Keyclone and RAFing yourself are legal right?

Im hella pissed just got this email today. I have 4 accounts RAFed together so I can get alts to level 60 on my main account faster. I only use Keyclone, no hacks or speed boosts, instant ports or shit like that and was only dual boxing. Here is the email they sent me:

Greetings,

****Notice of Account Closure****

Account Name: <Insert Random Account Name Here>

Account Action: Closure
Reason for Action: Terms of Use Violation - Association to Exploitative Accounts

After a thorough investigation, we have found that the account listed above is associated to multiple World of Warcraft accounts that were closed for participating in exploitative activities.

Engaging in or associating with exploitative activity violates the World of Warcraft Terms of Use. We ask that you take a moment to review these terms at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/legal/termsofuse.html.

You may not perform any acts that we consider to be damaging to World of Warcraft. While we try to be as lenient as possible, the reoccurring exploitative trends present on accounts associated to the account listed above have led to the closure of all related accounts.

This World of Warcraft account has been closed by the Account Administration staff based on a review of the account and all related policy violations.

This action has been taken in accordance with the Terms of Use and our In-Game Policies (http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/20309). Any recurring subscriptions on this account have been suspended to prevent further monetary charges.

Only the Account Administration department can address disputes or questions you may have about this account action. To learn more about how we are able to assist you, please visit us at http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/21505.



Regards

Thomas M.
Game Master Yamirik
Customer Services
Blizzard Entertainment
www.blizzard.com/support

Just to add my account has been in perfect standing for 3 years and have never had any warnings or suspensions before so Im just wondering what the hell I did to go from no warning or suspension to a straight BANHAMMER.

Contact billing and see what they have to say.


Keyclone is fine.
As if RAF, to yourself or to others.

Based on what you've posted, I can see no reason.

>World of Warcraft accounts that were closed
It says that other accounts were closed - were _all_ your accounts banned at once?

Also - we're all your accounts in the same name?

Not being in the same name sounds like the most likely reason here, unless you were automating something.

I've heard of several trial accounts being incorrectly banned by Blizzard recently (many cases reported in the French customer support forum but I guess all regions are in the same boat) It seems calling phone support help resolving this issue.

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Originally Posted by RobinGBrown

>World of Warcraft accounts that were closed
It says that other accounts were closed - were _all_ your accounts banned at once?

Also - we're all your accounts in the same name?

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I think I put them in my brother's name but that shouldnt be bannable since I was the one paying for them. At least if that was the reason it should be easy to clear up.

If they were all in your brothers name, then it shouldn't be an issue.
But even still, I'd call billing and see if you could change that.. point out you were the sole owner of the accounts from start till now, and have been the only one to pay for them too.

If some were in his name and others were in your name.
Well, that's a reason for them to ban, as sharing accounts is against the EULA, with the exception of a parent/guardian who shares with their minor child.
Even if that was the case, if you're the sole user of the accounts then call billing.

If you share with your brother, and live together (same IP address), you might be able to get them to transfer them all into your name.

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Originally Posted by Ualaa

If some were in his name and others were in your name.
Well, that's a reason for them to ban, as sharing accounts is against the EULA, with the exception of a parent/guardian who shares with their minor child.
Even if that was the case, if you're the sole user of the accounts then call billing.
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that

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Originally Posted by Dabrixmgp

I think I put them in my brother's name

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There's your ban.

You might get it sorted by getting customer services to unban them and put them all on one battle.net account, but right now what you've done is technically a bannable offense. No account sharing means no account sharing. You just shared accounts with your brother.

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Originally Posted by RobinGBrown

There's your ban.

You might get it sorted by getting customer services to unban them and put them all on one battle.net account, but right now what you've done is technically a bannable offense. No account sharing means no account sharing. You just shared accounts with your brother.

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Yeah, this I'm sure is Item #1 on Blizzard-GM-Trainee's Checklist - check all accounts are in exact same name.

If Yes, go to Step #2.

If No, Ban 'em.

As others have pointed out the only legit account sharing is between a child and their legal guardian and as a multiboxer you WILL get reported and looked at every now and then.

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Originally Posted by Dabrixmgp

Account Action: Closure
Reason for Action: Terms of Use Violation - Association to Exploitative Accounts

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I guess this means maybe your brother had a banned account and they are banning you by association to your brother thininking that it is him?

Call them up with your brother present in case they want to talk to him.

Tell them you both live in the same household and explain the situation and they should have you fixed up.

Why would the belonging of the accounts to different people be a banable offense ? Isn't that the original point of RAF ? No matter all accounts are played on the same IP adress as there may be several computers in the same household. They have no way to tell who is really behind the computer unless you say so publicly, right ?

I'd guess they'd be way more suspicious regarding several accounts being suddenly created and added on the same battle.net account under the same name.

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Originally Posted by Daeri

Why would the belonging of the accounts to different people be a banable offense ? Isn't that the original point of RAF ? No matter all accounts are played on the same IP adress as there may be several computers in the same household. They have no way to tell who is really behind the computer unless you say so publicly, right ?

I'd guess they'd be way more suspicious regarding several accounts being suddenly created and added on the same battle.net account under the same name.

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Because you're not allowed to share accounts. This means for example, that I can't have someone else play my characters for me when I'm at work, to, oh, say, level 'em up, or say, oh, sell my account on Ebay and have some random Joe Schmoe play it from here on out.

So, if a Blizzard GM sees a bunch of synchronised characters running around in the world - a clear sign they're all being played by a single person - and checks the account information and finds that the accounts owner information don't all match, it's out with the banhammer for them.

It's perfectly valid for Blizzard to crack down on this sort of behaviour, because without this restriction, power-leveling services, gold-farming, honour/arena farming etc would all be almost impossible to stop, since an account holder could claim to Blizzard that they were just letting they're friend, flatmate, whatever play for a while.

