How to identify a scammer using backpack.tf

A friend of mine recently got scammed, so I'm here to make a quick and easy guide on how to use Backpack.tf to identify a scammer!

Getting to the backpack.tf profile

Step one: Navigate to the profile of the user you want to check.

As a kind user pointed out to me below, DON'T, I repeat, DON'T click on any links to backpack.tf or steamrep that a user provides in Steam chat. These could be fake links that will hijack your profile, or just lead to the person they're impersonating. Use my method instead, as it's much safer!

As an example, I'll do my own profile. If you are being added by someone, just click on their name to get to their profile before accepting.

NOTE: This should be done in the Steam browser, but it is possible in Google chrome or other web browsers. However, using the Steam browser is the fastest way!










Here we are! Wow, he's got some nice items! Don't be fooled, though: They could be impersonating someone. The profile on Steam does not always speak the truth!

Step two: Getting the profile ID

Here's the important part: Getting the profile ID. This is how backpack.tf identifies a user!

To do this, right click on the Steam browser (Almost anywhere works, as long as it's in the user's profile) and click "Copy page URL". If you're using a web browser, just copy the URL at the top!

To complete this step, paste the URL into a new tab, DON'T CLICK SEARCH, and copy the numbers. (The user may change the numbers to words or letters, but this still works.)

For instance, my profile link is http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198290132847/, so I simply copy the numbers 76561198290132847. These are my magic numbers!

Author's note: This also works with letters. I changed my profile URL to https://steamcommunity.com/id/EvGardevoir/. The process is still the same, just with EvGardevoir instead of the numbers.

Step three: Backpack.tf time!

Now for the final step: Open backpack.tf (the url is exactly as it's typed), and go to the search bar. Paste your magic numbers, and then click enter.










Here we are! Now that we're here, we can get onto the important step: Identifying if this user is a scammer!

Are they a scammer?

So now the important step: Is this user a scammer? Let's take a look at their backpack.tf info to find out.

Steam level








While some scammers may attempt to level up their profile to try and fool you, most bot accounts will be level 0-1. This is one of the easiest ways to identify a scammer, but you should NEVER stop here.

Trust level








This is an important one. Other users will rate a user depending on how trustworthy they are. The trust level will increase by one for every user who gives them a good rating, and down for every bad rating. While those good ratings may make a user look pretty trustworthy, it's worth checking for negative ratings on the user's profile. They can range from honest yet inconsiderate slowness while trading, to attempted or successful scams. Sufficient proof is usually needed to make a report, so "cherry-picking" is usually moderated by backpack.tf mods. This is especially true for positive ratings, so known scammers are usually left without good ratings. To view trust ratings, just click on the "TRUST" button!

SteamRep rating








THIS is the kicker. SteamRep is also tracked by backpack.tf which means scammers will have a red tag identifying them as such.

Here's what you can expect to see on a scammer's profile:








Oof, looks like my friend shouldn't have traded with this guy. Sadly he learned the hard way, which is what my inspiration for making this guide was.

Private backpack






While this isn't a telltale way to find users who are scammers (they may just be uninterested in trading), you should be wary if they come to you asking for items. If they promise payment, they may not have the items they promise, and could hijack the trade window via fake links or fake middlemen. They could also be hiding items they scammed!

Quick alternative: Crossed out name






(This is the user who scammed my friend. Even though what he did was wrong, please respect this individual and don't leave hate comments. Just avoid trading with him if he adds you. I'm not here to start flame wars!)

If the user is a known scammer or has been trade banned, their name will be crossed off. They may also be banned from backpack.tf, along with a message saying why.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is my first guide, and was created as to quickly identify untrustworthy individuals. I may have skipped something important, so if I did, please let me know and I'll add it. This guide was not made to help you identify how they are trying to scam you. This is very complicated and I don't even fully understand all scams myself. The purpose of this guide is to find users who shouldn't be trusted.

If you're unsure about a suspicious trade, don't forget to ask your trusted friends on what to do.
Specifically, asking someone you know personally is great, since scammers can't impersonate them!

Just before I began making this guide, I was able to dodge a scammer who added me. I simply checked their backpack.tf profile, realized they were impersonating due to the trust ratings, and blocked them. Nope.avi


Thanks for reading, and happy trading!

[Gardivanyth]

I'm sorry but I'm not going to do that. I don't condone witch hunting. It's up to you to deal with scammers in the future.

[barbaryan ご安全に]

can you help me commend -rep on this profile https://steamcommunity.com/id/RetroM16 , he just scammed me 10$

[BATCRIT]

Ok thanks

[Gardivanyth]

Always err on the side of caution. If your gut says someone seems suspicious, it's probably right. Based on what you've described, you're dealing with an impersonator, so I'd definitely back out of whatever they may have offered you.

[BATCRIT]

Right now i've done the steps and im pretty sure the person is a scammer
The link to 'his' backpack.tf account is different from the one that i got from this method (notably different inventory) yet both of them have normal steamrep so I think he might be trying to scam me just checking if theres something ive missed

The link he says is his actual one (Linked in account bio): https://backpack.tf/profiles/76561198269027456

The one I got from this method: https://backpack.tf/profiles/76561198881138540

[Surpless Rice]

Nice guide dude, never fully understood the numbers. :)

[Gardivanyth]

backpack.tf accounts are basically pages that show you trading statistics of the account in question. To my knowledge, if they have a steam account, entering their steam URL number identifier onto backpack.tf's search engine will ALWAYS return a result.

By the way, if this ends up not working for whatever reason, check their inventory. If it's private, you should probably block them, since chances are, they don't actually have the items they promise. And if some third-party site is involved in their offer (such as a gambling site), do NOT listen to them, and DON'T click on links. Only ever accept trades in which the exchange happens fully in the Steam client.

[World Leader Pretend]

what if the person who added me doesn't even have a backpack.tf account?

[Gardivanyth]

What do you mean 2 different numbers?

If he's providing a link on his profile, always doublecheck by using my strategy above. If it's an imposter, they'll usually just give you the backpack of the person they're impersonating, so you'll have to find out the hard way.

If you want, comment on my profile with his steam profile link. I'll check it out for you if you can't be certain.

[Angelic Angel♥]

I have a question. The guy I'm wanting to trade with has two different numbers (in the links) in his profile and backpack.tf. I was just wondering if those two factors matter when trying to decide whether I should trust him in my trade or not! He seems reputable in other areas, but I'm not 100% certain.