FFXI: Special Task Force Report

From playonline.com 

Today's report will outline our actions conducted from August 27, 2008 to September 25, 2008 in dealing with players violating the user agreement, as well as details on the activities, results, and goals of the Special Task Force.

Warning Against Unauthorized Access
We have been warning PlayOnline users for some time about unauthorized access, but recently there have been reports of users whose PlayOnline accounts have been stolen and accessed as a result of going to third party sites introduced while viewing regular websites.
Because of this, immediately after a version update, damages caused by posting on and viewing normal websites may drastically increase. If you are connecting to PlayOnline with a PC, please be sure to strengthen your computer's safety through performing Windows Updates, using your internet browser's latest version, and by using internet security software. In addition to using the latest software versions, please refrain from visiting suspicious sites. Even if your PC is infected with a virus designed to steal PlayOnline IDs and passwords, by installing anti-virus software, you can significantly reduce the chance of your PC actually being accessed by an unauthorized third party. For information on preventative measures in dealing with unauthorized access, please view the "Information Regarding Unauthorized Access" page.

There have also been reports of link scripts to sites rigged with programs designed to steal PlayOnline IDs and passwords being embedded into user's homepages through unauthorized access. We ask that users possessing homepages review their site provider's information regarding unauthorized access and also confirm that no suspicious scripts or advertising banners have been embedded in their homepage.

Special Task Force Activities and Future Plans
More than ever before, the Special Task Force has strengthened its activities against violators of the user agreement such as hunters and users involved in illegal fishing. As a result, it has become very difficult for violators engaged in illegal gil collection for RMT to make money with their conventional methods, and many have decided to steal items or gil through unauthorized access.
Starting in July, the Special Task Force began banning accounts involved in unauthorized access in order to reduce the amount of unauthorized access being used as a method to make gil for RMT as much as possible.

In the following section, we will individually discuss each issue dealt with by the Special Task Force.
First of all, the use of synthesis and auction houses for RMT has been on the decline since May. Although there was a slight increase in the number of accounts banned in July, overall they have calmed down.
On the other hand, however, we have been receiving reports of stolen items obtained through unauthorized access being put up for sale at the auction houses. Also, through a Special Task Force investigation, it has been revealed that many of the violators engaged in the use of auction houses for RMT are involved in unauthorized access.
Because of this, since July, the Special Task Force has prioritized the banning of accounts involved in unauthorized access over all other issues. By focusing on dealing with accounts that have been accessed by unauthorized third parties, we believe we will be able to decrease the number of violators using auction houses for RMT.

Next, we move to the issue of hunters. Because hunters collect gil through battling Notorious Monsters and engaging in mining and lumbering, they require characters with relatively high levels. Up until recently, violators intending to engage in RMT would raise their characters to a certain level before beginning their activities. However, now, instead of buying new accounts with their own money and raising their characters from scratch, many are stealing accounts through unauthorized access and using those characters as hunters for RMT. As mentioned above, we plan on decreasing the damage caused by unauthorized access by swiftly dealing with the accounts involved. Likewise, we are continuing our investigations and bannings of hunters and believe that we can decrease their numbers further in the future.

Next, we move to the issue of illegal fishing. Through our strengthened activities in May, we were able to successfully and significantly decrease the number of violators. Because the number of characters banned for illegal fishing is decreasing, we can also assume that the number of violators returning to continue these actions is decreasing as well. Also, according to the results of a Special Task Force investigation, there are virtually no accounts that were commandeered through unauthorized access being used for illegal fishing, and it seems that illegal fishing has calmed down.
However, while the number of violators returning has decreased, we have confirmed some users engaged in illegal fishing who have escaped from the Special Task Force's bannings. We are solving this issue by having GMs strengthen their activities and deal with violators individually.

More details on official site!