Account marketplaces are where most people buy League of Legends accounts, but the risks are real
You can buy League of Legends accounts from third-party marketplaces like PlayerAuctions, G2G, and Eldorado.gg, but Riot Games does not endorse these sales and buying an account violates the game's Terms of Service. When you buy an account this way, you are purchasing access to someone else's property — Riot owns the account, not you or the seller. That means Riot can ban the account at any time, and you will lose access to everything you paid for, with no refund.
The account you buy may have been created with stolen payment information, hacked from another player, or farmed by bots. If Riot discovers any of these things, the ban is permanent. You also have no legal recourse against the seller if they change the password after you pay, sell the same account to someone else, or disappear entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Third-party account sales violate Riot Games' Terms of Service and can result in a permanent ban with no refund.
- Accounts sold on marketplaces are often created through account theft, payment fraud, or bot farming, making them targets for bans.
- If a seller changes the password or sells the account to multiple buyers, you have no legal protection or way to recover your money.
- Riot Games offers no official account resale program, and the company does not recognize purchases made outside its own store.
- The safest alternative is to level your own account or purchase cosmetics and battle pass content through the official League client.
How third-party account sales actually work
Most marketplaces operate as middlemen between sellers and buyers. The seller lists an account with its rank, level, champions owned, and skins. You pay the marketplace (usually through PayPal, credit card, or cryptocurrency), and the seller provides login credentials. The marketplace holds the payment for a set period — often 7 to 14 days — while you test the account. If you confirm it works, the marketplace releases the money to the seller.
This process sounds safer than a direct peer-to-peer trade, but the marketplace has no way to verify that the account was obtained legally or that the seller actually owns it. They also cannot force a seller to refund you if the account is banned after the holding period ends. Many marketplaces explicitly state they are not responsible for accounts banned by Riot.
Why Riot Games bans purchased accounts
Riot's anti-cheat and account security teams flag accounts for bans based on several patterns. If an account suddenly changes region, IP address, or device after purchase, it triggers automated detection. If the original creator reports the account as stolen, Riot will ban it. If the account was created using a stolen credit card or hacked email, Riot will ban it when they discover the fraud.
Riot also bans accounts created through bot farming — automated systems that level accounts to sell them. These accounts often show unnatural play patterns that Riot's systems detect. Even if the account passes the marketplace's holding period without a ban, it can be flagged weeks or months later.
What happens to your money if the account is banned
Once Riot bans an account, you lose access immediately. The ban is permanent and cannot be appealed if Riot determines the account was obtained through fraud or theft. Your money is gone — the marketplace will not refund you because the account technically worked when you received it, and Riot will not compensate you because you violated their Terms of Service by purchasing it.
If you paid by credit card, you could attempt a chargeback with your bank, but the marketplace will likely dispute it and provide evidence that you received the account and had access to it. Many marketplaces also ban buyers who attempt chargebacks, which means you lose access to any future transactions on that platform.
Safer ways to get a high-rank or high-level account
The official way to progress in League is to level your own account and climb the ranked ladder. This takes time — reaching level 30 (the minimum for ranked play) takes roughly 100 to 150 hours of gameplay. Climbing from Bronze to Diamond takes hundreds of hours more, depending on your skill level.
If you want cosmetics without the grind, you can purchase skins, emotes, and other cosmetics directly through the League client using Riot Points (bought with real money). These purchases are tied to your account and cannot be lost to a ban. You can also purchase a Battle Pass each season for cosmetic rewards.
Some players use coaching or boosting services where a professional player logs into your account and plays ranked games to increase your rank. This also violates Riot's Terms of Service and can result in a ban, but it carries less risk than buying an account outright because your account is not replaced — it is just played by someone else for a period of time.
Red flags that signal a risky account listing
If a seller is offering an account at a price far below market rate, the account is likely flagged for ban or was obtained through fraud. If the seller cannot provide account creation details or refuses to answer questions about how they obtained the account, that is a warning sign. If the account has been transferred multiple times (visible in some marketplaces' transaction history), it is at higher risk of being reclaimed by a previous owner.
Accounts with extremely high-value skin collections are sometimes stolen accounts that the original owner has not yet reported. Sellers who offer to keep the account's original email address or refuse to change the password are also suspicious — legitimate sellers should transfer full ownership to you.
What Riot Games says about account sales
Riot's Terms of Service explicitly prohibit buying, selling, or trading accounts. The company states that accounts are licensed to the original creator and cannot be transferred. Riot also prohibits account boosting, account sharing, and any third-party service that involves logging into your account.
Riot does not offer an official account marketplace or resale program. The company has stated that they will not recognize purchases made outside their own store and will not refund money lost to account bans resulting from third-party sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my money back if I buy an account and it gets banned?
No. Riot Games will not refund you because you violated their Terms of Service. The marketplace will not refund you because the account worked when you received it. Your bank may reverse the charge if you dispute it, but the marketplace can counter the dispute with proof of delivery.
Is it illegal to buy a League of Legends account?
It is not illegal in most places, but it violates Riot's Terms of Service, which you agree to when you play the game. Riot can ban your account without warning or refund. If the account was stolen or created with fraudulent payment information, you could be held liable in some jurisdictions.
How long does it usually take before a purchased account gets banned?
There is no set timeline. Some accounts are banned within days, others within weeks or months. Riot's detection systems flag accounts based on play patterns, region changes, and fraud reports, so timing varies. Some accounts may never be banned, but the risk never goes away.
What is the difference between buying an account and using a boosting service?
Buying an account means you receive login credentials and the account becomes yours (in theory). Boosting means a professional player logs into your account and plays ranked games to increase your rank. Both violate Riot's Terms of Service, but boosting carries slightly less risk because your account is not replaced — it is just played by someone else temporarily.
Can I sell my own League of Legends account?
Technically, you can list it on a marketplace, but Riot can ban the account at any time, and the buyer has no recourse. You also violate Riot's Terms of Service by selling it. If the buyer reports the account as stolen or if Riot detects the sale, both accounts involved may be banned.