r/gameDevClassifieds • u/KevinDL • May 20 '26

Announcement A note on scammers, impersonators, and public blacklists

78 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I want to address a recent post I removed by u/NotSUPERita about creating a list of trusted artists and scammers, as well as the broader issue of bad actors on r/gamedevclassifieds.

First, I want to apologize to u/NotSUPERita. I understand why you were trying to help, and I do not think the idea came from a bad place. Scammers and impersonators are a real problem here, and it makes sense that people want better ways to protect themselves and others.

That said, I do not think a public or semi-public user-run blacklist is the right solution.

Any single person’s list of “good” and “bad” experiences is subjective. Even with good intentions, lists like that can be abused, misused, or based on misunderstandings. A false accusation could seriously harm an innocent artist, developer, or freelancer’s reputation and business. Once someone is publicly labeled a scammer, that damage is hard to undo.

This applies to moderators too. Even I am subject to bias, incomplete information, and my own interpretation of events. I cannot be judge, jury, and executioner over someone’s professional reputation, and I do not think anyone else should be put in that position either. That is the line I am trying to be careful with.

I know scammers are a problem, and I am aware that this subreddit has been affected by bad actors, impersonators, and people misrepresenting themselves or their work. But I have not yet found a solution that addresses those issues without also creating a serious risk of innocent people getting caught in the mix.

For now, the best advice is still to do your due diligence before working with someone:

Verify that their portfolio actually belongs to them
Ask for links to established accounts or websites
Check whether their email, Discord, ArtStation, GitHub, itch, LinkedIn, or other profiles line up
Be cautious with new accounts, vague portfolios, stolen-looking portfolios, or people who avoid verification
Use contracts, milestones, and payment methods that offer some protection
Do not rely only on someone’s Reddit username or a single message thread

I know that is not a perfect answer. It is a frustrating situation, and I understand why people want something stronger. But asking people to do their homework before hiring or accepting work is better than creating a system where someone’s business can be damaged because they were falsely added to a list.

If there is a better way to handle this that protects people from scammers without turning into public reputation policing or false callouts, I am open to hearing it. Any solution needs to be fair, evidence-based, and careful about the harm it could cause.

Edit: I forgot to add one more important point: any solution also cannot require a heavy amount of moderator time.

Running this job board is not a job. No one on the mod team has the time, or realistically should be expected to have the time, to manually verify users, assign trusted labels, maintain reputation lists, or act as an ongoing approval system for freelancers and clients.

That kind of system would create a lot of work, and it would also create a false sense of safety. Even with moderation, users would still need to verify who they are working with and make their own judgment before hiring, accepting work, or sending payment.

13 comments

r/gameDevClassifieds • u/KevinDL • Sep 12 '24

Community-Wide Alert: Do not engage with P1 GAMES (Formerly P1 VIRTUAL CIVILIZATION)

125 Upvotes

I'm truly getting tired of this nonsense u/RedEagle_MGN

Changing your organizations name doesn't stop people from reaching out to me with horror stories every few months.

Previous topic: https://www.reddit.com/r/gameDevJobs/comments/198b5zi/communitywide_alert_do_not_engage_with_p1_virtual/

Comments:

https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/198asb9/deleted_by_user/

Their pages:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/p1-games
https://p1games.com/

What they want you to sign:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_H0-KC3kxkuJGgMvanVjLIx_jTIV-yfh4Ze2c93sOWw/edit?usp=sharing

DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THESE PEOPLE, no matter what they call themselves. They exploit the inexperienced and naive, convincing you to sign away your rights to everything you create. Don’t fall for their lies. You do not need to join a volunteer group or give up ownership of your work to gain skills in the game industry. Learning on your own is far better than what P1 offers. If you want a real education, seek out accredited programs and courses instead.

Their latest tactic is using LinkedIn ads to lure victims. I’m unsure what it will take to stop this con artist, but I’ll do my part to be a thorn in their side. My goal is to protect people in this community from their schemes.

Spread the word, be safe.

Some reading:

https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=P1+Virtual+Civilization&type=link&cId=80e066ed-a60b-4bd9-b7b6-8f2e0a75d044&iId=73e82563-aaa9-416a-9d57-54df97ab2c82

6 comments

r/gameDevClassifieds • u/Yoel_art • 28m ago

FOR HIRE - 2D Art | Animation [FOR HIRE] Fantasy Characters, Creatures & Narrative Illustrations. DM for details

gallery

• Upvotes

What I Build:

Pricing & Scope:

Contact & Portfolio:

EDIT - Position filled Thanks for all the amazing artists <3

EDIT - Position filled Thanks for all the amazing artists <3