The Nintendo Switch Emulator That's Going Around is a Scam, Says the FTC

[ffronw]

The Nintendo Switch Emulator That's Going Around is a Scam, Says the FTC

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1399/1399097.jpgIf you've seen an ad or heard someone talk about a Nintendo Switch emulator, beware - the Federal Trade Commission says that it's a scam.

With the scarcity of the Nintendo Switch, the idea of getting hold of an emulator can be awfully attractive. Scammers know that, and that has led to a rash of ads that claim to give you access to just such an emulator. But don't be fooled - the Federal Trade Commission is warning that these ads are just a scam.

There's an advisory posted on the FTC's consumer blog [https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/theres-no-nintendo-switch-emulator] written by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle, an attorney for the FTC's Division of Consumer & Business Education. It reads, "If you can't get your hands on a Nintendo Switch gaming system, you may think an emulator is the next best thing. Think again. Online ads for emulators, sometimes with Nintendo branding, say they can run Switch's games on your desktop. But there is no legit Nintendo Switch emulator. It's a scam."

So no matter how much you want to play a Switch game, don't give in to the temptation. Here are the tips that the FTC offers up to help avoids scams like these:

Don't download anything that says it's a Nintendo Switch emulator.
Don't complete a survey to get an "unlock code." That's a red flag for a scam.
Keep your security software current. Set it to update automatically. Installing unknown programs can lead to malware.
Play Nintendo Switch at your friend's house until you're able to buy the real one yourself.

If you see any of these scams, the FTC is asking that you report them right here [http://www.ftc.gov/complaint].

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[snintendog]

You Don't Say its not like we have even dumped a ROM yet for the switch. The fact this still needs to be said is just amazing.

 

[Synigma]

You Don't Say its not like we have even dumped a ROM yet for the switch. The fact this still needs to be said is just amazing.

It should be obvious, even just given how long it usually takes for a good emulator to come out for any console... but hey, some people need that warning label.

 

[Rastrelly]

Well, duh. Modern systems reqiure years of reverse-engineering to even scratch the surface, and Switch has just came out.

 

[Saelune]

This is an article for Non-Gaming sites. I'd hope anyone here would not fall for this for any number of reasons obvious to most gamers.

 

[Blitsie]

Honestly, brutally so, if anyone is that daft enough to fall for something like this then by all means enjoy whatever malicious crap hits their computer once they've opened those floodgates and take it as a harsh lesson learned. Even as a non-gamer you have to at least know what to look out for when browsing the web, otherwise that's going to be one very short and expensive journey.

 

[Zulnam]

What about the emulators that do work? I.e.: the one that was used to play the new Zelda at 4K?

 

[MHR]

People dumb enough to fall for this I have no sympathy for.

It's like the people that downloaded tons of gigs of "Grand Theft Auto 5" before it even released. It was all just junk data, and a virus thrown in.

 

[Rack]

What about the emulators that do work? I.e.: the one that was used to play the new Zelda at 4K?

WiiU emulator.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Well, if you're gullible enough to believe a functional Switch emulator exists mere months after release then, well, you might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Well, if you're gullible enough to believe a functional Switch emulator exists mere months after release then, well, you might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I dunno, I might be gullible enough to think that there'd be a functional Switch emulator by now, but you'd have to be a complete idiot to think it was officially sanctioned. None of the emulators for other systems that I've seen have ever pretended to be official "Nintendo gives this the thumbs up" products.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

To be a little fair, if a console's tech is similar enough to a PC's then maybe it's kinda sorta plausible?

 

[Elijin]

I get the news here, but it also leaves me scratching my head. Arent ALL emulators a scam in the eyes of the FTC? I mean are any official? I was under the impression that basically all emulators are illegal software mimicking licensed products... Pirating so severe that you even pirate the hardware!

 

[karkashan]

I get the news here, but it also leaves me scratching my head. Arent ALL emulators a scam in the eyes of the FTC? I mean are any official? I was under the impression that basically all emulators are illegal software mimicking licensed products... Pirating so severe that you even pirate the hardware!

The Emulators themselves can be thought of as "preserving the history of technology" and therefore can be found in a more favorably legal light than one might expect. Even ripping a ROM or the BIOS from a console/cartridge yourself has some small protections under current legal precedent. Where it gets illegal is when one distributes these ROMS and BIOS files to others (and ESPECIALLY when one sells them, as they aren't a physical item, which is normally the legal justification for backups and being able to sell your used games)

praisegrima