TruthScape.com  9  The Truth About RuneScape Item Scams       9  RuneScape Duel Arena Scams and Tricks

RuneScape Duel Arena Scams and Tricks Last-Second Settings and Stakes Changes

Duel Arena scams are different from most other item scams, because they are not based on deceiving you through a trade, but rather tricking you into accepting an unfair duel that you are likely to lose. Accordingly, some of the common sense tips I gave for avoiding item scams simply do not apply to those involving the Duel Arena, while it has its own aspects of common sense you'd do well to keep in mind.

Here are some ideas for keeping yourself from becoming a victim at the Duel Arena:

• Be Cautious of High Stakes: The more you stake, the more you are at risk of being scammed or tricked. If you are dueling for fun (“funning”) then there's no stake, and thus you have no risk; if you are dueling with a 50 million stake, you are providing a big incentive to scammers. For this reason, don't use high stakes until you are sure you understand the dueling system and how to avoid the traps. See Figure 100 for an example of a high-level staker.
  
  
• Beware of Greed: As with item trade scamming, many scams at the Duel Arena work by appealing to the greed of potential victims.
  
  
• Watch Out for Duel Offers that are “Too Good to Be True”: As with item scams, many duelers get scammed because they think they are about to get a big score from an “easy win”. This is a classic setup to get scammed: if someone 50 levels below you wants to stake 1 million, he's probably up to something. Remember: while there certainly are stupid people in the world, it's dangerous to assume that the person you are dealing with is one of them; the “dummy” could well end up being you.
  
  
• Don't Chase Losses: There is a temptation when you lose a stake, to duel the person again to “win it back”. Sometimes losers of a stake even try to double the stake to make up for past losses. This is usually a mistake that will end up compounding what you've lost, and scammers will try to exploit this emotion by trying to duel you over and over again if they beat you the first time. It's also a sign of compulsive gambling.
  
  
• Take Your Time and Check the Dueling Options Screen Carefully: Just like the trade interface, the Dueling Options interface contains many options. You should always check all options carefully before accepting the duel, especially since the second screen here doesn't contain all the details of the agreed-upon duel.
  

  Figure 100: High Roller

  An example of a high-level staker at the Duel Arena. “Yellow” means a yellow party hat, currently worth around 160 million. Note how he says “any levels”, which might entice someone higher level than him into thinking he has an advantage—but he also says “my rules”. This is typical of good stakers, who won’t fight unless you agree to their rules, which they tailor to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. High-end stakers are smart, experienced players who only risk such valuable items because they know they have a very high chance of winning.

  
  

Finally, make sure you don't stake more than you can afford to lose. This won't specifically help you avoid getting scammed, but it will at least keep your losses to a reasonable level if you do.

RuneScape Duel Arena Scams and Tricks Last-Second Settings and Stakes Changes