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What happens when someone is caught cheating?

Learn what happens when someone cheats on Chess.com, including account closures and how rating refunds work if you played against them.

Updated this week

Consequences of cheating on Chess.com

When someone is caught cheating, their account is closed, and they are blocked from creating new accounts.

If a member's account is closed for cheating, it means they were found engaging in activities listed under 'Not Allowed' in any of the sections in this article: What counts as cheating on Chess.com?

How do I know if I played against a cheater?

If you played a game against someone who was later found to have violated our Fair Play policies, we’ll send a message to your Chess.com inbox letting you know.

Chess.com message

You can also check your Game History. If you see the 'Closed: Fair Play' icon next to an opponent’s username, that means their account was closed for cheating.

Game History on Chess.com with an arrow pointing to an account closed for Fair Play

I played against a cheater, will I get my rating points back?

If you lost rating points in a game against someone who was banned for cheating, your rating will be automatically adjusted. You’ll see the update after your next game.

If you don’t receive a refund within 15 days of the account closure, please contact our Support team, and we’ll be happy to help.

Please keep in mind that we are unable to alter game or tournament outcomes.

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