Fake Roblox events may pose a major issue on the sandbox game platform, according to Roblox YouTuber SharkBlox. These events initially appear to be legitimate, but their developers have created crafty workarounds to get users to spend Robux on avatar items within the experience – even though the items don’t actually exist.
In a video posted on August 24 titled “Fake roblox events are becoming a big problem…,” the content creator investigated a Twitter user’s claim that they had purchased a fake item from an event inside the platform.
The now-deleted event experience in question was disguised as a Chainsmokers Roblox experience. This type of event is within the realm of possibility as Roblox has recently hosted concerts for various musicians, including George Ezra, Twenty One Pilots, and rapper Denzel Curry as part of an event called Guacathon.
The YouTuber joined the fake event experience to show how players might be duped into purchasing items they believe are authentic. In the video, SharkBlox notes that at the time of the recording, the game had more than 1,100 active players, illustrating the potential depth of the problem.
SharkBlox then purchase an item that appears to be a real accessory, but is actually a game pass, which means the player doesn’t receive the purchased item. Upon further investigation, the YouTuber realises the transaction documentation links to an experience called Untitled Game that hosts all of the game passes in the fake event experience.
SharkBlox says they reported the fake event several times and called on Roblox to take it down, but was still able to access it to make the video. The YouTuber also noted that lack of clarity about purchases within an experience might be an issue, as the scammers behind the event were easily able to make it look as though the player was purchasing a legitimate item. Roblox might benefit from differentiating game pass purchases from item purchases to help people take note when they’re not purchasing actual avatar items, they suggest.
SharkBlox notes that this style of event scam is relatively new, but shares that they’ve seen other similarly-structured events in the past. There’s presently no obvious way to tell the difference between an actual Roblox-sanctioned event experience and a fake one designed to dupe people into spending Robux. While there are some signs that these games may not be what they seem, a player must know what to look for when assessing whether an event is real.
Roblox has some moderation practices to prevent users from creating experiences that are designed soley to scam players, but even so, content that initially appears legitimate can still get through the screening.
While the metaverse should be a place for all, it’s worthwhile to question whether there should be a verification system and accompanying badge for legitimate companies’ and brands’ Roblox experiences, even if doing so could impact the visibility of non-verified events. As the metaverse continues to grow, developers will likely continue to make more copycat and otherwise fake events to dupe people into purchasing fake items.
If you’re afraid of accidentally spending money in an inauthentic Roblox experience, you can always check out our vetted list of the best Roblox games in 2022, which don’t include scam items. We also have a Roblox promo code list for August, so you can be sure you’re getting all of the game’s free, legitimate items. We also have a list of Roblox music codes for August, which you can use to listen to your favourite popular music while you play.