Boosting is the paid shortcut of competitive gaming. Whether it is a Challenger duo queue in LoL or a flawless raid carry in Destiny 2, you pay or trade value for someone else to raise your rank, farm loot, or finish challenges. Games classify this as another form of Real-Money Trading because it delivers an in-game advantage you did not earn and often involves account sharing. Below you will see how studios find and ban paid carries, and the evidence you need if a match-made stranger drags your account into the ban wave.
In this guide you will learn:
- Two boosting methods and why both are bannable;
- How anti-boost tech spots sudden MMR spikes, IP swaps, and RMT trails;
- Penalty tiers from ranked locks to permanent device bans;
- Risk checklists for customers and boosters;
- Practical appeal steps to get unbanned when appealing a boosting ban.
Types of Boosting in Games
Boosting is any paid or quid-pro-quo help that moves your account up the ladder faster than normal (or self) play. Studios sort it into two main methods:
Self-Play / Carry Boosting
What it is: You queue with a high-rank player who carries every match, while you’re still logged into your own account. Payment is usually per win, per rank tier, or per raid clear.
Bannable because: Money changes hands for direct in-match advantage.
Most common in: Valorant, Overwatch 2, LoL duo queues, Apex Predator pushes, and late-wipe Rust raids.
Risks of Carry Boosting:
Even if you never share credentials, duo carries expose you to these risks:
- Booster might use cheating software (duoing with a cheater is bannable too).
- Rapid MMR spikes trigger behavior models.
- Booster could be on a compromised account that receives mass reports.
- Chat logs can prove payment, cementing a boosting offense.
- Sudden jump in team damage or headshot ratio looks suspicious.
Account-Share / Pilot Boosting
What it is: You hand over your login; the booster logs in, often on a VPN from your region, and grinds rank while you are offline.
Bannable because: Unauthorized account access plus paid performance gain.
Most common in: Destiny 2 Trials of Osiris “account recovery”, Fortnite arena climbs, Overwatch top-500 pushes, WoW M+ and PvP, and high-MMR pushes in Dota 2.
Risks of Account-Share Boosting
Giving out your password is always higher risk:
- Booster may cheat on your account, causing a permanent ban.
- Reused VPN IPs or HWID ties dozens of boosted accounts together.
- Booster can be toxic or flame teammates, dropping your honor score or even getting banned.
- Friends see you “online” but you are silent on Discord and send reports.
- Booster may have keyloggers or use unsecured cafe PCs, exposing your credentials to theft long after the boost is done (ensure you always change your password if you choose to get boosted).
- Not all boosters use your region’s VPN. For example, geo-switching from Brazil to EU in one hour will fail location-mismatch checks.
Pilot boosting – where the booster logs in and “pilots” your account solo – is far more common and usually cheaper than self-play carries. A single player on a single PC levels you faster, schedules sessions on their own time, and avoids the coordination headaches of duo queues. The trade-off is risk: every login from a foreign IP or reused VPN exit node puts your profile under “unauthorized access” scrutiny, and any cheat the pilot runs lands directly on your account.
Self-play carries cost more because they burn the booster’s main time in your lobby and often require two high-skill players if queue protection is active. They dodge the location-mismatch problem but still raise red flags through sudden MMR spikes and shared replay IDs.
How Boosting is Detected
To detect rank boosting and account sharing, games usually combine these signals:
- MMR spike analytics – compares win streak and KD jumps to boost patterns.
- IP / HWID swaps – rapid moves between continents or identical hardware IDs for many accounts.
- Report clustering – multiple opponents flag “smurf carry” in the same lobby.
- Chat and voice clues – boosters admit service in comms; chat logs advertising “carry service” (which is enough for a ban in WoW).
- VPN fingerprinting – repeated login from the same VPN exit node across unrelated accounts.
- Replay review – agents watch sudden perfect gameplay consistent with cheat-assisted boosts.
Penalty Ladder for Boosting
The penalties below escalate quickly; most publishers move from a warning straight to permanent bans for boosting if money or account sharing is confirmed.
| Action | Typical penalty |
| First carry game detected | Ranked queue lock (3-10 games) / 7-day competitive ban |
| Account-share boosting | 14-30 day full account suspension (or perma ban) + Wipes MMR or removes seasonal rewards |
| Boosting tied to cheats | Permanent account and HWID ban |
Game-Specific Notes and Ban Codes
Boosting bans rarely arrive with a simple “boosting” label. Each studio uses its own wording, error codes, or ToS articles. Knowing the exact phrasing helps you quote the right policy and attach the right evidence in a ban appeal.
