Pokemon Go is handing out lifetime bans to players who cheat

4.8
Do you want to be permanently banned from Pokemon Go? It’s easy: just cheat.

In an update to its terms of service page regarding appealing a ban, Pokemon Go creator Niantic Labs says those who use bots or cheater apps to play the game may have no recourse:

[Reasons for a ban] includes, but is not limited to: falsifying your location, using emulators, modified or unofficial software and/or accessing Pokémon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner including through the use of third party software.

Our goal is to provide a fair, fun and legitimate game experience for everyone. We will continue to work with all of you to improve the quality of the gameplay, including ongoing optimization and fine tuning of our anti-cheat system. If you believe your account has been terminated in error incorrectly, you can appeal that termination through this form. For privacy reasons, please do not post appeals on social media.


What we don’t know is how Niantic Labs plans to discover who’s cheating. Its language is vague (Nianticdoesn’t advise against certain apps), and it’s not clear what technology it may use to discover if you’re actually cheating.

Short of monitoring your smartphone’s location and algorithmically cross referencing it with your activity, I’m at a loss for how Pokemon Go hackers would be caught. The terms of service specifically address emulators and spoofing, not any of the many apps promising to help you find Pokemon in your area.

But if you’re one of the (likely tons of) users who are taking advantage of third-party clients to catch ‘em all, we’d suggest you stop.

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Comments

"Pokemon Go is handing out lifetime bans to players who cheat" :: Login/Create an Account :: 18 comments

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SkatesPosted:

Cheating doesn't even give you an advantage. Being max rank? Wow amazing. If people say gym control, tha'ts false because people who play legit will take over your gym in 5-10 minutes anyways and you'll just take it right back. The 10 coins over 24 hours for controlling a gym is honestly not worth it at all. IMO.

RebPosted:

Yep, I'm banned ffs xD
Oh well, time to do the same again

RacksinSDPosted:

Serves em right I'd say cause it wa supposed to be a fun game not for people to cheat on

VialPosted:

The bots just went to waste ah well got all the best pokemon from it lol

NickPosted:

This sucks for those who botted the game.

FoldPosted:

I'm pretty happy about this tbh, I've been playing legit from Day 1 and the game was getting kind of ruined by the modders. I just hope that their cheat detection system is really good and they don't end up banning legit players by mistake.

junoPosted:

I don't play the game anymore, and idk how to even cheat!

neboPosted:

glad I never cheated on this game haha my university has 100s of pokestops

LS7Posted:

Guees that my account will get banned but hey thats only a game gonna stick to clash of kings instead of pokemon go for now on

9ntyPosted:

Miss What's even the point of cheating in this game. There is nothing to gain out of it.



You gain quiet a bit from it.

You get quiet a lot from it that's why people do it. lol

My sister boyfriend is using a app that people don't really know and he cheats the game which I find it very sad. Cheating a phone app. He's level 35. Would be funny if he had a ban.