So I was looking for some things online to help with building ideas. And through the comments on a video I found that apparently some people buy motors with like 30% more torque and put vex stickers to make it look real. Is this true? I’m sure theres cheating in every kind of competition, but I don’t want to believe my teams chances are ruined by cheaters. If this really does happen, is there some way for them to be caught/ checked before competing?
I could be wrong tho, idk. I don’t mean to accuse anyone of anything, I just wanted to know if y’all have heard of this/opinions
Hi welcome to the forums! Yes, this can happen. Although, this is very rare. Your team’s chances to win are not ruined by cheaters! This competition is fair to everyone, from getting judged awards, winning tournaments, getting those sweet qualifications to states! This is all a learning moment for every team to overcome those challenges. 
One way to catch them would be to pay attention to gear ratios and motor types. If a team seems like they’re winning pushing matches that they shouldn’t be, compare their drive base to the bots they play against, if the math isn’t mathing, bring it to the refs. Though I’d caution that this is an incredibly unlikely occurrence, and I’d leave it alone if you believe there’s even a slight chance you’re wrong, as this would be a very serious thing to accuse someone of. You don’t want to be the guy who caused a huge fuss over nothing. Overall, this really isn’t something to worry about, but your concern is understandable. As long as you’re smart about it, there’s no reason you shouldn’t keep an eye out if it makes you feel better.
There can be sanctions against a team. Check out the code of conduct policy. https://vrc-kb.recf.org/hc/en-us/articles/9653987780375-Code-of-Conduct
We may not have the budget of Nascar to check for cheaters but a bot has to pass inspection every time it competes. If there is a reason for a bot to get more scrutiny it will. I have seen inspections where they require things to be taken apart to prove that its Vex legal parts.
This is in VIQC, so it they could most likely not tell by pushing matches, because there is no 2v2 mode, and both robots are working towards the same goal. However the rest of this is accurate, if you see things that seem off, tell the staff, they might not do anything, but you tried to make it a better experience. Both the extra power motors and copied robot designs/mentor-built robots are unfortunately more common than one might want to admit. However, most listings that claim to be selling “Higher power motors” are actually false.
-Blazium
If this is a VRC post
TLDR; In the latest VexOS version, there are probably safeguards to stop “hacked” motors.
In the most recent update of VexOS for both 1st and 2nd generation brains (versions 2.2.1 and 1.0.8, respectively), the changelog highlights the incorporation of safeguards to ensure uniform functionality across all motors. While I can’t assert this with absolute certainty, it appears that this measure aims to deter unauthorized motor modifications by imposing firmware-based limits. Notably, this patch is specific to the latest VexOS version, and adherence to rule mandates up-to-date robot firmware. Traditionally, enforcement of this rule has been lenient. However, the latest VexOS version introduces a user-friendly feature where the brain now displays the VexOS version with a simple long-press, eliminating the need to navigate through settings. This enhancement suggests a potential increase in scrutiny, especially during competitions. Moreover, should a team opt for pneumatics, it becomes imperative to upgrade VexOS, as older iterations lack support for pneumatic systems.
I seriousley doubt that this is even a thing. And there is no real advantage. good build techniques, build qual and innovation can still put you leagues above supposed cheaters. Also i steal really doubt that this is even a thing.
I hear your opinion, however at least the listing I tested, sadly seemed to have worked, it seemed to be about double the torque, tested almost all the official motors I had, and none came close to that motor. I would like to believe what you are saying, but just the lack of strength might require a second motor in some instances, which is a motor you cannot use elsewhere, although we do not have to push matches, having extra motors to put on drive/intakes to make them faster do make a world of a difference, I have left VIQC, so sadly I cannot comment on if the newest version fixes this motor, however, if it really is the case that VEX is currently working on the issue, I am incredibly thankful, it takes both the community and VEX to help fix these issues, and im glad VEX are helping out. I am planning on trashing the motor, or taking the parts so my teams have no chance of accidentally using it.
-Blaziumm
if it is off brand vex parts then you realy should not waste money on buying it
Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure that you half to buy them from a place in China.