Niantic has fought back against Pokémon Go cheaters in a variety of ways. From instantaneously banning them to using more exciting methods, like only allowing them to catch the worst pokémon. Basically, the company has zero endurance for players who use assistant apps that help track pokémon or trick the game. Today, the developer expanded its punishments with another irregular measure: players who use third-party services that “circumvent normal gameplay” will be scarred.
In a statement on TheSilphRoad subreddit, Niantic describes this shocking badge as a “slash” in their inventory; once marked, a player’s game “may not behave as expected.” Exactly what that means is obscure. When contacted by The Verge, Niantic declined to elaborate, but instead pointed back to its statement.This people of Pokémon Go players at TheSilphRoad have started sharing pictures of the declared mark.
Since the game’s launch last year, some players have used third-party apps for map, GPS spoofing, or botting, all of which give players a leg-up in their hunting. In its statement, Niantic calls the move part of its commitment to “staying true on our engagement to ensuring that Pokémon Go continues to be a fun and fair occurrence for all Trainers … This is one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community and delivering an amazing Pokémon Go experience.” 
The mark itself may serve as a imitative technique more than anything, but we’d guess the strange behaviour Niantic threatening warned about may include other tricks to ruin a cheater’s good time.
