OSRS Scams: GE Circle Scam

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The GE circle scam is a subcategory of the Doubling Money scam, but the difference is that it is performed by a group of scammers instead of one. The purpose of the other players is reinforce the credibility of the main scammer, or the one advertising they are doubling money.

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The circle scam

The name comes from the fact that this scam is performed by a circle of scammers instead of one. Innocent players might also become part of the circle because it is designed that way. Since we’re in 2024, the doubling money scam in its purest form is not working anymore. Plenty of veteran players as well as Jagex have been warning others to never hope for anyone at the GE to double anything. Scammers are trying to keep up with this so they invent new ways to fool people into believing their legitimacy and ultimately falling for the scam. This scam is very interesting from a psychological perspective because it leverages tools like recommendations and bringing up well known figures to earn the trust of their victims, besides other pieces of “proof”.

The scam unfolding

I got to GE in between slayer tasks to regear and bank and there were items on the ground, similar to a drop party, but in a more restricted area. They got immediately picked up and there were players already on those tiles. The items were not huge in value, 1-2 mil or so.

Then I saw the chat in which a few players – the scammer’s acolytes – were thanking one player – the main scammer – for the items. Nothing extraordinary till here. Then one of those players asked if they saw a high value item on the ground a couple of the others confirmed. A bit weird, but again, nothing too much.

Then the scammer who supposedly dropped the not so valuable valuables started saying they’d start doubling people’s money and the acolytes kept thanking them and praising them for doubling their money.

One of them started saying that they are following them and that they saw the fight with Odablock and started explaining to the players around that they won 30B by defeating the well known streamer.

Meanwhile the main scammer (same one who dropped and was advertising doubling) was typing in public the completed trades. A few moments later someone intervened and warned the players to not trade as it is a circle scam.

The acolytes were telling the scammer to double what were now big sums of hundreds of mil and kept thanking them.

Not a few moments later and a real victim traded the scammer a few hundred mil and to no surprise the scammer logged out.

The acolytes said they really had their money doubled and kept talking to prove their innocence.

It is however, to no surprise, that this worked, and it is because of a few psychological principles the scammer and his team masterfully applied.

Recommendations (social proof)

Recommendations, or social proof, are powerful tools in sales and business because they leverage psychological principles like authority and consensus to influence decisions. When people see others endorsing a product or service, especially large groups, they are more likely to believe that it is credible or valuable. This stems from our natural tendency to look for cues in others’ behavior to guide our own, reducing the uncertainty of making choices. In business, this can build trust and encourage conversions, as customers feel reassured by positive reviews or referrals.

Scammers in Old School RuneScape also exploit this same psychological principle to appear legitimate. By fabricating recommendations, using fake reviews, or even impersonating trusted figures, they can create the illusion of trustworthiness. Once people see these apparent endorsements, they may let their guard down and believe the scam is authentic, falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

How it works

I have just witnessed this in action at the GE where several different players were thanking the scammer in the public chat for doubling their money. Seeing other people trust him, others are more inclined to engage and they do, of course with small amounts. The scammer has no problem doubling low amounts so these unknowing innocent players become part of the scammer’s circle by thanking them. These scammers are not playing a small sum game, they don’t care about losing a few dozen mil, if it means they will get to their ultimate target who will trade them hundreds of mil at a time. It’s what they are actually after.

Doubling smaller trades

As part of expanding their circle and gaining legitimacy, the scammers will invest some GP either in trading back on small sums or by having a quick drop party at the GE to attract attention and build legitimacy. They are not worried about losing a small amount if it means it will take them closer to winning a bigger amount. And for players like you and me what’s a small or big amount is very different than for these scammers who make hundreds of mil from a single victim.

Mentioning big names

Another strategy these scammers use to earn trust and fake legitimacy is by bringing up game figures and big names and explaining how they are related to them. The story of this specific scammer I witnessed, narrated through the voices of their acolytes, was that he won 30 bil by defeating Odablock the day prior.

This works in two ways. By giving info that can in appearance be verified they are building trust (even if the info is fake and people won’t actually verify its validity) and it gives a false sense of security because of the familiarity of the name they use.

Authority bias

Authority bias is a psychological principle where people are more likely to trust or follow the advice of someone they perceive as an expert or authority figure. This bias comes from our instinct to rely on experts in areas where we lack knowledge or confidence, assuming they know better. When scammers or manipulators mention well-known figures, they are tapping into this bias. By claiming a connection to someone respected or famous, like a top player or influencer, they borrow some of that person’s authority and credibility.

This gives the scammer an instant boost in perceived trustworthiness. Even if the connection is entirely fabricated, the mere mention of a familiar, respected figure makes the scammer seem more credible by association. People naturally transfer the authority of the well-known figure to the person speaking, which lowers their skepticism and makes them more likely to believe or follow the scammer’s lead. This tactic exploits our tendency to trust those linked to people we admire or recognize.

Even more so, by claiming they defeated Odablock they try not only to sell the story of how they got the money they are using for doubling, but also try to position themselves even above the authority figure

Final thoughts

The use of psychological principles in scams like this one is both calculated and effective. By leveraging authority bias, social proof, and other mental shortcuts, scammers manipulate their victims into believing they are dealing with someone trustworthy. The scammer builds legitimacy not just through fake trades and recommendations, but by associating themselves with well-known figures in the community.

This scam is particularly dangerous because it evolves, adapting to a more skeptical player base by adding layers of deception. The involvement of acolytes, the use of small trades to build trust, and the association with big names create a perfect storm where victims are convinced they are safe—until they aren’t. It’s a reminder that even in seemingly low-stakes environments like a game, psychological manipulation is a powerful tool that can deceive even the most cautious players.

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