Keep getting error message "An unexpected error has occurred. Your purchase has not been completed."

[Bohandas]

Lately (for the past week or so) whenever I try to purchase anything I get an error message saying:

"An unexpected error has occurred. Your purchase has not been completed."

Is this a problem on Steam's end or on mine?

[The Giving One]

I could be either but most likely it is Steam because lately, there have been dozens (maybe hundreds) of posts with this question...have you tried to do your buying in times of less internet/steam traffic ?...for example, late at night or early in the day where you are...some people have said they tried to change their regions also and it worked...

[Bohandas]

I've tried the region thing already but it didn't work

I'll try the late night purchase thing though, that seems like it might work.

[The Giving One]

ok good...thanks and post back if you like to let us know of any new ideas or tricks so we can all learn from you....good luck.

[Made In China: GTFD]

I'm having the same problem today, and I tried right now (It's around 11 PM for me right now)

[The Giving One]

My Steam has not been that bad lately but all of a sudden here now it is crawling and just crashed a little while ago so that tells me the problem(s) is worse right now but I could be wrong...forum pages and store pages take 10 times the amount of time to load compared to normally....:(

[Cowboy Pikachu]

Also having this problem. I've tried reentering my card info and everything. If this isn't fixed soon I'll just go buy a steam wallet card with the exact same card I'm trying to use to add funds, the card that has previously worked just fine.

[Brutal Brutus]

I've been getting this error almost all week. I figured it had to do with my bank going nuts whenever I make an online purchase, but I tried to buy a game for a friend recently with PayPal, and I received the error again. If anyone finds a fix or figures out the issue, please let us all know.

[Cowboy Pikachu]

Yeah, I logged into my PayPal account that uses the same working card, but PayPal wanted the last 4 of my social, so I was like "Well...okay, but this is starting to feel like Google going information hunting..." THEN PayPal said "thanks, we have your working card, but now we need your bank account information or you can't use PayPal :^)" So I refuse to use it now. PayPal worked fine without any part of my social, or my bank account info. I'll just wait out the storm until Steam fixes their stuff.

Does anyone know if buying a PHYSICAL Steam Wallet card will be a workaround for this issue? We have them available at the local 7Elevens, but I don't want to waste my time with it unless that works.

[Cowboy Pikachu]

PLEASE STEAM TAKE MY MONEY!!! I NEED TO OPEN CS:GO CASES WITH THE MONEY I NEED TO BE SPENDING ON FOOD AND BILLS!!

[Cowboy Pikachu]

gaben pls respond

[Bohandas]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

have you tried to do your buying in times of less internet/steam traffic ?...for example, late at night or early in the day where you are...

I just tried this suggestion and it didn't work. Thanks anyway though.

(any other ideas?)

[Brutal Brutus]

I've been reading that Steam has been locking random accounts lately or putting accounts on alert for buying too much. Not sure if any of it is true, but a lot of people have been getting this ridiculous error lately.

I created a support ticket, but I'm going to assume the wait will be two weeks, as usual for the confusing hellhole that is Valve Support.

I don't want to try to buy anything until the ticket is answered because too many failed attempts will bring a whole other set of problems. If any of you have luck with buying the physical card (and it actually working) from Walmart or 711, PLEASE let me know. It's kind of funny - seems like Steam is refusing our money!

[Bohandas]

Publicado originalmente por Necrovenus:

I've been reading that Steam has been locking random accounts lately or putting accounts on alert for buying too much.

That's a pretty ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up business model

Publicado originalmente por Necrovenus:

I don't want to try to buy anything until the ticket is answered because too many failed attempts will bring a whole other set of problems.

What other set of problems?

[slyfuldragon]

Taken from another thread:

Publicado originalmente por Letande:

Ladies and gentlemen, I have proper official explanation of this situation from the support:

Hello Letande,

I have removed the lock on your account; you will be able to make one more purchase.

Your account is currently on an alert status due to the excessive failed purchase attempts. Any unsuccessful purchase attempts will cause your account to be locked again. Your account will automatically be removed from the alert list after a while. Please note, that each new purchase attempt will extend the alert period.

In other words, the first time you can get this error due to overload, or whatever else there is. But you need to wait until try again, or every next try will increase the block time. That's basically it. It's really unfair that Steam doesn't inform us about such lock and people are clueless about what's going on, but that's how it works. Also, only Steam knows how this block works, so, trying to use alternative internet connection may work. That's it. People with this problem - try alternative internet connection, wait a lot before trying again, or contact the support.

In otherwords, when you get that error, either wait for a while then try again or get a friend/dummy account to buy it for you and gift it to you. Don't spam the store otherwise the duration of the lock will extend.

[Bohandas]

Publicado originalmente por Necrovenus:

I created a support ticket, but I'm going to assume the wait will be two weeks, as usual for the confusing hellhole that is Valve Support.

Speaking of which, can anybody provide an explanation for why steam customer support is a totally separate account from your steam account?