If you see a smurf, report them

What’s your definition of a smurf?

Blizzard doesn’t. I don’t know what they call it off the top of my head, but it’s something along the lines of “unauthorized third party hardware or software”.

Have you been banned? If yes, then you’ve been abusing the alt account. If no, then whatever.

You have to get a lot of reports against you to get any sanction. A lot. It is not a normal thing to happen to players. Not by a long shot. If you’re getting sanctions, then you’re probably doing something to deserve it… or playing off-meta.

you can report them for gameplay sabo if they are throwing but you’re not allowed to report them for cheating if they are doing well!

K, well that’s false reporting.

Having smurf accounts is not a bannable offence and it isn’t cheating.
Jeff already confirmed this years ago.

Jeff’s Post 2017
Jeff’s Post 2018

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Smurf here, I bought the game, I can play whatever rank I want to play in, I’m not using anything at my disposal that you don’t have, if you can’t accept losing against better players and need to falsely report people then maybe you’re the one that should be banned.

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I’m not allowed to discuss and bans or suspensions on the forums. But I am reported very few time as a smurf, very few, that it won’t ever lead to anything. But once is more than enough.

Smurfing isn’t cheating as the definition of cheating is to use a third party program in order to gain an advantage over another player. So smurfing is not cheating end of story.

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Then why do you worry? If you’re not at risk of suspension, then guess what? The system works!

You can play your alt account normally and safely, while game sabotaging Smurfs get reported and banned accordingly.

What’s the problem?

I’ve been reported literally for picking Ashe. That kind of thing is accounted for in the system. That’s why you don’t get immediately banned. So actually, getting one report isn’t too many at all.

Smurfing isn’t bannable and never will be.

The problem is people making excuses for false reports. The problem is people false reporting period, the report system is flawed for a reason that being one of them.

But I do agree with you for the most part. A gm in bronze needs to be looked at by the devs. Because there’s a reason he’s down there, and we all know it’s from throwing, and that solely should be the reason to be banned.

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It’s an overall pattern of behaviour that is stomping and throwing that will get them banned. Both sides are equally valid within that pattern. It’s not a result of a basis of behaviour in a single match.

A few things wrong with this:

You can’t tell if they are smurfing all the time.

You will get banned for false reporting.

Smurfing isn’t cheating

I’ve never done it personally but in order to be low enough yo smurf you HAD to have thrown matches and there is no way around it.

The logic would follow you are throwing matches so that you can not throw this one so reported.

Transfers from console can seem like a smurf but technically are not.

Wouldn’t they almost have to not be a smurf by definition? An alt, sure. But smurfs throw games to slum in lower rank, and someone in masters can’t be worse than a GM, which is only the next rank up. And anyone In GM can ride down to masters just by playing weaker heroes or decaying or just not putting in their absolute best.

Really a level 26 masters player is probably just a master or GM alt used to play a different hero.

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I’ve had players admit they are smurfing. What then?

I already do. Since I’m on console anyone masters and up get scrunitized as well for m/kb/xim usage and I report them too.

Unfortunately more smurf accounts = more money for Blizz, so I doubt they’re going to bother with it.