If you see a MechScape beta site... it is a scam!

It seems as if various RuneScape fasites are being hit with "MechScape beta" and similar scams. Usually they consist of a .co.cc, .info or .tk domain, a fake and login screen intended to steal your RuneScape account details. Others may have a downloadable client which actually contains a keylogger.

When MechScape is available it will be available from http://www.mechscape.com/ (a domain owned by Jagex Ltd but currently unused). I recommend you only access the website by typing in the URL into your web browser to ensure someone hasn't been tricksy and registered a domain which looks similar but isn't. Yes, I know it seems dastardly that people would attempt such things, but they are out there.

Screenshot of two of the many MechScape scam sites which you should avoid:




It may look pretty cool, but if it ain't MechScape.com it ain't Jagex's!

If you come across a scam site then you can report it to Jagex through RSOF at http://forum.runescape.com/forums.ws?103,104,12,58898735

If you come across a suspected scam site, I would spend time to clear out your cookies and temporary internet files. Even possibly do a virus and adware scans to prevent any attempts to get any unwanted scripts off of your computer. Getting noscript if you have Firefox would also be optimal to prevent websites from take advantage of you. It's not a full proof way but increases security.

There will be no downloads what will require an exe file (program) for MechScape so do not trust them. MechScape will be using similar technology as RuneScape so except similar.

Remember never to download something related to Jagex/MechScape that is .exe, even if it appears to come from a respectable source. Best to stay away from downloading anything from any website unless you're absolutely sure.

Also, any emails you get saying they are from Jagex are realy viruses. Delete them right away.

And you can download McAfee SiteAdvisor, Add on for Firefox to keep you safer, shows if your on a bad or good site (Won't detect key logger sites) Anyways the site is http://siteadvisor.com/

McAfee might be able to help identify a legitimate site, but I doubt they would alert you to somewhere being a MechScape scam site.

SiteAdvisor only alerts you to webpages that have already been placed in their filter. The better method is through education, Firefox w/addons (suggested below), and NEVER GIVE YOUR PASSWORD OUT ANYWHERE OMG DINOSAURS WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKY AND EAT YOUR RUNESCAPE LOGIN WHICH IS ALSO YOUR MECHSCAPE LOGIN SO DON'T FOR THE LOVE OF GOD EVEN THINK OF PUTTING YOUR PASSWORD INTO ANYTHING BUT JAGEX.COM OR RUNESCAPE.COM.

Ahemn.

Some great FF addons are NoScript, AdBlockPlus and Firebug. You can add SiteAdvisor if you like, but it won't detect new, unadded scam sites. You have to rely on the basics.

Thanks for thw warning.

Added a screenshot of one of the scam sites.

Always good to be informed ey

Ren, is that an actual picture from an existing (or once existing) scam site? or just a rigged up one for an example?

An actual one. They're using Oscar's pic too, the dastards! And there is another one which uses one of Daniel Sefton's old login screens too .

Wow, looks very legit. People could easily be deceived into believing that it is the real thing.

Apparently they don't know MechScape World from MechScape quite yet... :\

Hm... any advise on how to tell Jagex about scam sites for MechScape? I'm sure they would be interested in cracking down on these websites.

that site looks convensing. the only thing is it's the same layout as runescape.com. all they did was change the color and banners.

Weren't you a P Mod? There are some ways, but JaGeX doesn't listen that much to the public when it comes to this stuff(assuming). Got a good p mod friend?

I don't have that option available to me and most of my pmod friends are inactive or don't play anymore. This question is mainly presented for everyone know know how to handle reporting scam sites. I'm sure not everyone knows how to find a moderator at all hours of the day. The chances of Jagex reading a query that you send is also quite low, especially for nonmembers. Also, by the time they read it the amount of people the website cold have scammed is daugnting. You also have the possibility that they wouldn't read it at all. For a player moderator they usually get back to you with in a day or two. Sometimes, if your lucky, a few minutes or hours. I guess what I'm trying to ask is what is the best possible way to warn Jagex about these websites but yet not have the message sit and wait for days while the website could be racking up more and more victims? This is also a different game from RuneScape. So techically there is no support for this game or some official way to present to Jagex information about these websites. Yes, you can go through a moderator in RuneScape which is the best way right now but it's techically not how the system works and you are breaking a rule to help Jagex. While Jagex might make an exception they would rather you send a query yourself but then there is a good chance that they might not ever read it or read it days afterwards. I guess you can see my delema.

Another one bites the dust:

Way to go Ren and thanks for the warnings guys :)

Excellent work Ren!

Another one bites the dust... great song. :)

Way to go ren!

