FW Gold, Forsaken World Gold, ForsakenWorld Gold, The inherent dangers of buying gold

Obviously the simple act of buying FW Gold in itself can be a tricky proposition; there are many fly-by-night companies that swindle players of their hard earned money. If you're looking for a few horror stories to leave you weeping uncontrollably in the corner, look no further.

When buying gold, players usually don't have to do anything but receive the gold in person from a seller. It's worth noting that more often than not it's the sellers who are more likely to get banned (if caught).

However, those of you who do transfer gold to your alts or give gold to friends can sleep soundly with the knowledge that developers don't lay the ban-hammer down on a whim.

The effects of gold selling and buying:

Assume you've spent five arduous weeks scrounging together every last in-game penny you could find, saving up for that sweet new mount.

Now, along comes John Q. Public, he plonks down twenty real world dollars and gets instant access to the same mount without having to lift a virtual finger. Is that fair? Does it matter? 

On the one hand you've probably got a right to feel somewhat cheated, but on the other, gamers have been using cheat codes, guides and FAQs for decades to get ahead of the game, is this much different? Does it affect your personal enjoyment of the game that someone else is having an easier time? Shouldn't a player be allowed to play the game how he or she sees fit?