- Valorant – Vanguard flashes “Permanently Suspended – Riot ToS Article 7“ if you duo with (or pay) an unknown Radiant who turns out to be cheating. Include the match IDs and a bank statement showing no RMT when you contest a Valorant ban; Riot often asks for that before re-checking telemetry. Boosting in Valorant can be used for:
- Rank/MMR jumps (Bronze → Immortal);
- Placement-match wins;
- Battle-Pass tier farming.
- World of Warcraft – Paid Mythic+ clears, Gladiator carries, or raid sales trigger an “Unauthorized Account Access” e-mail and wipe of any rewards earned. If you’re trying to appeal a WoW ban after a legitimate hotel VPN trip, add the VPN connection log plus the Blizzard Authenticator enabled screenshot. In WoW, boosting sellers usually advertise:
- Mythic + score or raid clears;
- Arena & RBG rating pushes;
- Character leveling, professions, reputation farms;
- Mount or rare-material farming.
- Destiny 2 – Bungie tags login hand-offs as “Account Recovery” and strips Trials gear even weeks later. When you appeal a Destiny 2 recovery ban, attach your recent IP history, two-factor reset confirmation, and a list of flawless cards you’re willing to surrender if needed. Destiny 2 account recovery services often cover:
- Power-level boosts;
- Raid or dungeon completions;
- Exotic gear quests and weekly challenges.
- Apex Legends – EA’s ban e-mail cites COMPETITIVE_ADVANTAGE and “ranked boosting”. Provide Switch or PSN login history and the Discord chat proving no paid service if you need to contest an Apex Legends boost penalty. Boosters in Apex Legends tend to offer:
- RP climbs (Gold → Predator);
- Badges and kill counts;
- Ranked wins, Battle-Pass tier skips.
- Call of Duty – First detection puts you in Limited Matchmaking; any infraction during that period flips to a permanent ban. Link your Warzone match summary and a clean controller-settings screenshot when you try to get unbanned from CoD. Typical Call of Duty carry menus list:
- Prestige or weapon-level farming;
- Mastery camo unlocks;
- Warzone wins and XP boosts.
- Fortnite – Epic’s message reads “Competitive Integrity Violation” To appeal a Fortnite boost ban, show 2-FA was active, attach the “Verify Files” log, and mention that you’ve secured your account from any third-party login. Fortnite boosting services focus on:
- Crown wins or Arena rank;
- Battle-Pass challenge clears;
- Weekly quest completion.
- Pokemon GO – Niantic flags paid raid or leveling services as “Unauthorized Account Access“. Gather a fresh SafetyNet scan and a Google-account activity log that shows you – not a third-party – now control the device, then follow our guide on how to unban a Pokemon Go account. In Pokemon Go, boosting services are usually aimed at:
- Stardust and XP farming;
- Rare-candy or item stacks;
- Raid clears for Legendaries.
- Escape from Tarkov – The Tarkov launcher displays Error 229 when Battlestate flags an account for suspected RMT or boosting. When submitting an EFT unban appeal, take a clear screenshot of that error and attach a short note that walks support through your recent Flea-Market transactions – what you bought or sold, at what prices, and why – to show no illicit rouble trades or boosters touched your account. Getting boosted in EFT can be for:
- Character level for Flea-Market unlock;
- Rouble or item farming;
- Quest chains (Kappa progression).
- Rainbow Six Siege – Ubisoft lists high-elo carries under “Stat Padding / Boosting” and may roll the case into a BattlEye cheat ban. Provide the match replay plus a screenshot of your team stack when you submit an R6 Siege ban appeal. Siege carry groups sell:
- Ranked elo pushes;
- Placement wins for Diamond/Champ;
- Season badge farming, Battle Pass tier boosts.
- CS 2 / CS:GO – Overwatch bans for “Multiple Accounts” surface as VAC-style warnings in CS 2. If you used a Faceit booster, appealing using our CS 2 account unban guide; Valve wants the Faceit ticket ID and proof you own only one Steam account. CS 2 boosters frequently handle:
- Competitive rank increases;
- Placement victories;
- Faceit or third-party elo boosts.
