Roblox is supposed to be an online safe place where you use the available tools to create wonderful games from your imagination. Unfortunately, the platform also has many scammers who want to con you out of Robux.
Robux is Roblox’s in-game currency that you use to buy game access, avatar accessories, and other items. You can acquire it by purchasing it directly from the Roblox website or by buying gift cards from retail stores, such as Target or Wal-Mart.
Here’s the hook: Robux can be exchanged for real cash, which makes it appealing to scammers. Fortunately, you can avoid being a Robux theft victim by reading this guide.
Before we get into the details let’s make one thing clear: There’s no such thing as free Robux. If someone approaches you with that offer, that person is running a scam to swipe your money, items, or other objects. Robux is one of the ways that Roblox Corporation makes money, so it would be erroneous to think you could get them for free.
What Are Robux?
You can purchase 880 Robux for $9.99 via the Roblox website if you have a Premium Roblox account. If you don’t have a Premium account, you’ll receive 800 Robux for $9.99. That means one Robux is equal to roughly 80 real-world cents when you purchase it direct from Roblox.
When you acquire at least 100,000 Robux (from selling items, using gift cards, etc.), and have met all the Developer Exchange requirements, you can cash out your Robux for real money. Now, you’ll receive approximately $350 for every 100,000 Robux you sell back to Roblox Corporation. In other words, one Robux is worth a little more than a quarter of its purchase worth. That’s a great exchange rate that attracts scammers.
What Kind of Robux Scams Are Out There?
There are many Robux scams in the world, and they’re designed to do three things: steal your Robux, steal your username and password, and steal your items. These are the main methods by which thieves run Robux scams:
- Roblox game chat
- Roblox messaging system
- Fake free Robux streams
- Fake web pages
- Free Robux for App Exchange
- Downloaded programs
- Javascript attacks
- Cookie scraping
Before we get into the scams’ nitty-gritty details, you should know that most scammer accounts fall into the “bot” or “phishing” categories. Bot accounts are created with running cons in mind. These accounts are often reported to Roblox Corporation, and banned from the platform. Sadly, it’s easy to create bot accounts. They don’t require verification via email, so an entire bot army can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. These are the accounts that send messages and chats to their targets, hoping that you click a malicious link.
Phished (pronounced as “fished”) accounts are accounts that have been stolen. Two actions are likely to occur once an account has been stolen by a scammer. The first is nothing. The account log-in info simply sits in the attacker’s database for later use in a massive scam attack. The second? The attacker immediately changes the password to lock you out, trades all items associated with that account at little to no cost, transfers out all Robux, or uses the account to phish other accounts—starting with anyone in that account’s friends list. To prevent this, you should learn how to avoid phishing scams.
If your account gets stolen, contact Roblox Corporation to get it back. Do not wait, and do not be ashamed. You must react quickly if you want to get your account back. A Roblox Corporation representative will contact you, and walk you through the account-recovery steps. Pro tip: Keep redeemed Robux cards handy. A customer support rep may need you to read the used numbers to verify that you are the owner of the stolen account. Honestly, if you are at this point, your account is most likely going to be deleted by the scammer. Keep a positive mind, though.
Roblox Game Chat
One of the first places you’ll find a scam is in a Roblox game’s chat room. The bogus account will say something like “Want free R$? Check out [some website] to get your free Robux!” Roblox Corporation doesn’t allow links in game chats, so scammers have found creative ways to mention the URL instead of pasting in a link. These links usually lead to a malicious webpage, so do not visit them.
Roblox Messaging
There’s an email-style system for messaging your friends on the Roblox webpage. By default, this feature is turned on so “Everyone” can send you a message. Scam accounts send out massive amounts of spam to random users in attempts to get them to click malicious links. You can set your settings preferences so that no one can message you, or only your friends. Still, remember that your friends could get hacked, and any message that comes from them might not actually be from them.
Fake, Free Robux Streams
If you visit Twitch, YouTube, or other video game live streaming services, you’ll find streamers who promise free Robux, and ask you to drop your handle in the chat. These are fake streams. In fact, these are looped recordings! Far too many viewers believe that these streamers are giving away freebies, so they click a malicious chat link in hopes of getting no-cost Robux.
There’s an easy way to tell that a stream’s bogus: Simply look at how long a person has been streaming. No one streams for 16 hours straight. Plus, if you watch a stream long enough, you’ll see it loop. Once again, don’t click links from unknown sources.
Fake Web Pages
Pages created to resemble legitimate businesses pop up all the time. These sites urge you to type in your Roblox username and password to get free Robux. Again, these are fake. Usually this is the last spot you land when a scammer is attempting to steal your account.
Free Robux for Apps Exchange
There are scam companies that ask you to download an app to your phone, and walk through a series of steps to get free Robux. They’ll typically ask you to:
- Take a survey
- Download an app
- Fill in your personal information, such as first name, last name, Roblox username
- Play for certain amount of time
- Complete tasks in different apps, such as leveling up in a game to level 4, or completing a tutorial
These apps and offers are designed to make you spend time watching their advertisements, which translates into revenue for those companies. So that 10,000 points you raked up over the past three months will get you…about 100 Robux. The saying “time is money” was made for these scams.
Downloaded Programs
Some scams require you to download software to your PC or mobile device. Once it’s in place, the software can pretty much do whatever it wants. If you are already logged into Roblox, the program opens a new browser that you can’t see, and simply snatches all of your Robux and account items. Don’t download programs from unfamiliar places.
JavaScript Attacks
Some videos and websites try to convince you to open your browser’s “console,” and paste in a script that will give you free Robux. This code is JavaScript, a scripting language that can pretty much do anything the user can do on the browser’s client side. By pasting this code into the console, the browser steals items and Robux. Luckily, it won’t be able to change your password, because your current password is needed in order to alter your account.
Still, that doesn’t mean you are safe. The script could toss up a fake log-in page or prompt you to type in your password (your username is already on the screen).
Cookie Scraping
The most advanced way to steal someone’s account is via the cookie scrape. This type of scam involves clicking a link that quickly takes you to a site that scrapes your browser cookies and sends you to a different site. Most people would never know or even notice that anything happened.
Cookie scrapes are bad because they don’t require the attacker to know your username or your password. Ever notice how you don’t always have to login to Roblox? That’s because your browser holds onto the authentication inside a cookie. The attacker only needs to take the stolen cookie, place it in their browser, and refresh the page. You would never know someone is now in your account, ready to loot you dry (or getting ready to phish for more accounts).
Avoiding the Scams
The easiest way to avoid scams is to remember, there is no such thing as free Robux. Period. Robux giveaways on YouTubers’ channels are common, so here’s what to look for from a trustworthy source:
- A stream that’s less than 2 hours long
- A streamer that isn’t using Group Funds
- A streamer is giving away Robux Cards
If a streamer promises to pay viewers using Group Funds (Robux earned or bought for a Roblox Group), you should be wary for two reasons. First, it’s against the terms of service. Second, it’s probably fake. That said, if a streamer is giving away Robux Cards, that’s probably a legit source. Roblox Corporation approves YouTubers to participate in Robux giveaways under one condition: The Robux must be purchased as gift cards. Be careful out there, and have fun.
For more Roblox tips, check out Roblox’s own walkthroughs and my books on how to script games.
