Problem with Country changing. please help.

[oberonism]

my account was hacked about 2 weeks ago, from someone in russia. they managed to charge 200 bucks from my bank account to purchase games here then send them off quickly to people. i was able to get back my money, thanks to a nice bank, but it left my store set in Russia.
according to steam, i can change it back to the united states when i make a purchase in my country. well, there's the problem. when i attempt to make a purchase, using my paypal or a card, it says i can't because i can't change my country but once every 3 months. now, when i contact steam support, because it says to if there's any problems changing home countries, they say that they can't change it for me.
so anyone know what i can do, or do i really have to wait for another 2 and half months before i can change it to my home?

thank you for your help,
oberon

https://store.steampowered.com/account/change_country/
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/2B3F-DAEF-846B-A0E8#currency

[MadBone12]

Originally posted by oberonism:

my account was hacked about 2 weeks ago, from someone in russia. they managed to charge 200 bucks from my bank account to purchase games here then send them off quickly to people. i was able to get back my money, thanks to a nice bank, but it left my store set in Russia.
according to steam, i can change it back to the united states when i make a purchase in my country. well, there's the problem. when i attempt to make a purchase, using my paypal or a card, it says i can't because i can't change my country but once every 3 months. now, when i contact steam support, because it says to if there's any problems changing home countries, they say that they can't change it for me.
so anyone know what i can do, or do i really have to wait for another 2 and half months before i can change it to my home?

thank you for your help,
oberon

https://store.steampowered.com/account/change_country/
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/2B3F-DAEF-846B-A0E8#currency

I'm not sure I understand what happened here. How would they have changed your store country settings to Russia unless they used their own payment method from there? Who hijacks an account just to use their own payment method? I'm not seeing how they changed your store country settings while simultaneously stealing from you.

[oberonism]

when they hacked into my account, they used my payment method already attached to charge 200 bucks. then they sent many of the games bought with that money to other people in russia. it changed my store preference to russia. i don't know why nor do i know how to change it back besides what support told me, but every time i try to add paypal or a card, it say i cant because i can only change my country once per 3 months.

"You may not update your Steam account's country more than once every 3 months. Please complete this purchase using a payment method from your current region."

[MadBone12]

Originally posted by oberonism:

when they hacked into my account, they used my payment method already attached to charge 200 bucks. then they sent many of the games bought with that money to other people in russia. it changed my store preference to russia. i don't know why nor do i know how to change it back besides what support told me, but every time i try to add paypal or a card, it say i cant because i can only change my country once per 3 months.

"You may not update your Steam account's country more than once every 3 months. Please complete this purchase using a payment method from your current region."

OK but that's not how store country settings are changed. They are only changed when a payment method from that country is used. Unless your payment method is in Russia, they could not have changed the settings just by sending gifts.

[oberonism]

I apologize but im unsure too.
below are the transactions, starting from bottom to top.
from the money they pulled from my payment method to the games.
maybe they changed it after they took the money off my account? i mean it does say you can change the country.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Aug 12
Terraria
24,79 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Barro
24,79 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Barro 2020
12,04 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Barro F
24,79 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Barro Racing
389 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
The Evil Within 2
700 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
DOOM Eternal Deluxe Edition (Post-Launch)
199 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
DOOM
447,20 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
339,20 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition
700 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
DOOM Eternal Deluxe Edition (Post-Launch)
360 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Nova Drift
465 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Green Hell
428 pуб. Steam Wallet
Aug 12
Fallout 76
Refunded 29,17 pуб. Visa ending with 45
Aug 12
Ninja Stealth
Refunded $100.00 PayPal
Aug 12
Wallet $100.00 credit
$100.00 PayPal
Aug 12
Wallet $100.00 credit
-----------------------------------------------------------------

[crunchyfrog]

Yup, sounds likely they either changed the region AFTER fleecing your bank account, or you already had the money in your wallet.

How it actually works is like this - you can only buy games with both a payment card registered in your region AND am address in your region. If either of those are wrong, you CANNOT do this.

So either of those options I said must have happened, I guess.

In any case, there's only one thing you can do - write a support ticket (or amend your previous one if it's still open) and tell them the issue CLEARLY as they may have misunderstood.

