floating unblocked in the world.
Fake Item Quantity Scam (Patched)
This scam is uncommon . The scammer sells a world with a World Lock. Then he places a random item behind it (e.g.: Grass, Glass Pane, etc.). There is only one World Lock. The player buys the world and gets it and gets only 1 of it.
UPDATE: Locks now have a orange border.
Fake Item Quantity Scam 2
The scammer drops a world lock or rare item. Note that the scammer drops it after dropping 200 of a non-rare item such as dirt or stinky socks (because it's easy to splice and small) and makes it look like 200 world locks.
Fake World lock (Yellow Block) Key Scam (Patched)
PATCHED: Locks now have an orange border.
This scam is hard tricky enough for you to get scammed. The Owner will broadcast that he/she buys an item,
Example: Owner buys Skeletal Dragon Claw for 300 World Locks and More!
But then you see 100 World Locks on the Dirt on top of 200 World locks.
DON'T BE FOOLED: The 200 World locks are actually Yellow Blocks which are hidden underneath the 100 World locks hiding the blocks making them appear like 200 World locks. Then if the buyer buys the world, he/she would be scammed selling the item for just 100 World Locks!
Chest Game
In this game, you will be asked to pay the owner/admin an amount of WLs or rares. The items will be hidden within the chests. The owner/admin can lie to you that there are large prizes in one of the chests (Or more). Be cautious, as they can put low rarity items in the chests, so they can profit from your initial payment.
Note: There is no guarantee that any of the chests will contain any higher rarity prizes than the items you paid. Be careful with these games, as they can be a scam.
EDIT: With effect from July 20th, any kind of betting is banned in Growtopia. You will be banned similarly to a drop game if you host betting. Participating in betting will also result in punishment, to a lesser extent.
"Mammoth Tree in World Scam"
In this scam, the owner will broadcast "Mammoth tree in world! Selling!" Just before you buy the world, the owner will quickly harvest and take the items, and you won't have it. This scam can also be used with other rare trees (e.g. Ice Calf, Crystal/Ruby/Emerald, Rainbow Wing, etc.)
How to avoid: Always ask the owner to surround the tree with blocks and have the /ban in your chat, so when you buy, you will get it.
"Vending Machine Scam"
In this scam, the owner will BC,CB or SB, said "Sell <any number> <any farmable> for WL" or "GIVEAWAY USE VENDING MACHINE, HURRY OR OTHER PLAYERS WILL GET IT" After you enter, the world is like a giveaway path leading to the vending machine. This scam method is so effective that people don't read it carefully. After you wrench the vending machine you might notice that <any number> and the <any farmable>. If you read it carefully you might see "cost 1 World Lock each"
HOW TO AVOID: Make sure you read the Vending Machine trade confirmation carefully. Don't buy items in the Vending Machine unless you need it.
No World Lock Scam
In this scam, 2 players who are friends put a big lock and broadcasts: QUITTING COME GET MY ITEMS DROP AND WIN! And a lot of people go in, but they narrow it down and see which one is gullible enough to drop and they put a world lock and type /ban player.
How to avoid:
Just place a random lock in the world so they can't place the world lock and LEAVE WORLD.
Giveaway Scam (Patched)
Patched : This scam is very uncommon now, because you can't get Growtokens anymore by player visits.
In this scam, the owner with do a typical exit door giveaway. When he/she countdowns, he then says "GO' and then collects the items himself. then he will repeat the procedure all over again. that means he/she is trying to farm Growtokens.
How to avoid: Just simply tell everyone to leave and LEAVE or Report!
Trade Scam #2
In this scam, people will buy you rares. (Eg: Devil Wings, Angel Wings) but they offer something less rare for the item. (eg: Block Glue). Then, someone(his/her friend) comes in and buy Block Glue for an expensive item, leading you to think that Block Glue suddenly became expensive. Hence, you buy the item for your rares, thinking that the other guy is overpaying you, but it is the direct opposite!
How to Avoid: Always check the price of the item people are selling!
Beach World Scam (Patched)
In this scam, the owner will make a pristine untouched beach world and take the item in the chest(s). And he would place a lot of chests in the world and broadcast "SELLING PRISTINE BEACH WORLD UNTOUCHED!!!" And the victim would buy the world and find out that there is nothing in the chests.
How to avoid: LEAVE!
Patched: You can't sell worlds with items in treasure chests now so don't get fooled that the chests are untouched.
Fake Growboard Scam
The owner drops a Hot Head inside a dirt covered with water. The flame hair will look like a Growboard and the owner will sell the world for cheaper than the Growboard's price itself. Once you pick the "Fake Growboard" (Hot Head) up you will realise it is a scam.
How to avoid: Only do world trade for its name or the blocks placed in it. The only reason that you would buy a world for items is that it is a big trade with more than 4 items or over 200 of the same item.
How to avoid: Look closely to the Growboard and make sure it is actually a Growboard.
