Fake Steam Wallet Messages in Steam Chat

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KonG™ Jan 9, 2013 @ 7:49am

Fake Steam Wallet Messages in Steam Chat

As some of you may be aware if you use the command /me in Steam chat and type anything afterwards it changes color of the font in the chat window.

Please understand there is NO WAY to transfer Steam Wallet funds through Steam Trading. If a user says they are going to send you money for your items and the text turns blue/green they are trying to scam you.

Please do not accept any of these trades as we will not restore your items to your account.

If you wish to earn wallet credit on Steam you can do so using the Community Market here: http://steamcommunity.com/market/

The February 14th Steam Client update removed this feature.

Last edited by al; Feb 14, 2013 @ 5:51pm

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Showing 1-15 of 66 comments

Felix Jan 9, 2013 @ 12:00pm

I also imagine that people should report accounts that are trying to use this method to scam.

This can be done by going to the scammer's Steam Profile and clicking the "Report Violation" link in the sidebar on the right.

Tipperty Jan 9, 2013 @ 12:25pm

This saddens me, not that people are doing this, but that there're still people out there that fall for these quite obvious scams.

This is why people should have IQ and commonsence testing before they are allowed to use the internet. Bring back capital punishment, not for the criminal. No no no, for the idiot that allowed themselves to be scammed.
I feel it's a win win situation. No more idiot to feed the scammer :)

KonG™ Jan 9, 2013 @ 12:47pm

Yes, please do report these users. We are taking action against them!

harrylipwig Jan 9, 2013 @ 1:01pm

Originally posted by lyall:
This saddens me, not that people are doing this, but that there're still people out there that fall for these quite obvious scams.

This is why people should have IQ and commonsence testing before they are allowed to use the internet. Bring back capital punishment, not for the criminal. No no no, for the idiot that allowed themselves to be scammed.
I feel it's a win win situation. No more idiot to feed the scammer :)

yeah you could round stupid people up into camps too help with getting rid of them.

Tito Shivan Jan 9, 2013 @ 1:17pm

Wouldn't be a bit more helpful a change on the Thread title?
Maybe something along the lines of 'Fake Steam Wallet messages on Steam Chat'
Most of people who fall for this don't even know the /me command or even what the command does. (The actual title describes more the workings of the threat, than the threat itself)

Last edited by Tito Shivan; Jan 9, 2013 @ 1:18pm

KonG™ Jan 9, 2013 @ 1:42pm

Done

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:
Wouldn't be a bit more helpful a change on the Thread title?
Maybe something along the lines of 'Fake Steam Wallet messages on Steam Chat'
Most of people who fall for this don't even know the /me command or even what the command does. (The actual title describes more the workings of the threat, than the threat itself)

Tipperty Jan 9, 2013 @ 2:07pm

Originally posted by DerrickG:
Yes, please do report these users. We are taking action against them!

Well that is good to know, but in all serious. Will there be any punishment on the people scammed. I mean they are trying to gain the system, which adds to the problem. I know Blizzard have a three strike policy on this type of thing. If people know they will be punished for trying actively gain an advantage over the system, they will less likely try to be dupped into the scam.

Well it is illegal to buy forged money!

Felix Jan 9, 2013 @ 2:18pm

I don't believe punishing someone who fell for the scam is fair, lyall. They believe what they are being told is true and part of the Steam system.

It's a shame that they fell for the scam, but punishing them for not knowing about it isn't fair in my mind.

Last edited by Felix; Jan 9, 2013 @ 2:21pm

Tipperty Jan 9, 2013 @ 3:37pm

Don't be under the false belief that people falling for these scams don't know they are doing something against Steam rules. If what they were doing was legit, Valve would have messages all over Steam promoting the option. Like how you can trade items for items!

I have only started using Steam in the last month as a main account for PC games and I know that is not an option that Steam offers.

Everyone knows or should know two fundemental rules about the internet. If it is too good to be true it probably is and ignorance is no excuse.

I agree that if someones account is hacked or items have gone missing from their account without the user given details about their account away, then no punishment should be incurred.

However if someone trades their account details or items under the belief they are going to gain something in return from a site not offically linked or an option not offically linked into the main site (Oh and someone saying in chat give me you items/account details and I will give you steam points is clearly not an offical option). Then these people are taken the risk knowing it is against the rules. Against the rules, hense punishable.

In fact there's a rule in Steams subscriber agreement detailing that your account could be terminated if you are involved with illegal activties. Of which gaining Steam points through an unaffiliate third party is against the rules.

tmwfte Jan 9, 2013 @ 4:40pm

Given the amount of people who post here with accounts over two years old, in one case an account that was 8 years old, who don't know the ins and outs of the Steam Trading Policy -- and have tried to trade games from their library -- I don't think punishing the victim further is a wise or even ethical move. Given that the Steam Market allows for items to be "traded" for Steam Wallet, it is understandable as to how some people could be duped.

They may be doing something that is against the trading policy, but it is not illegal. They've already been "punished" through the loss of their items, to punish them further is unconscionable.

#10

Felix Jan 9, 2013 @ 6:33pm

I am in complete agreement with you there, tmwfte.

#11

Ganger Jan 10, 2013 @ 1:16am

End of the day no matter how many post, threads and warning you put out, some people will just not listen.

#12

KonG™ Jan 10, 2013 @ 7:21am

We never punish the victims. But scammed items do not get restored. They get removed and a trade ban gets placed on the scammer's account. You can read our full trading policy here:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9958-MJDG-3003