[oberonism]

right. thank you. ive been talking with support and they said they cant help me. :(

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by oberonism:

right. thank you. ive been talking with support and they said they cant help me. :(

Likely they misunderstood as I said, or you didn't make it clear enough.

I admit I'm unsure about the process at that point so it may be true, as I don't know where to go from there.

[oberonism]

here's what they've said so far.

"Message from Steam Support on Sep 1 @ 5:24am | 11 hours ago
You need to make your purchase in the region where you're currently located, by using a payment method that's associated with a local address. We at Steam Support can't change the Store Country on your behalf.

Steam store prices and currencies are based on your location. You'll see all available payment methods for your region during the checkout process.

You can make changes to your store region only when you move to another region.

Please review our Steam Store Country article for more information."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
then i explained everything, in detail. i attached screenshots to help.
they then replied.

"Message from Steam Support on Sep 1 @ 2:37pm | 1 hour and 47 minutes ago
Hi there,

Thanks for writing in.

You won’t be able to change your store country if you have completed a purchase in the last 48 hours or if your store country has been changed in the last three months.

Note: Steam Support will be unable to assist you with changing your store region.

Thank you for contacting Steam
Chanika"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
then i even noted what the site says.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpWithStoreCountry
"If you are still unable to complete a purchase in your new country with a payment method from that region, you may contact Steam Support for further assistance."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nothing yet.. :(

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by oberonism:

here's what they've said so far.

"Message from Steam Support on Sep 1 @ 5:24am | 11 hours ago
You need to make your purchase in the region where you're currently located, by using a payment method that's associated with a local address. We at Steam Support can't change the Store Country on your behalf.

Steam store prices and currencies are based on your location. You'll see all available payment methods for your region during the checkout process.

You can make changes to your store region only when you move to another region.

Please review our Steam Store Country article for more information."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
then i explained everything, in detail. i attached screenshots to help.
they then replied.

"Message from Steam Support on Sep 1 @ 2:37pm | 1 hour and 47 minutes ago
Hi there,

Thanks for writing in.

You won’t be able to change your store country if you have completed a purchase in the last 48 hours or if your store country has been changed in the last three months.

Note: Steam Support will be unable to assist you with changing your store region.

Thank you for contacting Steam
Chanika"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
then i even noted what the site says.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpWithStoreCountry
"If you are still unable to complete a purchase in your new country with a payment method from that region, you may contact Steam Support for further assistance."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nothing yet.. :(

That sounds like the usual automated response (which the first response always is). You'd need to amend that ticket and carry on.

However, have you checked BOTH things? Have you changed both your address AND your payment method? If both are in agreement then it should do this autom,atically. If you're doing one then this is why you're getting the issue.

[oberonism]

the moment i found out that they were taking money off my card i removed it from my steam account.
also, in my profile reflects my home address.

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by oberonism:

the moment i found out that they were taking money off my card i removed it from my steam account.
also, in my profile reflects my home address.

Ah now that might be the issue.

You need both a registered payment method for your region AND the address to go with it.

Have you put a new payment method in?

[oberonism]

yeah, i try but it won't let me :(

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by oberonism:

yeah, i try but it won't let me :(

Thanks for that, just wanted to be abundantly clear.

At this stage it really only boils down to what they respond with when you've amended that ticket. Do let us know what happens.

[oberonism]

Well so far we keep talking in circles.
I say I can't change my account country, showing screenshots as proof, or even add a payment method. Then they repeatedly say that they can't change it for me, and that I will be able to if I make a payment in the country I am.
I have tried that many times. I can't even buy anything as a one shot deal either.
I sent another message, with a new approach. Hopefully that works.
*crosses fingers*

[Fishie]

1. Scan for malware using anti-virus
2. Deauthorize all other devices https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
3. Change passwords from a clean computer
4. Generate new backup codes for your Mobile App https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
5. Revoke the API key https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey (there should be nothing in the APIKEY)

Do these steps before you change anything. Change your email and password since your old info is and always will be compromised. If you used the same info elsewhere then it is compromised as well.

Also if they charged money from your bank you should of contacted your bank. All banks have security procedures.