Recovering account without access to email and no proof of purchase?

[Glumpfner]

Hello,

Back in 2003 when steam was first launched I created 2 accounts, both with email addresses from a domain I used to own back then. This account here and the other one in question.
On both accounts I activated retail copies of counter-strike and half life, as well as some other valve games.

I have not logged in to the other account in several years. Today I wanted to login, but then it asks for the steam guard key, which is sent to the email address I no longer have access to.

I know the the username, the password, the email (which I cannot access).
- I never made a purchase via credit card nor paypal. (wasn't even possible back then)
- I no longer have the original boxes with the CD keys.
- The domain I used the email for, has been registered by a russian company who purchases dropped domains and are asking for $300 for the domain (which is redicoulus because it's not a special domain at all)

How do I get access?

I contacted Steam support a while back and still have not heard back from them.

This is really silly to be honest, because I never activated Steam guard on that account and now I dont have access to it anymore.

I am sure I am not the only one who ended up in such a situation over the years.
There has to be a way for me to get back what is rightfully mine, especially when I know the username and password, and trust me, the username is not easy to guess, it's 26 characters long.

-----------
Edit: I managed to find a photo on an old camera where I took lots of photos of CD keys. I sent Valve support about 10 different photos of different keys and they were able to match a few to the lost account.
I am now back in possession of my old account from 2003 :)

[Pattisaurusrex]

Update your support ticket, do not make a new one. It does take a decent amount of time to hear back from support, though.

Unfortunately for you, you *will* need to provide proof of ownership.

Proof of ownership is

Credit Cards

Visa, American Express, Carte Bleue, Discover, JCB, MasterCard
Bank Transfers

AliPay
BoaCompraGold
Giropay
iDEAL
PayPal
PaySafeCard
Russian Kiosk
Sofortüberweisung
WebMoney
Yandex
Retail Activation Keys

Retail CD Keys
Steam Wallet Codes

If you are unable to provide one or more of these proofs of ownership, they will not relinquish the account to you.

[Glumpfner]

I know, but that is why I opened up this thread. What do I do if I only activated retail copies on the steam account, and no longer have these boxes, because it has been 12 years since, and you can't expect me to keep CDs for 12 years ;)

As I said, I also never activated Steam guard on that account. I do not think it's fair of Valve to lock me out of my own account without me agreeing to it.

I am sure I am not the only one who ended up on this situation over the years. There has to be a way for people in my situation to get back what is rightfully mine.

[BlaBla]

you can try support but the $300 options is the only way IMO.

it is odd that you get the steam guard thing.
maybe someone used your old disk to recover the account.

accounts that have not logged in after steam guard was released need to restart 3 times to even get steam guard settings on the account.

[Glumpfner]

Originally posted by BlaBla:

you can try support but the $300 options is the only way IMO.

it is odd that you get the steam guard thing.
maybe someone used your old disk to recover the account.

accounts that have not logged in after steam guard was released need to restart 3 times to even get steam guard settings on the account.

What do you mean by "restart"?
I honestly do not remember when I last logged into the account. But I am pretty sure it was before steam guard was even invented.

I also dont think anyone gained access. The username is very hard to guess, plus the password is still the one I set back in 2003.

[BlaBla]

restart means restart.

you start steam exit it and restart it.
restart.

if they have the disk they just need support thats why I said
"maybe someone used your old disk to recover the account."

[Pattisaurusrex]

You need to prove the account was yours in the first place. Valve has explicitly laid out what they would expect as proof. If you cannot provide proof, they will not relinquish the account -- It's as simple as that.

No one can expect you to keep boxes for twelve years, but it's not difficult to jot down a code in an e-mail and send it to yourself. I in fact have a photo of two Steam Wallet codes saved in my phone and in my e-mail specifically for this purpose, they are some years old.

Support will not "take your word for it" that the account is yours. You're not the only person in this situation, most definitely not, but their results will be the same.

Valve asks: Can you prove it?
You reply: No. But it's rightfully mine.
Valve responds: Sorry pal. No proof, no account.

Your only viable option is to purchase the domain from the new owners and hope for the best. If you are not willing or able to do that, you will not be able to regain your account.

[Glumpfner]

Well, I can prove it's mine, by knowing the incredibly stupid long username, password and the email address associated by it. I know the profile is private and I know the games that are on the account.
On top of that, my current account that I am using, has an almost identical username, and were both created on the same day, using the same old email address. These are all things no one except me can know.

I am sure they can look up the email history, and IP history to see that it matches.

I just dont think it's fair that Valve blocks Steam accounts from 2003 if you don't have access to that original email account anymore.
If steam guard would not be activated on that account, I would be able to login.

[BlaBla]

that is not proof all could have been viewed by others.

so what did you do with your disks.
the fact steam guard is enabled makes it likely that your account is used.

I wish we could see the profile for it.

[1Step2]

Vaulv can be a ♥♥♥♥♥. trust me. Ive learnt it the hard way. Multiple time.

[Pattisaurusrex]

Knowing the username and e-mail is not proof.

If this account was so precious to you, perhaps you should not have let it become abandoned.

I do not doubt that they *can* look up some things, but the fact of the matter is that they *won't.* and it's likely for the best. The proof of ownership they request is harder to guess than the username and e-mail. While you claim it is "unguessable" there are a variety of factors that would play into someone knowing the username and/or email.

[Glumpfner]

Originally posted by BlaBla:

that is not proof all could have been viewed by others.

so what did you do with your disks.
the fact steam guard is enabled makes it likely that your account is used.

I wish we could see the profile for it.

How could anyone know ALL these things together?:
Username
email
Password
Knowing that it's retail copies activated
Knowing what country the retail cd keys are from (yes Steam support can see that)
Knowing what games are on the account when the profile is private
Knowing what day the account was created when the profile is private
Knowing that the IP address of my current account and account in questions were the same when account was opened up
Knowing what country the account was created in
Knowing what countries the account was accessed from (2 different ones, as I moved during that time)
Simply seeing that the username of my current account and the account in question are almost identical and crazy long, as well have used the same email address when creating both accounts, from the same IP, on the same day, should be proof alone.

I know it's possible to get username or password when hacked, but the amount of information I can provide, as well as they can see the email addresses, IP, country etc. they should realize no one from 12 years ago could figure out such things.

[BlaBla]

tell that to the 77000 people making support tickets about stolen accounts and items every week.

I ask again what did you do with the disks.

[Glumpfner]

Originally posted by BlaBla:

tell that to the 77000 people making support tickets about stolen accounts and items every week.

I ask again what did you do with the disks.

I had the covers with the CD keys with me for years in a bag, and I must have recently thrown them away by mistake. I was looking for them for days. Even if I found them. It would have been more than 10 cd keys from different valve games, I wouldnt know which key belongs to which account.

[Pattisaurusrex]

Friend, you are wasting your breath. You do not have the proof required by Valve to reenstate your account. This is a fact. They have stated on their support site what exact proof they would need to release an account, and you don't have it. It doesn't matter that you know the IP, the country, country the keys were purchased from: None of that matters. None of it. Absolutely none of it is proof enough for Valve. I would tell you to make a support ticket but honestly, Valve support is poor enough as it is and it would be unfair of you to take a team member's time when there are more valid concerns they could be addressing -- people they could actually help.

[1Step2]

Hey vaulve does not care. Their such a large company. They dont care if you own it. without hard throbing proof they wont give it to you they'll just auto reject it with a bot. they wont spend 1 secound with you. I lost an account to with 100+ games. I never got it back. Im sorry to break it to you. But your never getting that account back. Steam is a Biotch.