Rating adjustments

I have gotten many such messages as this from chess.com:

"We have detected that one or more of your recent opponents has violated our Fair Play Policy. As compensation for potentially unfair rating losses, we adjusted your following ratings:

Rapid: 1778 + 6 => 1784" 

I have never been adjusted downwards, not once, so had then wondered whether corresponding subtractions were taken from the violator or whether these adjustments ultimately act to 'inflate the entire point pool' thereby increasing everyone's ratings over time? I would also like to know, should anyone know the answer, what specific infractions these players had been guilty of? I have violated the fair play policy before via using 4-letter words in the chat box, yet I hadn't been subtracted points for this and 'trash talk' can't rightfully be considered a form of cheating. The only violation that deserves point adjustments, in my view, is the use of a computer program—a chess engine—yet I cannot imagine how chess.com would know whether-or-not one had been used. 

I've had 5 of these, but they only started last August. I do wonder whether you should be awarded double points, as, in all likelihood, you would have probably beaten the other player had they not used an engine. Plus, they aren't really being punished as they only lose what they shouldn't have won. Maybe adjusting their score so they lost the game would be more of a deterrent?

I have 26 such messages. The first one was May 12, 2018 [sic], and the last was 14 hours ago. I have never been deducted points and have never used a 'chess engine,' contrary to what a few disgruntled opponents have imagined (see profile for accusations.)

We really need to find out whether the offending party's rating had been adjusted reciprocally because if not, we'd have rating inflation on chess.com. This would be no bueno; I don't want a rating that I hadn't earned, and I dare say most people would feel likewise. I like the imagine myself as a 1700–1800 player, universally, and not solely on a website giving rating adjustments of questionable legitimacy. [Are they spurious handouts or fair compensation?] 

You only get that when a recent opponent gets their account closed for Fair Play Violations and don't get credit for wins (no double rating benefits). Since the other player's account is closed, there isn't any reason to adjust their rating and I wouldn't think the site would do it. You also will never lose points in that process.

I thought they got a warning for a first-time offence?

Ok,  you got 26x6= 156 in 6 months.

It will be 156 x6 = +936 in 3 years.

Or 2700+ in rapid( from 1770 current)  thanks to cheaters.

FPV is an immediate closure. That shouldn't be confused with the Fair Play Policy, which is about abandoning games or not moving for a long time and letting games time out.

I did a search and found this article about chess.com's cheat detection program. I do recommend reading this, and you may be surprised by how many chess masters—international, grand, or otherwise—had actually confessed after they'd been caught. While its comforting to know that some of my losses were to chess engines there's simply know way of knowing how many: The 26 banned players could have beat me honestly only to start cheating later, but of course they'd be counterbalanced by the losses to cheaters who'll never be caught. I suppose the rating compensations won't lead to widespread inflation so long as if the adjustments are made towards reestablishing pre-match values.

I know that it'd have no great effect on my long-term rating, but I was thinking more about the general inflation consequent of dubious additions into the point pool. Such a act would raise everybody's rating a little bit, as would beginners who create new accounts as their rating hits ~1000 or so—effectively donating ~500 easy points into the system upon each iteration. 

I think I know what's going on now and I think it's fair. When a player is caught cheating, all their points are redistributed from every game thereby nullifying any impact they had. 

Inflation and deflation of the rating pool is generally taken care of, no doubt chess.com has a way of monitoring this. There are ways of injecting or subtracting points from the pool to maintain averages. Hopefully the number of (banned) cheaters is not so large as to overly affect this ! I have only been given 3 +ratings due to cheaters in many thousands of games, so I guess it is a tiny minority (who get caught).

Btw, I love it when someone (bad loser) accuses me of cheating - what a compliment to my play !!

Is there ever a cap for rating changes due to this? For example, if someone lost a lot of rating to a cheater, then made the rating back up by playing other people. If they were given back the full amount of rating lost when the cheater gets banned, their rating would be much higher than their actual skill level.

It's unlikely to be enough of a boost to change things that dramatically.

Even if that were to occur, it would only be temporary.  A higher rating will result in your being paired with stronger players.  That will result in more losses, and a reduction in your rating.

I've received many rating refunds since the policy was adopted.  My rating still fluctuates between 1400 and 1600.  The refund is really just a token gesture that has no impact over time.