"Cheating Crisis in the Canasta Community – EA Sports Needs to Step Up"

I’ve been a Canasta and card-game player since the early 2000s and truly enjoyed the game for years—not just for winning, but for the community and strategy. That’s why this feels like a real goodbye.

Over time, I’ve noticed repeated in-game patterns that don’t feel like normal glitches or bad luck. They tend to appear once a match becomes competitive and quickly shift the game in ways that make fair play impossible.

I’m not here to argue or accuse anyone. Complaining hasn’t changed anything, so I’m sharing what I’ve personally observed to help other players recognize the signs for themselves.

Cheat Code Patterns I’ve Observed

• Refreshing the game can still cause you to lose points, even if you were winning
• Closing pop-ups or hard-clicking out does not reliably protect your score
• One player suddenly receives most or all of the wild cards
• You’re left with very few wild cards (often one to three)
• Face cards and supporting cards stop appearing, making the game noncompetitive

Common Screens That Appear

• “You were disconnected due to inactivity”
• “Continue playing with robots”
• “The player has forfeited the game”
• Sometimes refreshing keeps your points
• Other times you’re removed and still lose them
• In some cases, a forfeit screen appears after the game ends

Gameplay Red Flags

• No sound during the opening deal
• Opponents frequently receive a Red 3 at the start
• Once you begin winning:
  • Cards glow yellow
  • Actions become delayed
  • Melding lags or stops responding

Membership Farewell

Because these issues have continued, I’ve decided to stop playing. When my current membership expires, I won’t be renewing.

I’m sharing this simply as a heads-up for others. If something feels off during a match, it probably is.

I’ve been a Canasta and card-game player since the early 2000s and truly enjoyed the game for years—not just for winning, but for the community and strategy. That’s why this feels like a real goodbye.

Over time, I’ve noticed repeated in-game patterns that don’t feel like normal glitches or bad luck. They tend to appear once a match becomes competitive and quickly shift the game in ways that make fair play impossible.

I’m not here to argue or accuse anyone. Complaining hasn’t changed anything, so I’m sharing what I’ve personally observed to help other players recognize the signs for themselves.

Cheat Code Patterns I’ve Observed

• Refreshing the game can still cause you to lose points, even if you were winning
• Closing pop-ups or hard-clicking out does not reliably protect your score
• One player suddenly receives most or all of the wild cards
• You’re left with very few wild cards (often one to three)
• Face cards and supporting cards stop appearing, making the game noncompetitive

Common Screens That Appear

• “You were disconnected due to inactivity”
• “Continue playing with robots”
• “The player has forfeited the game”
• Sometimes refreshing keeps your points
• Other times you’re removed and still lose them
• In some cases, a forfeit screen appears after the game ends

Gameplay Red Flags

• No sound during the opening deal
• Opponents frequently receive a Red 3 at the start
• Once you begin winning:
  • Cards glow yellow
  • Actions become delayed
  • Melding lags or stops responding

Membership Farewell

Because these issues have continued, I’ve decided to stop playing. When my current membership expires, I won’t be renewing.

I’m sharing this simply as a heads-up for others. If something feels off during a match, it probably is.

How I identify and beat the CANASTA CHEAT CODES

I try to report players who cheat on games - mostly Canasta - but it is virtually impossible to send a report.  The report form that comes up says something about 404 error and just loops.  Everywhere I have looked for a report instruction ends of on the same place.  WILL YOU PLEASE GET RID OF THE ERROR SITE AND FIX THIS SO WE CAN REPORT PLAYERS THAT CHEAT!  THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING!!

 issue is that I don't know any more whether I'm playing a person or a robot.  Sometimes the opponent plays perfect hands and goes out on 2nd or 3rd play consistently so that's when I suspect it's not a real person.  A human player never wins those games.  My second issue - and this one really ticks me off - is that the opponent realizes he's losing and just leaves the game.  When that happens, the screen says "congratulations, you are the winner," but never awards points and you are forced to either exit and your points stay the same or you are forced to restart with a different player.  That isn't right and if a player leaves the game and you are the winner, you should be awarded points.  After all, you were playing and playing well.  If that happens in a live game, of course you get the points for the win.  In addition, if an opponent jumps out of a game, he doesn't lose points so they frequently leave a game the minute it looks like they are losing.  This happens a lot!  Meanwhile, I'm stuck with losing points or restarting. OTOH, sometimes I'm forced to leave due to outside matters and I'm always docked points.  This game should be fixed so that if the opponent leaves the game because he is losing, the winner needs to be awarded the points and does not have to restart with another opponent or a robot.

Here's the latest cheat code, I joined a table it immediately froze it had NO timer. There's no way to get out unless I refresh.  On the frozen screen my score is 940 and after I refresh its 928.  I never had the opportunity to play the game...I hope this post has raised awareness and something gets done. 

I experienced that, in which they use a cheat program that overlays the actual game. You think your game is freezing because your draw is delayed. When this cheat code is used, it allows the cheater to control who gets the red 3s and the majority of the wild cards. 

No, its not a glitch its another cheat code. They timer is not the only cheating program, they use the STAND button and if they stand the window pops up that says, Wait, Keep playing or play bots... results in loss of points. Latest cheat code to activate "forfiet" example below. It's becoming unbearable. 

I noticed that also. That's new.  It seems like the player that is losing has all the advantages. They can stall the timer or just leave if losing and the player that was winning gets crap. Whatever!!!!!!!!!!!

besides the cheating, now i dont get the points for winning when my opponent stalls or doesnt come back into room even after being given the option to play a new game.