A random guy added me and sending me game codes

[RIP ANON]

a random person added me and says his the friend of a friend of mine and start sending me game codes i tried the first 2 and it worked like normal but he kept sending and by now its about 30 codes i feel like something is fishy about this is this some kind of new scam or something??

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

if you dont know the person, i would advise against using them. you have no idea where they came from.

[RIP ANON]

am gonna try and message my friend to see if this guy is legit

[RIP ANON]

damn his not online

[GRIMM]

You can't really scam someone by giving them a free activation key. If it works, cool beans. If not, oh well. Nothing gained, nothing lost.

Now back in the day you could circumvent the review system by giving out keys in return for positive feedback, which is why Valve implemented a system where reviews would only count toward the average if they were purchased directly via the steam store.

Now if a key given to you happens to be a stolen key the worst case scenario is that it would be revoked. Nothing else. But still, that would not be any indicator of a scam. Unless the person is asking you for something in return.

I get free keys from people all the time if that matters. I also give away keys myself when I'm in the mood to do so. (no, I'm not giving anyone here any games!)

[Zer0Shade]

If that person kept his receipts from buying those game keys, then he could potentially claim ownership of your account by telling steam that you stole it from him. Those receipts are the only proof he needs.


I heard about cases like this around half-a-year ago. Don't know if Valve is still going to fall for it.

Be careful

[Ogami]

Originally posted by Zer0Shade:

Those receipts are the only proof he needs.

That is not true at all. Steam also requires you know the email the account was originally registered to, the login name and password that was used on that account and if installed the phone number and mobile app registered to that account.
Only after all THAT do they require the game keys activated on the account.
And they want the oldest key you have, if the original account owner has a key at hand that was used earlier then the ones from the guy trying to get the account then he will keep the account.
So its basically impossible to get an account this way, unless you have the original owners email, login,passwords and possible smartphone too.
In which case its already to late anyway.

Originally posted by Zer0Shade:

I heard about cases like this around half-a-year ago. Don't know if Valve is still going to fall for it.
Be careful

Then you heard wrong. There is not a single case of this ever happening, precisely of all the additionell information you need. NOBODY has ever stolen a Steam account by just having a original CD Key activated on that account.

[⭕⃤ · V E I N]

yes

[RIP ANON]

oh so you guys are saying its safe right?

[Ogami]

Originally posted by iTzAnonymous:

oh so you guys are saying its safe right?

Yes, pretty much. The worst thing that could happen is that he bought the keys with a stolen credit card or later did a chargeback at the shop he bought them. Then Steam would remove the keys from your account most likely.

May i ask what kind of games he was giving you? There are a ton of cheap bundles with a lot of small games that are worth basically nothing. Users who buy a lot of bundles have a lot of duplicate game keys after a while and just give them away. I speak out of my own experience.

So if its keys for fairly cheap games for a few bucks and a lot of indie stuff that is most likely the source for those keys.

On the other hand if he is gifting you quality games like 60 buck AAA titles i would be a bit suspicious.

[RIP ANON]

its all really small cheap games

[Ogami]

Originally posted by iTzAnonymous:

its all really small cheap games

Then its very likely its just games from bundles he either dont want or already has.

[RIP ANON]

alright then thanks guys!

[MancSoulja]

Originally posted by iTzAnonymous:

alright then thanks guys!

They're probably just free games or old bundle games. I have a spreadsheet with thousands on that nobody wants. If it makes you feel better, He wasn't helping you, he was using you to dump his crap.

[Zer0Shade]

Originally posted by Ogami:

Originally posted by Zer0Shade:

Those receipts are the only proof he needs.

That is not true at all. Steam also requires you know the email the account was originally registered to, the login name and password that was used on that account and if installed the phone number and mobile app registered to that account.
Only after all THAT do they require the game keys activated on the account.
And they want the oldest key you have, if the original account owner has a key at hand that was used earlier then the ones from the guy trying to get the account then he will keep the account.
So its basically impossible to get an account this way, unless you have the original owners email, login,passwords and possible smartphone too.
In which case its already to late anyway.

Originally posted by Zer0Shade:

I heard about cases like this around half-a-year ago. Don't know if Valve is still going to fall for it.
Be careful

Then you heard wrong. There is not a single case of this ever happening, precisely of all the additionell information you need. NOBODY has ever stolen a Steam account by just having a original CD Key activated on that account.

Considering how big of an outcry there was about scams like this back then, I'm surprised you've never heard of it.
Anyway, I'm just repeating the answers those threads got. Don't lash out at me about it.

[The End]

Originally posted by Zer0Shade:

Originally posted by Ogami:

That is not true at all. Steam also requires you know the email the account was originally registered to, the login name and password that was used on that account and if installed the phone number and mobile app registered to that account.
Only after all THAT do they require the game keys activated on the account.
And they want the oldest key you have, if the original account owner has a key at hand that was used earlier then the ones from the guy trying to get the account then he will keep the account.
So its basically impossible to get an account this way, unless you have the original owners email, login,passwords and possible smartphone too.
In which case its already to late anyway.



Then you heard wrong. There is not a single case of this ever happening, precisely of all the additionell information you need. NOBODY has ever stolen a Steam account by just having a original CD Key activated on that account.

Considering how big of an outcry there was about scams like this back then, I'm surprised you've never heard of it.
Anyway, I'm just repeating the answers those threads got. Don't lash out at me about it.

In all of my years on Steam, I can't say I remember any outcry about accounts stolen just using a digital gamekey, not a retailkey.

If the outcry really was that big, it should be easy for you to find a few links to back your claim?