TruthScape.com - Item Scams Involving Player Owned Houses

In 2006, Jagex released the Construction skill, which enables players to design and build their own houses. These houses include a huge number of new features and capabilities, so it is no surprise that the bad folks in RuneScape found a couple of ways to exploit some of them for scamming purposes. Most of the scams related to player owned houses (POHs) were properly classified as lures, since they worked by getting you killed and then taking your items. Jagex finally stopped these lures by making it so you can’t be killed in houses or be kicked out near death, so house lures are now obsolete. There are still some more straightforward item scams to watch out for, though.

The most common “regular” item scam in someone's POH involves trying to get people to drop items on the ground, or put them on furniture like tables. The scammer won't be stupid and just tell you to do this directly - usually it will be done as part of some other activity. For example, it might occur during a house party; sometimes “trust games” are also done in houses: the owner will try to encourage everyone to put their best item on a table because it would be “cool” or whatever. There's an element of trust involved since the person will seem trustworthy for inviting you to a house party.

If you drop an item or put it on a table in someone's house, it acts the same as if you did it anywhere else, as long as you are in the house: for the first minute only you can see it, then anyone can. Victims think that this means they are safe from having the items taken, but the owner can eject guests from his house at any time. If he does, and disables allowing guests back in, you cannot retrieve your item and the house owner can just take it.

Jagex does provide a warning about this, to hopefully prevent some of these scams from occurring (see Figure 99). Heed that warning! There is no reason to ever drop valuables or put them on a table in someone's house. That applies even to friends whom you know you can trust - what if they lag and lose connection? You'll get booted from the house and lose the item.

**Figure 99: Dangerous Drop Zone**
Never drop valuable items in someone else’s house, even for a moment. You could lose the item as part of a scam or even an unintentional glitch.

Staff Impersonation Item Scams

Godsword Related Item Scams

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Last Update: September 28, 2008

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