Account banned by Inno because of using extension

Vali

Hi.
Today, my ingame account was banned because of using FoE Helper extension.
I have sent them a ticket to see what is the reason, but the message I’ve received when I was logging in was very clear, that I’m using robots or scripts and this is not allowed in this game.

Any suggestions?

Tnx

Vali

Anyone else has been banned?

Th3C0D3R

there are reports that players on EN server getting banned (just a few 20 players) so if FoE-Helper would be the reason, than every single EN-Player would be banned using this tool.

this means that those player used other tools which are triggering the ban system and act like scripts and bots

pawelw

I got 2 hours ban on PL server.

Agrippa

I received a two hour ban, too, for having FoE Helper installed on Chrome browser. FoE Helper had already removed a number of useful tools, many of which did nothing more than acting as a basic calculator. It’s tools do little more than this today, but a couple, such as tracking incidents, might be considered having a leg up. Until I hear something official, I’ve removed it.

Th3C0D3R

If you haved Powertools installed one time and did log into the world once but never used it, then you will get a 2h ban too

Agrippa

Until I get an official response, I’ve removed FoE Helper from Chrome, stopped using Excel, and even my Windows 10 calculator. Back to pen and paper, I guess, so, as far as I know, none of these tools did anything other than read and process information sent to my browser to possibly calculate.

Agrippa

Feel free to make your own calculations in the future as in those cases it was you yourself that has collected and processes the data to make use of it, while some tools completely automate this process for you, by gathering the data directly in the game.

Your account has also been unbanned in the meanwhile, so you can continue playing.

If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us again. We hope you continue to enjoy Forge of Empires and our current Summer Event.

Kind regards,

Fiene
Team Lead Community Management

While they didn’t say here in so many words, this letter that I received asking about FoE helper vs Excel vs my Window 10 calculator answered that it was FoE Helper that was detected and considered illegal. FoE Helper was the only tool that I was using that automatically showed calculations of information sent to my browser.

Socerman

i can report that some users on italian server was banned for 2 hours but foe helpers seems not the cause.
As far as i know, all banned users have powertools installed without actively use it.
i’m currently invastigating, stay tuned for more information.

Agrippa

I’ll be keeping up with this thread and see if InnoGames updates their terms, but Fiene, the Team Lead Community Management, makes it clear in his letter that any tools that automate calculating and gather data in game are illegal. That’s pretty much all that even today’s version of FoE Helper does. I made it very clear that I was in full control of every action made on my account. They aren’t debating that. Apparently, though, even just the showing of FPs totals in inventory in game is illegal.

Socerman

Agrippa
i hanve not read Fiene’s letter..
could you provide me a link to it?
thank you

Agrippa

You2020-08-06 04:05:36
I received a temporary ban for something on my end being tagged as a bot. I don’t use any bots and I’m in full control of every action that I make on my account. Unless basic calculators are against the rules, too, I’m using no 3rd party applications.
Forge of Empires - Customer Support2020-08-06 04:06:39
Hello xxx

thank you for contacting the Forge of Empires Team.

We are sorry to hear, that you have experienced a ban in our game. Unfortunately our system detected that you were using a third party program or pluging that is not allowed to be used in our game. In order to make sure our detection for third party programs and plugins stays accurate in the future as well, we can’t give you any details about the way we have detected you or which program you have been using.

Please be informed, that any program/plugin that automates processes in our game or gives you an unfair advantage over other players is considered as ‘not allowed’. InnoGames has not officially allowed the usage of any third party program or plugin.

In order to avoid any further sanctions we strongly recommend removing any third party program and plugin that could influence our game. In some cases it may also help to re-install the browser again.

The ban currently applied to your account lasts for 2 hours and will be removed shortly. If you don’t use any third party software or plugins afterwards, your account will not be banned again.

Thank you for your understanding. Should you have any further questions regarding this matter, please let us know.

Kind regards,

Fiene
Team Lead Community Management
You2020-08-06 04:45:36
Thank you for the answer, Fiene. In not so many words, this ban has confirmed that using the Chrome extention: FoE Helper, Excel, or even the basic Windows 10 calculator are considered illegal third party programs by InnoGames. For none of these programs did anything but read and process information sent to my browser and, possibly, assist with calculating that information. To be clear, I wasn’t using any bots or scripts and I was in full control of every action that I made on my account. I’ve since removed FoE Helper from Chrome, Excel, and won’t use my Windows 10 calculator again until I receive official word that these 3rd party programs are acceptable. Thank you.
Forge of Empires - Customer Support2020-08-06 05:43:27
Hello xxx
thank you for your reply.

Your account has also been unbanned in the meanwhile, so you can continue playing.

If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us again. We hope you continue to enjoy Forge of Empires and our current Summer Event.

Kind regards,

Fiene
Team Lead Community Management

Agrippa

I should note that it wasn’t Fiene who actually initiated the ban on my account. It was another person that I’m no longer finding their name. Fiene is the Team Lead Community Management that answered my ticket when I appealed the ban.

Vali

My account was unbanned couple of hours ago, so now I can play again, but I have uninstalled FoE Helper extension. I don’t know if I can install it again, or simply to live and play this game without this extension 🙁 It is very sad that nothing can be done to be untracked …

Agrippa

I’m thinking the same thing. All that FoE Helper did was to help read and process data that is sent to my browser and helped to calculate some of that data. Yeah, I guess, that some of it was automated, but I didn’t see it (in its current state) as being a significant advantage.

UselessMother

I was also banned for 2 hrs; my inquiry regarding the latest version were not answered as yet.

UselessMother

this was their reply"
Thank you for your reply.

All tools/plugins offered for Forge of Empires are offered by Third Parties and not by InnoGames itself - this is also true for the FoE Helper.

If you encounter any problems while using a Third Party tool/plugin, we’re not responsible for any consequences, or damage they may cause, including but not limited to; harming your device(s), fetching your personal or account data or actions against your account .

We also do not offer any kind of support should you run into any technical issues while using any third party tool or plug in.

As we do not support third party tools, we are unable to advise you as to whether to use it or not, however use of any third party software is always at the player’s own risk.

It is the players responsibility to ensure that they are playing within the game rules, this includes the use of these tools. As they are developed by third parties, we cannot control their content or what they do, we can’t provide a definitive answer that it is ok to use, as the tool/site could change what it does at anytime.

I hope this helps but please contact us again, should you need more assistance.

Kind regards,

Fiene
Team Lead Community Management

andrgin

It seems that powertools users have been banned even those that have already removed it some time ago.

UselessMother

Is there a difference between FoE Helper and “the powertools” you are mentoring above? Or is it the same and we should remove FoE Helper??

Agrippa

I can’t speak for every ban, but in my case, Fiene made it clear that using tools that provide an unfair advantage and/or process data, completely automating it, and gathering the data directly in the game are illegal. FoE Helper does all of these things, so I removed it and haven’t been banned since.