Listen up, Pokémon GO players. Even though COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic and your progress to become a Pokémon Master might be slowed, don't even think about GPS spoofing. The thought of keeping up in-game from the comfort of your germ-free den is increasingly tempting, but is the risk of being banned really worth it?

It's not. This author has zero experience in the matter, and we would never encourage breaking terms of service in any game, but just hear us out on this one. It's not worth it.

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Nevertheless, with events and large public gatherings on hold across the world, spoofing in Pokémon GO is probably going to see a resurgence. GPS spoofing allows players to teleport anywhere in the world and walk around collecting precious 'mons as if they were there. GO cheaters worldwide are ready to virtually escape their bunkers with false GPS powers, so with the help of Reddit research (again, zero personal experience), we've assembled a list of 10 things spoofers actually do.

10 Stay Inside And Avoid Exercise

When Pokémon GO was first introduced to the world, the concept was rather brilliant. Everyone loves Pokémon, and everyone has dreamed of catching 'em all. A game that got kids on their feet and out of the house provided a rare moment where parents didn't worry about gaming. Questions like "why don't you go and play outside" were finally obsolete.

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Of course, if you're a despicable GPS spoofer, you have absolutely no reason to go outside. With the ease of traveling by map, you can transport your avatar anywhere in the world and use a joystick to control your movements without moving a muscle. Thanks spoofers, you ruined the one time that gamers and parents agreed on a proactive gaming experience.

9 Think They're Protecting The World From Coronavirus

A popular post from Reddit user Ripeanimals pointed out if spoofers are doing one thing right, it's staying safe from COVID-19. Niantic (developer of Pokémon GO) has already canceled the next community day, and realizing that players are more likely to stay inside, they've reduced the cost of 'mon-luring incense from 40 PokéCoins down to just 1.

Of course, spoofers can reap the rewards of these discounts as well, but at least Niantic is giving legit players some options to keep playing during this outbreak. Hopefully, they'll continue to incentivize the game for legit players, even when the world isn't going through a pandemic.

8 Try To Break Into Pokémon GO Fest

Every year, Niantic holds massive festivals around the globe where GO players gather to capture rare Pokémon. And every single year, without fail, spoofers look for new galaxy-brain strategies to fool the measures Niantic has in place to make sure those participating are actually on location.

Usually involving a QR code or physical ticket that requires attendees to sign in on-site, these measures haven't exactly been foolproof. Cheaters have still managed to get tickets and spoof to the location. These workarounds give their tainted accounts access to the festival even though they're still sitting at home.

7 Spend More Time Downloading Apps Than Actually Playing

One look at the spoofing subreddit and it becomes clear that the majority of effort exerted by these cheaters is finding new apps that will allow them to GPS spoof. As soon as Niantic has updated the game, these delinquents are scrambling to find an updated version of their favorite apps. Why go outside and enjoy the game the way it was meant to be played when you can spend your time downloading apps in a fit of frustration?

Many of these apps end up obsolete as the developers stop supporting them for a multitude of reasons, including legal action initiated by Niantic. Safe to say you're better off just playing the game.

6 Teleport To The Same Spots Instead Of Discovering Anything

Seemingly half of the posts on the subreddit are sharing locations where highly-desirable Pokémon spawn. The real thrill of Pokémon GO is coming across rare Pokémon when you least expect it. The joy of seeing that Snorlax pop up and the subsequent pressure to capture it is what makes Pokémon GO fun.

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You might be out for a casual stroll finding new PokéStops when one of these coveted creatures appears, and it makes your decision to go for a walk all the more worth it. Well, all of that is ruined in the spoofing community, because you're given locations where these 'mons are more likely to spawn and the surprise is spoiled.

5 Make Rural Players Feel Jealous

If there's one criticism legit players and spoofers can agree on, its the fact that the Pokémon GO experience is vastly underwhelming for people living in rural areas. The amount of Pokémon in any given area is based on population density, so it's pretty much a given that your gameplay in the country is dull in comparison to a city center.

In that regard, it's easy to see why so many are tempted into spoofing. A player might download the game and check out their surrounding area for a little while, and if they end up enjoying Pokémon GO, they might be more inclined to GPS spoof so they don't have to travel into the city all the time. If Niantic were to improve the experience for rural players, spoofing could see a sharp decline.

4 Make Legit Players Feel Angry

Between making rural players feel jealous and sending legit players into spats of rage, its clear that spoofers are not popular amongst the bastion of trainers who haven't fallen to the dark side. And really, who could blame them.

For instance, as this post on the main Pokémon Go Reddit indicates, regionally exclusive Pokémon are released to the rest of the community on an occasional basis via eggs that hatch after the player has walked a certain distance. Spoofers already have the ability to jump around the world collecting regionally exclusive Pokémon to begin with. As was the case with the World Tourism Day event, they then hatch even more powerful regionals. This example is just one of the many ways spoofers make legit players angry.

3 Use Fruit to Hatch Eggs

Speaking of eggs, one of the most absurd posts on the subreddit involves how the joystick feature in spoofing apps can be controlled with the use of an orange. As mentioned above, eggs hatch after players have walked a certain distance, so spoofers are always looking for ways to keep their avatar moving without having to hold down the joystick until their pointer fingers go numb.

When you're a spoofer, you spend half your time downloading apps, and the other half using fruit to play the game for you. Sounds absolutely thrilling.

2 Get Banned

As the old adage goes, cheaters never prosper, and that certainly holds true for those who use GPS spoofing. The practice is highly discouraged by Niantic via a three-strike system. If you continue to hop around the map like a globetrotter even after you've received two warnings and a 30-day timeout in the corner, then you can kiss your account goodbye for good.

Something tells me there will be an influx of banned accounts in the coming months. Call it a hunch, but a global pandemic seems like the perfect excuse to justify GPS spoofing.

1 Refund Their Purchases When They Get Banned

If being banned wasn't enough, many spoofers find one final way to stick it to Niantic. If they've made in-app purchases on iOS, spoofers then take to the Apple support system to hit the developer where it hurts most: their wallets.

It's amazing that despite the completely unfair competitive edge spoofers get, they still feel obligated to requests after being banned for intentionally cheating. Because hey, ruining the game for everybody else wasn't enough, they also have to go after the company that makes the game. If you lose your account due to GPS spoofing, then good riddance.

NEXT: 10 Pokémon Go Legacy Moves You Can't Get Anymore