Also, I don't like the OP's chances of getting his accounts back either - if indeed the account holder information doesn't match across all accounts - and merely explaining to Billing that the accounts were his brothers isn't going to help, since the EULA is quite specific about the one, single, instance in which accounts can be legitimately shared - and bros don't cut it.

OK I see, thanks for the explanation. So that means that Blizzard monitors how newly created accounts are played, either automatically or by asking an employee (GM ?) to check ingame. but I find this strange because all bots or farmers I've got to run across so far were all alone.

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Originally Posted by Daeri

OK I see, thanks for the explanation. So that means that Blizzard monitors how newly created accounts are played, either automatically or by asking an employee (GM ?) to check ingame. but I find this strange because all bots or farmers I've got to run across so far were all alone.

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Well, not being a Blizzard employee I can't say for sure that they don't have GM's wandering Azeroth like beat cops looking for suspicious behaviour, but I'd be mightily surprised if they did.

What they rely upon, I think it reasonable to assume is some level of automatic checking (for example, has Account "X" been online continuously for more than "y" hours say), and player reports.

As a multiboxer, you have to accept that you will get reported from time to time by people who don't understand what multiboxing is, by people who think they do and think it's against the EULA, and even by twats who know it's legit, but think it shouldn't be all the same.

This then is what brings the GM eyeballs upon your characters, and since account sharing is permissable (under Blizzards EULA) only between a child and their legal guardian, the very first thing a GM will check up on for multiple characters reported (for whatever reason) is whether or not the account information for all those characters match. If they do, then they'll proceed on with whatever checks it is Blizzard makes to seperate us legitimate multiboxers from genuine hackers/bots/glider users etc - but if the account information doesn't match then they have all the reason they need to ban the accounts right then and there.

Maybe the OP will get the accounts restored - but I doubt it - especially if he tells them that he was using his brothers accounts.

As far as I know it's _all_ down to player reports. I don't think _any_ GMs cruise around looking for botters/hackers/whatever in remote places or that there are any automatic checks for time/location played - if there were then some of those really stupid botters would have been squashed years ago.

If only one in a thousand players reports you for multiboxing then you'll be reported every few days or weeks. This will mean GMs get tons of reports like this so the check on account names will be the first and easiest to do.

To the OP - the 'Getting started' page of the Wiki (http://www.dual-boxing.com/wiki/inde...etting_started) in the 'Check if your game allows multiboxing' section states 'Make sure that create your game accounts with YOUR name as account holder. Some games(like WoW) don't allow account sharing in their TOS'.

Sorry for your loss, but the good news is that you'll be much better prepared for when you start again.

I use 5 accounts not in the same name and havent had any problems in 5 years

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Originally Posted by Tiburon502

I use 5 accounts not in the same name and havent had any problems in 5 years

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You just haven't been reported yet. Give me one of your toon's names and server and we can test how safe it is, hmmm?

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Originally Posted by Daeri

I've heard of several trial accounts being incorrectly banned by Blizzard recently (many cases reported in the French customer support forum but I guess all regions are in the same boat) It seems calling phone support help resolving this issue.

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don't know why you are rolling trial accounts


had an account suspended pending investigation because I think I talked back to a spammer, saying something like "f' off" responding to the ban letter got everything corrected though they blewup my password and I had to reset it and try to remember wtf I put for my answer to my security question on that account...

sometimes, the banhammer hits other bystanders

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Originally Posted by OzPhoenix

Because you're not allowed to share accounts. This means for example, that I can't have someone else play my characters for me when I'm at work, to, oh, say, level 'em up, or say, oh, sell my account on Ebay and have some random Joe Schmoe play it from here on out.

So, if a Blizzard GM sees a bunch of synchronised characters running around in the world - a clear sign they're all being played by a single person - and checks the account information and finds that the accounts owner information don't all match, it's out with the banhammer for them.

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Honestly blizzard only responds to ingame petitions regarding boxing that is mistaken for botting by noobs. Actual ingame GMs can be considered a higher tier of support than the Chat Gm's. There are less of them cause of how much more time a GM has to put into account name linking, "which isn't part of average gm" game rights anyway and other refferencing outside of the main game screen. chat gm's esculate if they think they should or if the policy says they esclate, not cause they load screen into the server, port to your position, and observe. quick que turnaround is their role, not account name investigation.

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Also, I don't like the OP's chances of getting his accounts back either - if indeed the account holder information doesn't match across all accounts - and merely explaining to Billing that the accounts were his brothers isn't going to help, since the EULA is quite specific about the one, single, instance in which accounts can be legitimately shared - and bros don't cut it.

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blizzard tos allows for an adult and child under age 12 ish typically of same household to share an account. Depending on how you present your case will determine if you are in or out of compliance. Ie, dad running your toon to all the fp's is an acceptable interaction. Bros sharing accounts isn't though a 24-hour to 3 day suspension will be more likely for a first offense, longer ban if repeat.

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Originally Posted by coglistings

blizzard tos allows for an adult and child under age 12 ish typically of same household to share an account. Depending on how you present your case will determine if you are in or out of compliance. Ie, dad running your toon to all the fp's is an acceptable interaction. Bros sharing accounts isn't though a 24-hour to 3 day suspension will be more likely for a first offense, longer ban if repeat.

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Exactly. Hence brothers doesn't cut it - which is why I suggest he's unlikely to get his accounts back if that's the line he takes with Blizzard support.

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Originally Posted by coglistings

don't know why you are rolling trial accounts

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It seems than newly created RAFaccounts are technically considered trial accounts until they are upgraded to a full version of the game. They share the same limitations.