Any video game with a trading mechanism will naturally have people trying to exploit the system. It is especially true in Diablo games, where the player-to-player trading system is one of the best ways to obtain unique pieces of gear. The bad news is that countless scams exist to try and part players with their valuable items. The only way around it is to educate yourself so you don’t fall for these tricks. In this guide, we’re going to take a look at various Diablo 2 Resurrected scams, how to avoid them, and some general practices you can follow to trade safely with other players.
Veteran Diablo players will likely already know most of these scams, but some new ones are floating around, as well. If you encounter any of these scams, I’d recommend leaving the game immediately and finding someone else to trade.
Types of Scams in Diablo 2 Resurrected
There are many different types of scams in Diablo 2 Resurrected, all of which involve some form of tricking unknowing players into dropping their items, trading for low-quality items, or trusting them. Here are the most common Diablo 2 Resurrected scams:
- Item linking
- Item swapping
- Closing the trade window
- Impersonating other players
- Unconventional trading methods
- Visting third-party websites
- Getting ripped off
Item linking
One of the newer scams in Diablo making its rounds is the item linking trick. If you shift-click an item in Diablo 2 Resurrected, you can link it to other players in the chat. It can be a useful feature to show off some of your gear to your friends.
However, scammers will often tell you that you need to press CTRL and click the item to link it to them. In reality, pressing CTRL and left-clicking on an item drops it on the ground. It creates an opportunity for the scammer to steal it from you, especially if you are briefly confused about why your item just dropped on the ground.
Item swapping
A scam as old as the game itself, the item swapping scam involves swapping out two items that look identical to each other. Usually, the scammer will show you the actual item you want to trade for and move it around in the trade window. They will then switch it out with an identical item that is a low-quality worthless item. This scam is possible because many items in D2R use the same image.
This scam is most commonly used with items like the Shako. You can insert a Perfect Emerald into a low-quality cap and have it look the same as a Shako. Another typical example is swapping a Rattlecage for a Tal Rasha’s Guardianship armor.
The scammer may also use a distraction by saying their inventory is full and they need to go to their stash first. Then, they will attempt to trade again and place in the low-quality item in hopes that you don’t notice or forget to check. Make sure to check the item you’re exchanging for before accepting the trade.
Closing the trade window
Another very common scam involves the other player closing the trade window right before you are about to place an item. When perfectly executed, the unsuspecting player will drop their item on the ground accidentally. The scammer can then quickly grab it off the ground, and you’ll never see them again.
If someone tries to pull this off on you, leave the game immediately and try your luck elsewhere. Adding the player to your blocklist is not a bad idea, either.
Impersonating another player
One of the most basic scams involves pretending to be a well-known content creator, streamer, or Diablo personality in an attempt to gain trust. It is possible to do this in Diablo 2 Resurrected because player names are not unique. Any two players can have the same name, so it’s wise to assume anyone claiming to be someone else to try and trade with you might not be telling the truth.
If you come across one of these players trying to trade with you, get some verification first. For example, if you come across a popular streamer, check out their stream to see if they are playing. Look them up on their official Discord server and send them a message to confirm. If they are actively playing Diablo 2 Resurrected at the time, they should be quick to respond!
Unconventional trading
You may encounter players who want to trade with you outside of the trade window. One such example is when both players stand on opposite sides of town, drop their items, and then run towards each other to pick up their items. The other player can just not drop an item or teleport over to you to steal your item the moment you drop it. There are a lot of possible ways to get scammed in this manner.
It is entirely unnecessary to trade in this manner, so you can avoid this by simply always using the trade window. In the early Diablo days, dropping your items on the ground to trade them was the only way to exchange Hellfire Torch and Annihilius Charms. However, this is no longer the case, so do not fall for this scam. Again, only use the trade window, and don’t ever throw your items on the ground for any reason.
Visiting third-party websites
Another common scam involves visiting third-party websites. Do not, under any circumstances, go to any website another player tells you to visit. Most importantly, never download any third-party software for any reason in regards to trading.
A common scam involves getting unsuspecting players to download something onto their computer. It may involve a keylogger or a program designed to drop your items on the ground and leave the game. I have not personally seen this yet in Diablo 2 Resurrected, but it is only a matter of time before someone pulls it off.
Getting ripped off
The final scam on our list involves simply paying too much for an item. You should know approximately how much your item is worth before trading. There are a number of Diablo trading websites, such as Diablo2.io, that you can reference for prices. Not to mention various streamers are playing Diablo at any given time on Twitch, many of which will be more than happy to answer your questions about what your items are worth.
There you have it, the most common scams in Diablo 2 Resurrected and how not to fall for them. Some general tips to safely trade include only using the trade window to trade, double-checking the item you’re trading for, never dropping your items on the ground, and not linking your items in chat.
Published: Oct 7, 2021 05:41 pm