Simple Hack Checking to Avoid Getting Scammed
Hello all,
So I was recently browsing through the trade station and saw several illegitimate Pokémon with many offers, when the trader was insisting that they were legitimate. To avoid offering for hacked Pokémon and getting scammed, here are some simple and quick tips to hack check Pokémon. Of course, not all hacks are obvious, but this will help traders know of instant red flags to look for when trading.
Astral Vapors has a great thread covering Pokémon that can’t be shiny, or ones that can only be shiny in certain situations. This covers the majority of hacks, but this thread will cover some other hacks to look out for. Here is the link to that thread: http://www.pokebay.com/forums/showth...f-to-be-duped-
-First off, just because it has the blue pentagon DOESN’T mean it’s legit. Hacked pokemon can have the pentagon. Also, if it doesn’t have the pentagon, it may be legit as well, just traded from a different region.
-Pokémon in Apricorn balls cannot have their hidden (Dream world) abilities.
-If a Pokémon is in a special Pokeball, like an apricorn ball or dream ball, be sure that Pokémon can legitimately be in that ball. Check that Pokémon’s Bulbapedia entries and see if was catchable in the Dream World or in Heartgold and Soulsilver. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, this holds true. If it can’t be found in those, it can’t be in that ball.
-If a Pokémon has the OT Ash and ID of 01337, there is a 99.9 (with a vinculum) percent chance that it is hacked, as this was the default for Pokedit.
-Some believe that Pokémon with premier ribbons (the ribbons of certain event pokemon that prevents them from being traded) that otherwise would not have them are hacked, as they were downloaded from Pokecheck, but others argue that they are legit. It is good information to have, though, when trading.
-Obviously any Pokémon with a strange OT should raise red flags (PBApp, etc), unless someone was intent on naming their character that…
-Powersaves (the current form of Action Replay) “shinifies” Pokémon by changing the trainer ID number. If you trade with a player for multiple shiny pokemon and they have the same original trainer name, but differing IDs, this should raise a red flag and you should ask the trader why they have different IDs. The common response is the trainer has multiple games, so you should ask for pictures of the various IDs for confirmation. If the trader is unable, this is probably a hack.
-If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. A 6IV shiny kyogre might sound like a great deal, but the odds are 1 in 8,796,093,000,000 (of course there is RNG, but it’s highly unlikely still, and chances are, if the trader doesn’t mention it’s RNGed, it’s hacked).
-Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, and Deoxys can’t be legitimately shiny in ORAS. Other legends can, though.
-ORAS legends must have 3IVs. If you get a shiny ORAS legend without 3 perfect IVs, it’s a hack and was hacked by a new powersave feature.
If you have any other tips, feel free to let me know, and I will add them to the thread. Please be sure to be informed about the Pokémon you’re trading before doing so and use common sense when trading to avoid getting scammed.
Best of luck!
Grant
