In Mafia Wars, the most common mode of robbery was perpetrated on the properties that players purchased to generate large incomes. High-end real estate provides a substantial income that is necessary for financing criminal activities. Low end properties, not subject to robbing, gave players a way to avoid getting robbed while playing Facebook Mafia Wars.
Those were the important rules for avoiding getting robbed. However, Zynga, the game originator changed the rules recently and eliminated the robbing feature. It's not clear whether this is a permanent change or if it is part of the overall upgrade process while new territories are added to the game, but there are other ways to rob a player in Mafia Wars.
It's still profitable to buy real estate. In all likelihood, generating 15 million virtual dollars every hour is not really necessary to buy needed weapons and special items for completing crime jobs, but Zynga gives special achievement awards for certain milestones along the way. Players earn achievement awards by buying and selling 50 mega-casinos or banking a trillion dollars. Bragging rights.
In Mafia Wars, New York location, money generated from properties is available for robbing when players are attacked. Putting the money in the bank is one way to protect it from robbers, but since it's automatically generated each hour, banking is not always possible unless players check balances every hour. Even the most addicted Mafia Wars players draw the line at checking in that often.
Cuba and Moscow have a different system of generating income through the purchase of businesses. In these locations, the player has control of that money because it is not available for banking until the player sells off the product and collects the money. Depositing money in the bank immediately after collecting the money keeps the money safe from robbers.
Players also can be robbed during fights and fights take place in any of the Mafia Wars locations. To avoid getting robbed, players leave the Cuba or Moscow page location open, or they "park" the game in those locations. It's not 100 percent foolproof because players earn small amounts of money from automatically participating in family member fights.
When players are parked in the Cuba or Moscow location, they can't be robbed of money that is collecting in New York because New York pays out in USD while Cuba pays in pesos and Moscow pays in rubles. Each player accumulates money in locations where crime jobs are performed. For example, he may accumulate 10 billion dollars in USD and 10 million in Cuban pesos.
It's within the players hands to increase their chance of success by using the skill points awarded when moving up to the next level. Skill points are used to strengthen a player. For example, a player that strengthens defense points, obtains high quality weapons, and builds his mafia family has a good chance of fighting off attacks and avoids getting robbed.
Accumulative total points of the mafia family figure into the fight equation, and a successful player must be vigilant in providing the weapons, armor, and vehicles for all members of his family. Each member must have at least one of each of the arsenal for successful fights and warding off would be robbers. Strength and ability are imperative in winning fights.
The new rules eliminate a great amount of frustration with the Mafia Wars game. Under the old rules when properties were robbed, costs to repair could run in the millions of dollars and more millions were required to protect the properties. Tempers flared when players were targeted continually and robbed multiple times. Imagine what might have happened with real money.
The great thing about Mafia Wars on Facebook is that players live to see another day as virtual money is regenerated through real estate and businesses. Players who get robbed, whacked, or iced continue to rise again to compete with other mafias in the quest to move to the top of the mob. If you should get robbed, it's a minor setback.