It’s been a while since we updated you on what we are doing to prevent cheating in RuneScape, and particularly to catch and ban macroers, so here’s what’s currently going on:

You’ve probably already noticed while playing the game that there has been a lot less macroing going on over the last year, as we’ve been getting more effective at preventing it. Gone are the days where every tree has an accompanying crowd of bots. However, we’re not resting on our laurels, and in fact we have just strengthened our macro-detection systems yet again. We are about to ban several thousand more accounts for macroing. We have reviewed all the macro programs available, and there are none we cannot detect.

These days we are taking a zero-tolerance approach to macroing. Players caught for macroing don’t receive a warning, or a chance to appeal, or even a last-chance appeal - they are just permanently banned. Don’t make the mistake of believing that we’ll be soft, and that you can get away with it until you are warned. You can’t. Don’t risk your account. By the time you realize you’ve been caught it will be far too late.

Also, high-level and members’ accounts are NOT immune, or given an extra chance. One of the reasons for our RWT changes was precisely so players couldn’t effectively macro on low–level, throwaway accounts to gain wealth. This means they were tempted to macro on their high–level, main accounts instead, which plays straight into our hands as our existing anti-macro systems catch and ban them! This has proven very effective; so far this month we have already banned over 500 high-level accounts with skills in the 80s and 90s. Don’t make your account one of them.

This is a warning to players that would have otherwise been sucked in by the misinformation spread by cheating communities; don’t do it, or you will lose your hard-earned account.

For further information, please refer to the honour section of the Rules of RuneScape.