I hate scam sites. They are evil

I have a heap of p mod friends, all very active. Want me to do anything?
So let me get this straight. You can send Jagex a message, which when i last checked they removed due to abuse of customer support, or you can ask a pmod to tell Jagex about it, though you'll be breaking a rule by telling them the URL to the site?

Ahahahaha! That scam site pic made me chuckle. It's a nice effort! That stock render in the header looks familiar. Of course, the members at MechScape World are safe; but anyone that's heard of MechScape but isn't a member of MechScape World deserves it! XD j/k

It may be easy to joke about people being largely uninformed regarding MechScape when we at MechScape World know so much about it, but it personally pains me when the interest in the game generated by legitimate fans and fansites is subverted for the exploitation of others. It is a tragedy that some people's first experience of MechScape is being scammed because they were interested in the game and overly trusting of a website claiming to offer a beta and that is why I feel it is so important to get the word out to be wary of such scam sites. These victims weren't being greedy trying to get their stats changed or anything ignoble like that, but were curious individuals who only wanted to play MechScape - they were in essence trying to correct their ignorance of the game, something which is surely the reason why many people found MechScape World. It is unfortunate that they weren't more cautious, but it is a sad world where trust is seen as such a folly.

Yes of course, I agree. I feel the same way. I know what it's like to loose a hard-earned account. But at the end of the day, it's very difficult nowadays for hackers to actually do anything savage to your account. If you have all the safeguards in place (secret questions, change password on a regular basis etc.), there isn't much to worry about. I'm not trying to undermine the 'victims', it's a true story - people are only going to know about the scam if they visit MSW. ;)

It is being said both here and on RSOF that there are scam sites, and so even people who don't visit either may hear warnings from people who have heard about it directly or indirectly from us or RSOF. As I'm sure you are aware a lot of stuff from MSW ends up all over the Internet.

I know, I was kidding. Implying that MSW is the source of all MechScape knowledge, and anyone that doesn't visit it is unwise. I thought you'd find that appealing! ;)

I meant a good friend that is a p mod, by good friend I mean one that you know how to contact out of RuneScape. :p

It's just like a Runescape 3 beta site, if they don't announce on the Runescape homepage, it's a scam, it's as easy as that

I stumbled across one of these sites and they are pretty well made, but have alot of errors that can easily be spotted.

i saw that site about 6 days ago. I knew it was a fake right off the bat, "co.cc" and the backround images are just simple brushes you can get for GIMP. >_< And even if it was real, jagex would have said something.

It's a shame that even for an unreleased game there are so many scams about....I really wish that wasn't the case.

There are even scamsites for BananaScape - before JaGex even have registered it!

Who would go through that much work to scam and hurt little innocent kids - disgusting!

We recommend scanning your computer using software such as Norton, McAfee, and AdAware.

Never type or use your Jagex password on ANY other site - if it doesn't say Mechscape.com , Jagex.com , or Runescape.com or FunOrb.com.

If it doesn't , it is a scam site.

If you are unsure or clicked on a link that looks just a little different, manually type in the domain name just to be safe.

If you use internet explorer, make sure you have all the latest updates!

Josh

in the official mechscape thread in RSOF we could inform people of scamsites?
EDIT: wrote this before i saw page 2.

I am sure Jagex has warned people about scam sites over and over and over again.

the majority of the runescape community doesn't use the forums they should really make a post on the front page of runescape.com

Because the majority of RuneScape players don't use the forums, the majority of RuneScape players do not know about MechScape. And its part of the rules as well, so if you know the rules you should know about scam sites.

I had just found another scam site.

Please don't sign up on this website and even the people playing count is fake.

It is to be expected, people are desperate to be special beta testers so they'll be careless and fall for these things.

Not that that's okay, it's just the way it works :(.

Desperation makes ppl go blind....

To quote Mod Craddock from RSOF:

That was what I was trying to say, yeah. I couldn't find the words for some silly reason.

I was hacked by one of these sites earlier today..

That sucks, but don't trust anything about MechScape until Jagex or MechScape World verifys it.

All we can do is tell ya to Watch out.

How about we all use our common sense... Honestly, how hard is it, to tell the difference between a scam site under a domain ubermechscapebetatest.com. Every 13 year old should know that. And if you're not 13, you're not even supposed to be playing.

My brother almost got hacked by this site today

He went to his clans website, but apparently it had been hacked since there was a short message on the homepage saying that his clan had moved over to the MechScape beta, released by Jagex. Then there was a link to that site. Luckily, he told me about it before he did anyting. Not because he suspected it to be a scam, but just because he wanted to tell me that Jagex had released a MechScape beta.

I was like:

Don't... !!!

Take off administrator priviliges off his account, just in case, lol.