Crime & Punishment

Hello everyone,

I'd like to start this thread off by first explaining myself and my current situation.

You see, EVE Online is a social game. Player interaction is a core feature in the game and without it, this game wouldn't really be anything super special. The community is strong, the DEVs are leniant, and the game is a sandbox.
With that in mind, let's begin...


I have played EVE since April of 2013 and was brought here by the tales of epic space battles and other Internet Space Ship fun. Recently, I've been getting a bit bored doing lowsec FW and hisec lvl 4 missions in my slow Battleship. So, I decided to turn to some fun nullsec PvP!

Naturally, the first people I turned to was the infamous GoonSwarm Federation. The legends surrounding them seem to have no end as they crusade with fiery pitchforks through nullsec systems. Keep in mind, that in a Vacuum environment, fire cannot exist. So, I thought they must have been pretty badass to make it happen. Now, the first thing I did was google, "GoonSwarm Recruitment" and was presented with forum post after forum post of recruitment scams. I decided to try it anyway and was presented with the same thing, a 1.5Billion ISK "deposit" for joining GoonSwarm. After realizing that the Goon wiki even says that there is no deposit required, I flipped them off, I happily went back to hisec missioning.

Later in the month, I got bored again, and tried to join TEST Alliance, another one of the infamous alliances in the game. Their logo was awesome, the name 'TEST Alliance Please Ignore' sounded hilarious, and they seemed like a lot of fun. So, I decided to join them! After being rejected from Dreddit for not being active enough on Reddit, I applied to Dixon Cox Butte Preservation Society and was again rejected, this time for not being a good match for their corp's goals. That's fine with me, I can just try somewhere else, no hard feelings! After applying to several more corporations and continuously either getting no response (because they weren't even in TEST anymore) or being rejected with the reason, "I don't need to give you a reason, deal with it", I was accepted by a new TEST corp called Pilots of Epic. The interview went smoothly, just like with .DIX and I was glad to be a part of the team! Unfortunately, due to my higher than normal amount of applications, I was removed from the corporation because I was feared to be some Goon AWOXer or spy. After having a chat with my very supportive new friends of less than 24 hours, they agreed they would try their best to get me back in, but in the meantime, I'd have to go.

Satisfied with my supportive friends, I decided to have a little fun whilst I was awaiting response from my old TEST buddies. So, I decided to apply to GoonSwarm again, just to see if it *would* happen, not that I had any sort of spite against my old Alliance. Now we begin...

TL/DR = Kicked from TEST, tried to Join Goons and expose their recruitment scam for fun. Album below!

Please note: I knew that this was most likely to be a scam. I parted with my ISK willingly. This is not a butthurt post, but one designed to educate others on scams in EVE online and to improve the community.

After applying to alot of different GoonSwarm corps, I came across Enlightened Industries and spoke to their recruiter, PanPipe. After the little interview, he told me recruitment was closed. I asked him what other corp might be good and he told me to try [AM0K] Amok. So, I submitted an application and was contacted by one of their recruiters named Mark Harkness. We had a little chat, I submitted my API, he gave me a recruiter code, and I submitted my app.
http://i.imgur.com/YztlxXv.png

I was very happy at the 700ISK deposit, so I let him know about my total joy. Suddenly I was presented with a 700,000,000 ISK deposit, which he then gracefully lowered after speaking to his 'advisor' about.
http://i.imgur.com/ZfGXWC4.png

After bargaining hard, he lowered it again to 200m (what a STEAL!)
http://i.imgur.com/j04tGt9.png

Here is where it gets funny. I opened up a note in-game and started writing down all these goodies as the conversation progressed. PLEASE READ THE CONVO AS THE SNAPSHOTS PROGRESS!

http://i.imgur.com/PsM3Xog.png

http://i.imgur.com/ZCRQfv8.png Says there MUST be an ISK deposit.

http://i.imgur.com/5C6swAk.png This is the guy.

http://i.imgur.com/EQYdV51.png I'm doing this for YOU guys!

http://i.imgur.com/Y4Un52l.png Please donate for my hard work!

http://i.imgur.com/VVXmcuN.png He has confidence! (and I enlarge the font from here on out)

http://i.imgur.com/pEZ7wQg.png The goons are punctual!

http://i.imgur.com/uthS1X0.png System automation! Realtime goon documenting! I should work for national GEO!

http://i.imgur.com/vCLXn3e.png Officious sites

http://i.imgur.com/TCB9tdQ.png Goon logic, hahaha

http://i.imgur.com/s3vGRxy.png Goon Grammar, as well.

Here I go! http://i.imgur.com/10eFU7H.png

Paying! http://i.imgur.com/YarbDGN.png

Sent! http://i.imgur.com/sA7W2lS.png

*Funds are recieved* LOOOL http://i.imgur.com/e6vOoWd.png

http://i.imgur.com/4agdjcm.png Goons Scamming 101

http://i.imgur.com/y7hQrmZ.png APPLICATION ACCEPTED!

http://i.imgur.com/57vobu1.png Stalker!

http://i.imgur.com/klNuLEm.png Accepted and im basically "in the corp!" Woop woop!

http://i.imgur.com/fR4panN.png He doesn't know what he is saying....

http://i.imgur.com/ewxlQdu.png Goon Spelling

http://i.imgur.com/74EnHuX.png Some small talk, very helpful and precise information!

http://i.imgur.com/x3Myd9U.png Time to wait until I get a confirmation mail!

http://i.imgur.com/8LAajdd.png Enjoy....

----- One day Passes

http://i.imgur.com/WNgS309.png STATUS UPDATE

http://i.imgur.com/IVw9y4N.png GoonFleet hasn't sent me my mail yet!

Send him a mail http://i.imgur.com/dfeOw5f.png

CONTINUE IN COMMENT

Thank you for confirming what is already common knowledge.

I agree!

I'm just posting my experience for others to see.


What do you think about using 3rd party websites though?

getting blacklisted from test is quite the accomplishment. well done.

I know! Thanks a bunch.

Speaking of Goons, I was convod by another guy who let me into a GSF recruitment channel. Once there I was told I was 'blued' for GoonSwarm and then told to create a contract with no collateral to move my ships to Deklein.

Or, if I chose a Carrier option, THEY would jump me into the system...


Sound like a trap much?

Maybe you're an alt of a goon and this is an elaborate scam, which your posting this in the hopes that a TESTie sees it and gets you in to their Alliance

Thought you might like that one

Seriously though, if people don't google (goonswarm recruitment scam) what makes you think they will find this?

We get a post like this just about every week, and know, it doesn't help anyone. The forums already know.

Just to raise awareness and provide in-game snapshots of how the scam works. Something that most of these posts don't provide.

Not planning on getting anyone banned or even yelled at lol.