Steam Community :: Guide :: Dealing with phishers. Updated 3/15

Store Page

Team Fortress 2

All Discussions Screenshots Artwork Broadcasts Videos Workshop News Guides Reviews

Team Fortress 2 > Guides > StylZ's Guides

72 ratings

Dealing with phishers. Updated 3/15

By StylZ

I have noticed there is lot of phishing bot these days, I have encountered 30 phisher in few months.

(Why they like me so much? :/)

Award

Created by

StylZ
Online

Category: Gameplay Basics, Multiplayer, Walkthroughs, Workshop

Languages: English

Class: Demoman, Engineer, Heavy, Medic, Pyro, Scout, Sniper, Soldier, Spy

Posted

Updated

Mar 5, 2014 @ 4:12am

Mar 15, 2014 @ 5:52am

4,840	Unique Visitors
44	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Introduction

Some examples of phishing bots or user. (Pictures)

Report the phishers.

Second way : Report Phishing links to Google

Third way : The most stupid but more effective way?

Other thing you can do.

Conclusion

Anti-Phish Group

Comments

Introduction

What is phishing?
Phishing is a very idiotic way which some people can't get item legit. Phishing can be extremely dangerous. If you falling into this phishing trap, you might lose every item and your Steam account.

How they phishing people?
Usually phisher will create a fake website which is similar to our Steam layout and using similar URL address.

Identify phishing website
The name of URL link is very weird. The real Steam URL is steamcommunity.com. Phisher will usually slightly change the URL name.
They will ask your Steam account name and password, if you enter your information. The phisher can access your account, stole your item and your account. They will change the password and you will not able to use your account again.

Is it safe to open phishing website?
Some phishing website is safe to open. I have opened one phishing website before using my alt account (F2P account), it is look similar to real Steam but they are some little differences. For example, some icon's is stretched and there are some typo in the website. However, if you click one of their icon, you might got virus. So, my advice is DO NOT CLICK OR OPEN THE PHISHING LINKS, what I tried is very risky. Once again, DO NOT CLICK ON PHISHING LINKS.
Also, some phishing links can give you virus by clicking on their link, this is extremely risky.

What will happen if you got phished?
1) You will lose your valuable items.
2) Phisher will steal your games
3) You will lose your account
4) Phisher will convert your stolen account into new phishing bot

So you got phished?
No, I didn't got phished. I did run virus scan after I checked that phishing site, the result is 100% virus free. Maybe that just my pure luck.

Can you explain why there is many phisher now?
I have no idea! I do know something, this is 'Phishvolution'.

Some examples of phishing bots or user. (Pictures)

NOTE : Some screenshot is uncensored DO NOT attempt to go one of these website shown pictures. I will not responsible if you lost your account and items.

Source : TF2R users.

Report the phishers.

Follow these steps to report them.

1) Do not yell at them.
If you yell at them after they send you these links, it is actually useless. These phishing message is controlled by bots. Bots will not reply to your message.

2) Take the screenshot of the message that phisher sent you.
Every time you receive phishing links, you need to take screenshot it. Valve need proof to do something to these phishers. Without proof, phisher may take very long time to get banned.

3) Go to the phisher's profile.
Go to his profile and report them.

4) Begin to report the phisher.
NOTE : The user shown in the screenshot is real phisher, it can be seen at screenshot above.

a) Go and click 'More'.

b) Go and click 'Report Violation'

c) Click 'Suspected Hijacker or Phishing'

d) Provide the information and proof

e) Click submit Report

Congratulations! You have successfully report a phisher.

Second way : Report Phishing links to Google

Recently, there are users discovered a new way to report these phishing link. This way is much better than using Steam account (Steam account took long time for VAC ban if the proof is not enough).

1) Open this link.
http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/report_phish/

2) Second, copy the phishing link.

3) Paste the Phishing link into the URL box. Like this.

4) Now, proof the Google you are human not bots.

5) Provide the information or more proof, such as screenshot or chat dialog.
NOTE: Do not provide extremely long information to Google. Keep it 300 word or below, the Google staff may lazy to read long report.

Third way : The most stupid but more effective way?

The third way may sound pretty stupid but it is pretty useful if someone done it. The third way is report this to the police. Phishing is considered as internet fraud or scam. It is violate the law. When we report the phishing page to Google, they only take them down ; when we report the phishing bot, Valve only ban them. This doesn't help flush out the mastermind behind this, the phisher can create more phishing website and bots. Report this to police may help flush out this mastermind out.

Other thing you can do.

1) Warn other user
Did you have friends which don't know what phishing is? Tell them, this will help prevent your friend falling into phishing trap.

2) Go to that phisher's profile and post 'This guy is phisher'
This will help alert some user.

3) Block the phisher.
It is better to block them, they might add you back again. Block them will prevent them send phishing links to you again.

4) Don't be mad.
Don't release your anger on these phising bot. Don't let them ruin your beautiful day. Go and enjoy your day as usual.
Here is free music for you :3 . (Sorry if you don't like this)

Conclusion

I hope this guide will help you dealing with these phishers. When I writing long guide like this, there will be grammar mistakes in it. So if you spot some grammar mistakes in this guide. Tell me, I will correct it.

If you like this guide, Like, Share and Favorite it.

Oh here comes an shameful advertisement. Feel free to join my raffle group.
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/strangeraf

Anti-Phish Group

I have created a new Anti-Phish Group feel free to join it!

In that group I will try list out every phishing bot every user found. Remember help report other phishing bot there!

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/antiphishgroup

Share this to your friends! The more member we have, the much better!

67 Comments

< >

2625860 Sep 23, 2020 @ 7:10am

https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Maybe when Valve gets enough reports from the FBI they will be more willing to flush these criminals behind the phishing and hijacking out.