Common OSRS Scams to Avoid in 2025: Protect Your Account!

Old School RuneScape is a fantastic community, but like any online environment, it unfortunately attracts scammers looking to steal your hard-earned gold, items, or even your entire account. Being aware of common scams is your best defense.

At Tons of XP, your security is important to us, whether you're using our services or just playing the game. Here are some prevalent scams to watch out for in 2025:

1. Trade Scams

These prey on players not paying close attention during trades:

• Item Switching: The scammer shows a valuable item (e.g., Bandos Chestplate), then quickly switches it to a similar-looking cheap item (e.g., Rune Platebody (Bandos Trim)) right before you accept. Always double-check the final trade confirmation screen carefully.
• Cash Stack Manipulation: They offer a large amount of platinum tokens or cash, then remove some or change tokens to regular coins hoping you won't notice the reduced value. Verify the exact amount shown.
• "Trust Me" Trades / Anti-Scam Scams: Someone asks you to trade your items to "prove you trust them" or to "demonstrate an anti-scam method." Never trade your items to someone you don't implicitly trust for no reason.

2. Luring Scams

Lures involve tricking players into dangerous areas (usually the Wilderness) or situations where they'll lose their items:

• Skull Tricking: Scammers manipulate players into attacking them first (often using disguised alts or confusing scenarios), causing the victim to become skulled and risk all their items upon death in PvP zones. Be extremely wary of strange requests or seemingly helpful players leading you into the Wilderness.
• Fake Giveaways / Games: Advertising huge giveaways or games of chance requiring you to bring valuable items to a specific (often dangerous) location. Legitimate giveaways don't require you to risk your wealth.
• Teleport Lures: Convincing you to teleport somewhere dangerous using misleading item names or instructions (e.g., Teletabs disguised as something else, instructions leading to Wilderness levers). Verify all teleport destinations.

3. Phishing Scams

These aim to steal your login details:

• Fake Login Pages: Scammers create websites that perfectly mimic the official RuneScape login page. They might advertise these via fake OSRS streams (e.g., fake Jagex Q&A streams on Twitch/YouTube promising double XP or giveaways if you log in via their link), emails, or in-game messages. ALWAYS ensure you are on the official oldschool.runescape.wiki or runescape.com domain before entering login details. Never log in via links from suspicious streams or messages.
• Fake Jagex Emails: Emails pretending to be from Jagex claiming your account is compromised or you've won a prize, asking you to click a link and log in. Jagex rarely contacts you via email for account issues needing immediate login. Check sender addresses carefully.
• In-Game Impersonation: Players pretending to be Jagex Moderators (JMods have gold crowns in chat) asking for your password or bank PIN. JMods will NEVER ask for your password or PIN.

4. Fake Service Provider Scams

With the popularity of services, scammers set up fake offerings:

• Impossibly Cheap Deals: Advertising services (like Infernal Capes or 99s) for prices far below market rate. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. They may take your payment and disappear, or worse, steal items from your account.
• Asking for Bank PIN: Legitimate service providers like Tons of XP will NEVER ask for your Bank PIN. Anyone asking for it is trying to scam you.
• Using Bots: Providers who use bots put your account at high risk of being banned. They might offer cheap services but jeopardize your account's safety.

How to Choose Safe Services: Look for established providers with positive feedback, clear communication, and explicit safety policies (like Tons of XP's 100% Hand-Trained Guarantee).

General Safety Tips:

• Enable RuneScape Authenticator: Adds a crucial layer of security to your account.
• Use a Unique & Strong Password: Don't reuse passwords from other websites.
• Secure Your Registered Email: Use a strong password and enable 2FA on your email account.
• Be Skeptical: If something seems suspicious or too good to be true, trust your gut.
• Never Share Your Password or Bank PIN. Period.
• Use Reputable Gold/Service Providers: When buying gold or using services, stick to known, trusted vendors like Tons of XP. Check our gold buying safety checklist.

Stay vigilant, trust cautiously, and protect your account!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What should I do if I think I've been scammed? A: Report the player in-game immediately using the report abuse function. If you suspect your account security has been compromised (e.g., clicked a phishing link), change your password immediately and run a malware scan on your computer. If you lost items, unfortunately, Jagex typically does not return items lost due to scams.

Q2: Are giveaways in the Grand Exchange always scams? A: Many "doubling money" or simple "giveaways" at the GE are lures or scams designed to build trust before attempting a larger scam. While some players do genuine drop parties, be extremely cautious of anyone asking you to trade items or large sums of money first.

Q3: How can I verify if an OSRS service provider is legitimate? A: Look for signs of professionalism: a well-maintained website, clear contact information/live chat, positive reviews on independent platforms (though be wary of fake reviews), explicit guarantees about hand-training vs. botting, and clear statements that they will NEVER ask for your Bank PIN. Established history is also a good sign.