Pokémon Go fans say they’re being repeatedly banned for seven days, contrary to how the game’s anti-cheat policy is supposed to be enforced.
After being hit by the game’s standard seven-day ban for a first cheating offence and then waiting a week to play again, fans are logging in to find a second, third and fourth seven-day ban simply awaits them on their return.
Instances of players being erroneously flagged for cheating have occurred in the past, and developer Niantic acknowledged a spate of false flags last year. But the situation here seems a little more complex.
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I’ve heard from nearly a dozen players personally experiencing the issue and reports are mixed whether their initial ban was justified. While some players are protesting their innocence, others have quietly told me they were spoofing – using tools to modify their real location.