Ok, here it goes, this is what I know based on my experience, and logic.
In 2009, Riot outsourced the skincode system to a third party contractor. They created a algorythm, which basicly means that if x y z of a code is in line with y z x of the code, then it triggers as a valid code. There is no database of valid codes, its simply an algorythm which can produce endless amounts of codes.
The codes were supposed to be used for promotional use. The skins included in this algorythm was Pax jax, Pax Sivir, Riot singed, Riot nasus, Silver Kayle, Human Ryze and Pax Twisted fate, aswell as some others.
These will be refered to as the "original 7"
At first, it was codes printed by riot themself, aka skincards that were being sold everywhere.
But as the years went on, the sales of the skins were just growing. For a good while you could explain this with "old skincards" that were still being shuffled around.
Thats what? 5 years ago. And 5000 pax sivirs in my hands later.
So the theory that its old printed original cards can be thrown out the window.
From what I have been told, this algorythm has been used to print as many codes as you want.
Riot knows, Riot has always known. There is two viable explanations to this. 1. Riot is behind this themself 2. It got out of Riot hands and is done by a unaffected third party.
Regardless of which option you decide on "accepting" then keep in mind Riots pattern throughout the years, when it comes to dealing with this. Until today, Riot has NEVER, said anything harmfull against skinshops, they have never publicly mentioned us as a bad thing. They never told people that we were scammers, thiefs, selling stolen property and so on.
What they infact did do, was to be quite helpfull, aslong as we dident violate the terms of service for League of Legends, which means referals, triumphant ryzes, and accounts.
Ive even had Riot help me get one of Uberdangers videos getting unbanned from reddit, after I removed stuff that was against the terms of service from my website.
So, here you got Riot, that supposedly has a code generation tool "stolen", several years ago, and what do they do? Silently neglect it, avoid it, and silently condoning its use, by never going against it? No sorry, I dont buy it.
For a loooong while, there was an internal rule, amount us sellers, that we could not go for the "big guys" as in youtubers and streamers. The rule was to keep it small, and avoid the big spotlight. I followed these rules for half a year, but Aceskins never bothered to follow them. He went ham, and aquired pretty much the entire twitch market.
This made me go fuck it, and go all in on youtube.
From then to now, 10 other skinshops appeared (resellers) I trained quite a few of them myself. And every streamer or youtuber has promoted some skinshop at one point or another.
Now its at an insane peak, you cant go anywhere without seeing a skinshop.
And the the biggest questions of all "How is this possible" reaches Riot several times a day.
And boom, after 5 years of silence, avoiding, dodging, and semi condoning skinshops aslong as they follow the rules, we are all of a sudden scammers, thiefs and all the rest.
Now I cant honestly say if Ive bought stuff from a third party person, or from riots backdoor. But what I can say, is that Riot has known, all along, Riot COULD have solved this, several years ago, but they dident, They have silently watched, until it exploded, then the pressure became to big, and they had to act.
You are free to belive what you want, you are free to have your opinion, but this is my assesment, as an insider.
The only question that you should ask yourself is "how is this possible, and why has Riot just sat on the fence for 5 years" For me, after everything ive been through and experienced, theres only one logical answer.
I would love Riots response, but im sure they will let this die, and in a few months, noone remembers the skinshops, and the questions regarding it dies off.
I find it really funny how they make an entire post, where they basicly strip us for all our worth, without even touching the subject that some of us have been legit sellers, or how it in the first place is possible that it has been possible for so many years.
Feel free to call me a liar, and that im just talking bull, but you know as well as me, that you had some friends, magicly appearing with one of the skins we sell. You know deep down, that if every known person in the lol community wont promote scams.
For the love of god, 2 month ago, Riot even featured Protatomonster in a article on their website. And when you clicked the link to his channel, it was filled with promotion for me. They have allowed skin promotions on reddit, you all seen it, on EVERY video.
TL DR If Riot wanted to stop us, they could, but they dident, Why?