Similar Seed Scam 1
In this scam, the scammer will pick a seed similar to another rarer seed (For Example: Leaf Block seed and Venus Guytrap seed as shown in the picture in the right) And /bc SELL VENUS GUYTRAP SEEDS SELL 200 (If he has 200 leaf Block Seeds) And the victim will buy all 200 (if he has enough World Locks) And the owner will leave the world. When the victim plants it, he will then realize he/she has been scammed.
How to avoid: Tap the seeds in trade to verify the name of the seed. Also, there's the trade confirmation screen for a reason!
Shop Scam 2
So, the owner gives you a free shop with a big lock, then you start putting stuff to sell. After you put stuff to sell, the next day the owner steals all your stuff (or he/she bans you as soon as you fill your "free shop") and YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS.
How to avoid: Just make your own shop you must not waste your items to get a slot just make your own just do a lot of hard work and your shop at first might seem noobish with alot of hard work you can finally have a pro shop and a lot of pro items to sell.
Vending Machine Scam 2
The owner will bc/sb: sell (item) for (price). The owner might also sb/bc giveaway (item.) There will be 3 or more vending machines with doors separating them. The owner will open each door one at a time. The door will be opened and the last vending machine will be a scam.
Ex: Broadcast: Sell Devil Wings 50 World Locks cheap!
Vending Machine #1: Devil Wing Fragment for 50 WLs
Vending Machine #2: Devil Wing Fragment for 50 WLs
Vending Machine #3: Devil Wing Fragment for 200 WLs.
Wikia Scam (Advertising on THIS website)
In this scam, people will advertise stuff like FREE ITEMS on a new page they just created and put links that direct to the website for advertising.
How to Avoid: DO NOT GO TO THE WEBSITE!
How to get rid of: Delete all content and do {{delete}} (I did not do the actual delete because it will show up the box instantly.)
(Almost) Same item scam
In this scam, The seller use vending machine as the object. Then the owner will sell the item for cheap price.
BUT BEWARE!
Some item have almost same name, same sprite, or maybe same characteristic
Ex:
- Seller selling Rainbow Wing 10 wl but at the vend is Rainbow Wig
- Seller selling Chandelier seed but he/she was selling sand seed
- Seller selling Slime leash but he/she put Slime at vend
- Seller selling Pet Bunny but he/she put Cuddly Bunny at vend
- Seller selling Toy Lock-Bot but he/she put Lock-Bot Remote at vend (People that haven't seen the Toy Lock-Bot texture may fall for this)
Garbage Block Scam
The owner will leave something like a Huge Lock or a Big Lock (Or maybe even a World Lock) and will leave it on the floor in a world locked world. When the player comes in, the owner will put a Garbage Block over the lock that is on the floor, Usually the Main Door is blocked with dirt or house entrances, The player will think that the owner doesn't know that garbage is public (So anyone can break it) and will ask the owner to pull him/her, The owner will ask for a SL or something rare the player has for access, When the player gives the items (Usually it's via trade) the owner will world ban the player.
How to avoid: Everybody knows garbage can be broken by anyone (Even if they don't have access) and never pay for access. Usually the world (Or at least the entrance) Will look like this image.
The "I can't see items in trade" Scam
So someone would ask you to show rares but he pretends he can't see it in trade, then he asks you to follow him to his world. After that, he tells you to drop the rare items (most likely happens in hotel worlds when the scammer is owner's friend) then owner will ban you and get items.
How to avoid : If someone tells you to drop your items, never listen to them. Besides, why should you care if the person is BLIND?
Display Box Scam
The scammer tells you to lock the world and put a display box. Then tells you to put something valuable in the display box, and then tell you to remove your WL. Usually people don't fall for this but valuable items can be lost when trusting this kind of scam. The scammer then tells a friend to go in and break the display box, collecting your item that you had put there.
Shop Scam
The scammer has a world with a shop in it and sets a price
(usually a cheap one). Then a visitor will want to buy that item.
The scammer will ask you to pay, but the visitor pays and the
scammer will kick/ban the player from the world.
How to avoid : Simply ask the owner to take it and trade with you.
Stuff Weather scam
The owner will put a untradeable item in a stuff vending machine and BC/SB selling item 200 wls the victim comes and the scammer puts on the weather machine with the item inside and them the world key.the victim tries to get the item but can't and owner gets the wls
How To Avoid:Tell the owner that the item is untradable and leave.
Dirt game
Owner makes a world wth one vending machine. It contains dirt, usually one dirt/wl. Owner broadcasts about game, broadcast looks like this: Buy dirt 1 wl win 2 wl. Players have to purchase dirt, either at any moment or when owner says go. "Winner" is picked by random pull or it's the first person purchasing worthless item. Owner may give prize or no, any way it's considered gambling which is confirmed by moderator Zfert 11 march 2017 (The day game was created and popular)
Picture: Dirt Game in progress
Conclusion
In order to avoid getting scammed, you need to learn how to control yourself. Do not give in to greed or to whatever the scammer says. Just ignore whatever other people say that can lead to you getting scammed. Simply put, have common sense and don't be stupid. Be aware that new scams are going to happen in the FUTURE of Growtopia. Please don't use these SCAMS!