- Dota 2 – Ranked tab reads “Rank deactivated due to boosting, account sharing or other matchmaking abuse” until a set date (usually until year 2038). Attach solo-queue match IDs and your Behavior Score progress when you appeal a Dota 2 rank lock. Dota 2 boosting listings usually include:
- MMR climbs and medal boosts;
- Behavior-score repairs;
- Ranked-unlock calibration.
- Dead by Daylight – Behaviour Interactive labels modded-item carries as “Competition Distortion” with bans extending to 2035. To unban a DBD account, provide Steam “Verify Integrity” logs and agree to a wipe of boosted bloodpoints (if that’s the case). Boosting in DBD can be used for:
- Auric Cell and Bloodpoint farming;
- Grade boosts (Iridescent IV → I);
- Killer/Survivor prestige leveling;
- Cosmetic unlock grinds.
- Overwatch 2 – Competitive-rank spikes, Top 500 placements, or mass Battle-Pass farming from a foreign IP trigger an “Unauthorized Account Access” lock and can wipe seasonal rewards. When you appeal an Overwatch 2 ban, include the Battle.net login-history screenshot, context for the unusual gameplay, and proof the IP jump came from a legitimate trip or approved VPN. Typical Overwatch 2 boost services offer:
- SR climbs straight into Grand Master or Top 500;
- Placement matches or unlocking ranked gameplay (level up) for fresh accounts;
- Battle-Pass XP grinds and event-skin challenge clears.
Evidence Checklist for Boosting Ban Appeals
Collect these before you open a ticket:
- Match IDs or full replays of the flagged sessions;
- Login-history showing same device before and after boost window;
- Boarding passes or VPN invoices if travel explains IP change;
- Honor, endorsement, or behavior-score screenshot from recent clean games;
- Screenshot of ban message with code;
- Voice or chat logs that show normal coordination – not paid service;
- Discord or in-game chat confirming unpaid help;
- Two-factor re-enable screenshot after regaining account control.
- Any prior ticket ID where you reported suspicious login.
Prevention and Legit Alternatives to Boosting
Avoiding a ban is easier than winning an appeal. These tips keep you clear of any future paid carry ban flags:
- Hire a coach, not a booster – coaching is allowed in all games, including LoL, Valorant, and CS 2.
- Use in-game LFG tools – raid or Mythic+ groups built through Blizzard Group Finder avoid “unauthorized access” flags.
- Time-gated rank climbs – Some games might cap (or soft cap) gains per day; respect the limit to avoid unnatural spikes.
- Play smurf-free events – Fortnite’s Zero Build cups and Apex takeovers use fresh MMR seeding.
- Queue with known friends – premade groups reduce report volume and false accusations.
- Review your replays – post-match analysis replaces the need for external carries and keeps you clear of penalties.
But If You’re Going to Get Boosted Anyway…
We’ll always recommend coaching over carries, but some players will still roll the dice. If you plan to buy a boost anyway, do the homework a tournament ref would expect: vet the service, lock down security, and make every login look like you, not a paid pilot.
- Swap your password twice – set a throw-away password before the boost starts, then replace it with a brand-new one the moment the job ends.
- Use a completely unique passphrase – never recycle the e-mail or any other password you rely on elsewhere.
- Enable two-factor for purchases – force the booster to ping your phone for any store spend; you keep full control of currency and cosmetics.
- Supply a same-region VPN endpoint – ask the booster to tunnel through an IP in your city; location match reduces IP discrepancies flags.
- Match your normal play window – if you always queue 7-10 p.m. local, a 4 a.m. login for a period of time, combined with many wins, will look suspicious.
- Back up settings and configs – cloud-save keybinds, graphics presets, or HUD mods so a fresh install doesn’t trigger integrity scans.
- Request a clean device – no cafes, thin clients, or cracked Windows builds; boosters on sketchy PCs can have malware and keyloggers.
None of these steps are fool-proof, but they trim the biggest red flags – foreign IPs, surprise purchases, and messy security trails – that land most boosting bans in the first place.
Quick rank boosts look tempting until they wipe your rewards or get your account suspended for months (or permanently). Studios track paid carries with tighter data every season, making it harder for boosters to stay off their radar.
Stick to coaching, grind naturally, or at least understand the full risk before you go all-in. If you do find yourself staring at a boosting ban screen, grab the evidence checklist above and follow our game-specific appeal guide.