Real Money Trading (RMT)

Real Money Trading (RMT) consists of ISK selling and ISK buying in many various forms. More details and examples can be found in the most recent Team Security blog: Rules and Policies Clarification.

• A player is considered an RMT seller when they sell any in-game items for real money. Items can be anything, and an EVE Online character is also an item.
• A player is considered an ISK buyer when it is determined that they have received any in-game goods for the real life money.

Team Security has discussed ISK buying multiple times, including blog entries, forum conversations and a Fanfest presentation.

There are no legitimate methods of RMT. All of the ISKs and items that are purchased on third-party websites are gained through illicit means. They come from credit card frauds, hacked accounts and bot farms. No exception.

Whenever an account gets hacked and the character gets extracted, all those extractors go to someone who has purchased them on third-party websites. Stolen credit cards are used to purchase PLEX which are distributed to the same buyers later. Botters create hundreds of accounts and generate ISK by using all sorts of automation. This is how RMT is funded.

Buying ISK is a EULA violation. While Team Security does try to fight with the source and eliminate it, the easy ISK gain seems like a good idea to many.

Many buyers eventually face the complete confiscation of the purchased goods (sometimes billions of ISK). Accounts get banned, penalties are applied, and something that seemed like a simple way of gaining an advantage can turn into a massive drawback. There have been many stories where we had to recover illicitly purchased items and relocate them to their original owners, leaving the buyer with neither ISK nor the money they spent, as well as harsh penalties on their accounts.

As with account sharing, we always see the illegitimacy of the transaction no matter the claims and we are always familiar with two sides of one story. ISK buyers are reported just as sellers are, and all exchanges eventually come to light.

FAQ

I did not know that buying ISK on a third party website was forbidden, so I already bought some injectors. What do I do?

Let us know about it. It’s always better to admit the wrongdoing and there is no shame in making a mistake. Team Security will always try to find a common ground whenever possible.

I know someone who is selling ISK on a side, what should I do?

Let us know and we will investigate it. RMT is a slippery slope and even if it starts as something that seems quite risky but innocent, eventually it might grow to a much bigger scale.

What will happen if I buy ISK/injectors/any other goods on a third party website and do not tell anyone about it?

We treat ISK buying as a three-strike offence.

• 1st offense: warning and all the purchased goods are removed in the ISK equivalent. No exception. ISK will not be returned under any circumstances.
• 2nd offense: same as above plus a 7 day ban.
• 3rd offense: same as above, but the ban is permanent.

What happens if the ISK, PLEX, Omega time or in-game items I acquired in violation of the EULA are removed and I have a negative wallet balance?

If your characters wallet balance is negative it is because you were found to have received ISK or other assets from verified Real-Money Trade (RMT) operatives. These operatives acquire these items through hacking other players accounts, botting or even through credit card fraud. 

Assets (PLEX, Omega time, ISK, in-game items etc.) acquired in violation of the EULA via RMT will be removed, even if this means taking a character's wallet into a negative balance. We will also aim to remove the value of the assets from the 'main' character of the player and not necessarily from the character that directly acquired the assets. 

If you need to supplement your wallet then you have the option to buy PLEX from the EVE Online website and sell them on the in-game market. 

Having a negative wallet balance will have a large impact on your ability to play EVE Online. If you cannot sell the PLEX or other assets (ships, modules etc.), on the market because of the negative wallet then you can have an alt character sell the items and then transfer the profits to your other character. You can transfer the PLEX or items via a direct trade to your alt or by using the contract system.

You are, of course, welcome to continue playing and to rebuild your funds through normal gameplay activities such as mining, missions, exploration, or industry.

We (customer support) will not set a wallet to zero or a positive value for anyone found to have engaged in RMT.

What are the penalties for ISK selling?

If a player is found to be selling ISK on the side, their accounts will be permanently banned without a chance for appeal. Depending on the severity of the offense we might consider completely blocking access to our system and deny further creation of new accounts. The permanent ban is not up for discussion.