We know everybody is excited to play Pokémon Go, which is still sadly not available for our country. One of the ways that people have been able to circumvent that little hiccup is the use of both side-loaded APKs and using GPS spoofers which essentially fool the app into thinking you’re actually somewhere else – preferably in a place where catching Pokémon isn’t a dream, but a reality.
Of course this isn’t on the up and up, and is considered cheating under the trainer code of conduct as far as Niantic is concerned. And they’re serious about enforcing the rules – people in the US who have been using GPS spoofers to make it easier to catch Pokémon have been hit by Niantic’s ban hammer, though for now the company is enforcing only temporary bans. While their accounts have been able to connect to Pokémon Go servers, they were not able to capture Pokémon, collect items from PokéStops and couldn’t battle or claim a gym.
While the temporary bans sound like a slight hassle compared to the benefits of actually being able to play the game, know that Niantic has regularly banned accounts in their previous AR game, Ingress. They’re fully committed to doing the same for Pokémon Go. Don’t believe us? Read the rules:
No cheating.
Don’t do it. Play fair. Pokémon GO is meant to be played on a mobile device and get you outside to explore your world! Methods of cheating, unfortunately, are limited only by cheaters’ imaginations, but include at a minimum the following: using modified or unofficial software; playing with multiple accounts (one account per player, please); sharing accounts; using tools or techniques to alter or falsify your location; or selling/trading accounts.
Accounts are penalized for violations of the Terms of Use and/or the Trainer guidelines—we may issue a warning, suspend you from the game, or (for serious or repeated violations) terminate your account.
Let’s just all wait for the game to release in the PH – better be safe than sorry.
