There are two ways to report a cheater in Rust: the F7 report in the game and a report straight to the server’s admins, usually on their Discord. The first takes thirty seconds; the second needs evidence, but it goes to people who can ban on that server. Do both. Below is how, and what to attach so your report is not closed with "not enough evidence".
Route 1. The F7 report
In the game, press F7. A report window opens:
- pick the player from the list;
- mark the report as cheating;
- describe what happened in a line: "killed me through a rock at long range, tracked me through walls".
The report goes into Facepunch’s reporting system, and on servers that have it set up, the local admins see it too. You usually get no reply about an individual report, so do not wait for a "player banned" message. Just make F7 a habit: it takes seconds.
Route 2. Reporting to the server’s admins
On community servers, and especially on the big Russian projects, the admins are the ones who deal with cheaters. Most have a Discord with a reports channel or a ticket system, and some have their own report command in chat. The server rules tell you where.
Admins can do what you cannot: watch a demo, spectate the player, or call them in for a check. Many projects treat refusing a check the same as cheating. That is why a solid report to the admins beats any amount of arguing in chat.
What to attach
The easier you make it for an admin to verify your claim, the more likely they are to act on it.
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| SteamID64 or profile link | A name can change in a minute; a SteamID never does |
| Server name | Projects often run several servers |
| Date and time, with time zone | To find the moment in the demo or logs |
| Video | The main evidence. Send it uncut if you can |
| combatlog output | Distance, weapon and where the hit landed |
| A short description | What exactly looked wrong |
Video. Turn on instant replay in your graphics card software, or keep OBS running with a replay buffer. After a suspicious death you can then save the last few minutes. Record with sound: it shows whether the player could have heard you.
combatlog. Open the console (F1) and type combatlog. It lists the latest hits: who, with what, from how far and on which body part. Copy the output right after you die, before newer events push it out.
SteamID. You see the cheater’s name in game, but you need their SteamID. Paste the name into RustRecon: the report lists candidates and marks the likeliest one. Other ways to get the number are in how to find a player’s SteamID. If you are not sure, give the admins the name, server and exact time; they can see players’ SteamIDs.
Can I attach a RustRecon report?
Yes, as context, not as proof. Bans on other projects, a fresh account or inflated hours help an admin see that the player deserves a closer look. But players get banned for what happened on that server, not for their history elsewhere. The report does not detect cheaters; it gathers open data. What to look for on an account is covered in signs a Rust player is cheating.
What not to do
- Do not hold a trial in global chat. It will not speed up a ban, and it gives the cheater time to rename or leave.
- Do not post someone’s profile with accusations on social media. You can be wrong, and you will be the one answering for it.
- Do not go after the person outside the game. No IPs, no personal pages, no finding out where they live. That has nothing to do with Rust anymore.
- Do not file fake reports against people who simply outplayed you. Admins quickly stop reading reports from the same person.
A good report is dry facts: who, where, when, and the video. Save the emotions for your team on voice.
What happens next
If the admins agree with you, the player gets banned on that project. Many large Russian projects publish their bans, and if this project is one of them, the verdict ends up in a public ban list and in RustRecon reports. If you want to know the moment it happens, Pro lets you track a player: the Telegram bot messages you when they get banned, change their name or join a server. More on the kinds of bans and how to read them on checking a player’s bans.
And if your report seems to go nowhere, it was not wasted. EAC works independently of the admins, and its bans land with a delay.