THE FRAUD CODEXSCAM DETECTION
LOW RISK

Royal Match Misleading Ads

Royal Match is a legitimate game from Dream Games ($3B+ lifetime revenue, 55M monthly users), but the ads are notoriously misleading—the dramatic "save the king" gameplay appears only occasionally in the actual game.

Losses: Financial losses from aggressive in-app purchases; no fraud losses
Targets: Mobile gamers, people who see the ubiquitous ads
Updated: 2026-01-11
Also known as: Royal Match fake ads • Royal Match misleading • Royal Match real • Royal Match legit

1How It Works

Royal Match is NOT a scam—it's a legitimate match-3 puzzle game developed by Dream Games, a Turkish company that has generated over $3 billion in lifetime revenue from Royal Match alone, with 370+ million downloads and 55 million monthly active users. **The Misleading Ads Problem:** Royal Match ads show dramatic scenarios: King Robert drowning, freezing, burning, or about to be crushed. You appear to solve urgent puzzles to save him. These ads are everywhere—Dream Games invests heavily in marketing (61.5% of downloads come from paid ads), with celebrity campaigns featuring Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and other UK personalities. The reality? These "King's Nightmare" rescue levels exist, but: - They appear only periodically (roughly every 50-100 levels for most users) - They're completely optional and skippable - The core game is a standard match-3 puzzle (like Candy Crush) - Most gameplay is normal tile-matching **The Real Concern: Aggressive Monetization** While the game is free and doesn't show ads during play, it's designed to encourage spending: - Difficulty spikes around level 200+ make progress extremely hard without purchases - Limited lives that regenerate slowly (or you can pay) - Boosters and extra moves cost coins (real money) and escalate - UI designed to encourage purchases - Players report spending $50-100+ on difficult levels

How Scammers Make Contact

Mobile AdsApp StoreSocial Media

2Warning Signs & Red Flags

  • Ads showing gameplay that doesn't represent the actual game
  • Difficulty spikes designed to encourage purchases
  • Easy to accidentally tap purchase buttons
  • Limited free lives with slow regeneration
  • In-app purchases can add up quickly
  • Kids may not understand real money is being spent

3Real-World Example

"Parents say the game is heavily criticized for being a money-grabbing scheme where advancing through levels is virtually impossible without spending money, leading to frustration among players. Many users report it being rigged against players, filled with deceptive advertising."

— Common Sense Media Parent Reviews Summary

4How to Protect Yourself

  • Disable in-app purchases in your phone settings (especially for kids)
  • Join an active team to receive free lives from teammates
  • Never buy extra moves mid-level—restart instead
  • Set a firm spending limit (or commit to $0)
  • Accept that free progress will be slow at higher levels
  • Use the wait-for-lives strategy rather than paying
  • Review app permissions and limit as needed

5What To Do If You're a Victim

  1. 1Request refunds through Apple App Store or Google Play for recent purchases
  2. 2For kids' unauthorized purchases, contact your app store with details
  3. 3Disable in-app purchases to prevent future issues
  4. 4Set up parental controls if children play
  5. 5Leave an honest review to help other players
  6. 6Report misleading ads to app store or FTC if desired

Report This Scam

FTC Report Fraud FBI IC3 Identity Theft

?Frequently Asked Questions

What is Royal Match Misleading Ads?

Royal Match is a legitimate game from Dream Games ($3B+ lifetime revenue, 55M monthly users), but the ads are notoriously misleading—the dramatic "save the king" gameplay appears only occasionally in the actual game. Royal Match is NOT a scam—it's a legitimate match-3 puzzle game developed by Dream Games, a Turkish company that has generated over $3 billion in lifetime revenue from Royal Match alone, with 370+ million downloads and 55 million monthly active users. **The Misleading Ads Problem:** Royal Match ads...

How common is this type of scam?

Royal Match Misleading Ads is classified as a low risk threat. Reported losses: Financial losses from aggressive in-app purchases; no fraud losses. This primarily targets Mobile gamers, people who see the ubiquitous ads.

Can I get my money back?

Recovery depends on how you paid. Credit card payments may be reversed through chargebacks. Wire transfers and cryptocurrency are rarely recoverable. Report immediately to your bank and file complaints with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and FBI IC3 at ic3.gov.

How do I report this?

Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For internet crimes, file with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov. For identity theft, visit identitytheft.gov. Also contact your local police and your bank.

Sources & References

Common Sense Media: Royal Match ReviewUdonis: How Royal Match Makes MoneyOld Cynic: Royal Match King's Nightmare Analysis

Related Scams

Fake Online Store

Fraudulent e-commerce websites that take your payment but never deliver products, or send counterfeit/inferior goods.

Think You've Encountered This Scam?

Use our free AI scanner to analyze suspicious messages, websites, or phone numbers.

Scan Now — It's Free