Account takeover in 2021, recovered in 2022 reporting stolen items

[9icik]

Hi, someone disabled my SteamGuard and took over my account for few months in 2021. They must have had access to my e-mail, at that time my mail did not offer 2FA, my other accounts that year also got compromised. Anyway I restored my access but everything was missing. Is there any way to fix that even partially?

I used the support tool and it says:

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.

You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

I read some topics which reported phishing and every time the response was that nothing can be restored, so what kind of actions does this fragment refer to "makes it easier to identify and take action."

I have had this account for 10+years it's such a shame almost all memories are gone.

[Ettanin]

No, stolen Wallet balance and stolen items are gone.

In accordance with Section 1 C Steam Subscriber Agreement, you are responsible for the security of your account, the confidentiality of your credentials and the actions of your account, no matter who used the account.

Next time take the security of your E-Mail account and all accounts that use this E-Mail more serious, for example by using true two factor authentication using a mobile device (i.e. Google Authenticator).

[J4MESOX4D]

As per the longstanding policy, scammed items are not returned https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/3B6E-B322-2400-8D24

Originally posted by 9icik:

have had this account for 10+years it's such a shame almost all memories are gone

Don't you mean 20+ years or did you buy it?

[Supafly]

If you recovered the account 3 years ago why are you only now asking for help?

Items are NOT restored because account security is that of the accounts owner

[9icik]

I meant that I used it for dota2 for 10+ years but it was mine since the beginning (CS 1.6+) Yeah, I didn't think I would get help, dropped the gaming altogether and moved on but reckoned I'd give it a shot. I undestand there is a policy, but then what is the use of reporting it here?
and how does reporting it here is better than sending a ticket via tech support?

What is the meaning of this message?

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

What actions can be taken? From the messages you are sending me, and in other topics it seems that all those scammers get away scot-free. I understand Steam has it's policy and is not responsible for retreiving anything but can the platform help in any way? Since this IS theft and it IS a crime, then I can file a local report, which will probably take forever to process. What info can I get from your side so that I can supply my local authorities? Or is it legal and risk-free to steal from others? ;-)

BTW Why is the policy like that? I mean my Revolut card was stolen once, someone paid for some items in few places, I reported it to Revout and police and had my funds returned, even tho it was my responsibility to keep it safe, then again this is life and we cannot be omnipotent all the time, mistakes happen. It just discourages to keep using the platform.

[Ettanin]

Valve had item restoration in the past, but bad actors abused it to dupe items. The consequence is that now Section 1 C is invoked without any mercy.

That your E-Mail account got compromised means that someone either guessed your password, used malware to grab it or it got leaked in a security breach.

This is why passwords must be reasonably complex, unique and changed regularly, as well as protected by a second factor.

[Snivy]

The issue is: What definitive proof do you have, that this whole thing wasn't staged to your benefit?

You don't, so that's why you don't get your items returned.

[9icik]

I don't expect duping items, but if that guy still has them in his inventory then simply moving them back wouldn't hurt anyone. I see your point, the proof would be internet logs of someone logging from Asia and moving them to another account, but I don't have server logs.

Anyway, are any actions taken in such matters by Valve since the message states that there are? Or are they getting away?
Since this is theft I can file a local report, I did it in the past when my card was stolen, but is there any person at Valve that can be contacted to supply any info on this matter?

[9icik]

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

What does this translate into? What is the use of reporting anyone?

[Ettanin]

Originally posted by 9icik:

I don't expect duping items, but if that guy still has them in his inventory then simply moving them back wouldn't hurt anyone.

Items can change ownership fast, so reversing such transactions would hit innocent people.

[Ettanin]

Originally posted by 9icik:

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

What does this translate into? What is the use of reporting anyone?

Getting them banned if administration finds signs of abuse.

[Snivy]

Originally posted by 9icik:

I don't expect duping items, but if that guy still has them in his inventory then simply moving them back wouldn't hurt anyone. I see your point, the proof would be internet logs of someone logging from Asia and moving them to another account, but I don't have server logs.

Yeah those logs wouldn't prove anything either, so no point in bringing those to the table.

If you would have reported this incident back in 2021, then maybe you could have gotten the account trade banned. But now it's 2025.

[J4MESOX4D]

Originally posted by 9icik:

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

What does this translate into? What is the use of reporting anyone?

You report scammers so Valve can ban the accounts and prevent the items or money being laundered further so they cannot benefit from their behaviour. Incompetence is not compensated but at least scamming wont be encouraged further if accounts are penalised before the offenders can profit rather than let everyone get away with it.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by 9icik:

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "

What does this translate into? What is the use of reporting anyone?

Generally speaking accounts that 'scam' people are usually hijacked accounts. Scammers don't use their own accounts because they don't need them. They don't care about having a reason Steam account

Reporting them allows Steam to notify the original owner their account may be compromised and that they should contact steam. This limits damage a hijacked account can do, and lets the original owner know their account has been compromised as well.

[Hodman]

Originally posted by 9icik:

... I undestand there is a policy, but then what is the use of reporting it here?
and how does reporting it here is better than sending a ticket via tech support?

What is the meaning of this message?

"Reporting a scammer, phisher, or impostor through the Steam Community reporting system will always be preferable to reporting them to Steam Support. A Community report provides the most information about the interaction between your accounts and makes it easier to identify and take action.
You will be notified if we take action against this user. "...

Reporting through the Steam Community system doesn't mean creating a thread on the forums (if that's what you mean by reporting it here) , it means using the report function in their profile probably because it streamlines the process of (as the message states) verifying interactions between the accounts.

[9icik]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

Originally posted by 9icik:

I don't expect duping items, but if that guy still has them in his inventory then simply moving them back wouldn't hurt anyone.

Items can change ownership fast, so reversing such transactions would hit innocent people.

That's the world though, if I buy a stolen car it get's confiscated and I'm left with nothing. We had a case where a guy bought an afterlease car from dealership, it turned out to be stolen with changed VIN and he was left with nothing.