Steam Gaurd Authenticator and Trade Ban

[Guinness96]

So I was recently on a different account on my Ipad and it only said the person's account name and I wanted to remove that so I thought that removing my authenticator would fix it. It did however now I have a 15 day trade ban. Valve you should really make so that if people want to protect their account and have a confirmation go to their phone they should be able to do that, however if people want to not have it and remove it by accident or on purpose they should not get a trade ban. It is really ridiculous that we have to wait half of a month just to trade and sell things on the steam market. I've known multiple people who have accidentally removed their authenticator and got a ban. This needs to be resolved for the people's sake, im watching market prices and the item I'm trying to sell is going down, I can't sell it and it is making me have mixed emotions so please resolve this.

[mimizukari]

This is a point of contention that will absolutely never be remedied the way you want it to be. So what if it's "accidental" fact is, you still removed it. Even if you put the same phone number on, it's not guaranteed you're the owner, even accessing from the same location... Thieves are very crafty. This system has reduced thefts of steam accounts/items down to 1/10th of what it used to be.

[Justin]

valve plz fix.

[Guinness96]

Yes, I agree with some of your points but do you really think that a 15 day trade ban is necessary? Even if you can prove that you are truly infact the owner of the account and it is not a thief trying to prove that they are the owner? It is truly unnecessary, a shorter trade ban could be better maybe like a 5 day or a 7 day.

[mimizukari]

引用自 Guinness96：

Yes, I agree with some of your points but do you really think that a 15 day trade ban is necessary? Even if you can prove that you are truly infact the owner of the account and it is not a thief trying to prove that they are the owner? It is truly unnecessary, a shorter trade ban could be better maybe like a 5 day or a 7 day.

Yes, it is necessary. Valve is a company that is responsible when things like thefts happen. The rate it was happening before was not OK at all! The current system works absolutely fine, don't go changing your settings around next time, just hit deauthorize all devices and change password.

[Guinness96]

Alright but it could be made better

[Black Blade]

First of all its a cooldown, not a ban, using the wrong words will get confusing
Second of all the reason they do it, is think what happens if someone gets your account and takes off the aufanticatior so he can steal your stuff? these allow you time to regain and protect your account before they can do it

About proving is you, how will they do that? Valve do not know you personally, and if they lets say add a second password to verify, it likely fall like so many more things as the hijacker will just ask it from the user, like he asked for the password for the account

[Guinness96]

Well you could provide credit card information, proof of address, or a photo idea if they ever allowed you to do that. A week would be more fair than 15 days, they could get your account back to you in 7 days, even earlier.

[Black Blade]

引用自 Guinness96：

Well you could provide credit card information, proof of address, or a photo idea if they ever allowed you to do that. A week would be more fair than 15 days, they could get your account back to you in 7 days, even earlier.

Proof of address, or CC info can be taken by hijacker, like they taken so many times passwords before
Photo ID means there needs to be a human there to make sure its true, and also you will have to sumbit that photo much eariler so the hicjaker cant just sumbit him self then confirm with it

[The Giving One]

引用自 Guinness96：

So I was recently on a different account on my Ipad and it only said the person's account name and I wanted to remove that so I thought that removing my authenticator would fix it. It did however now I have a 15 day trade ban.

It's not a "trade ban". You don't want an actual trade ban.

This is a cooldown, also known from the support page as a "restriction"......

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1047-edfm-2932#appremoved

Mobile Authenticator Removed

Removing a Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator reduces your account security. To help protect your items, you will be unable to trade or use the Community Market for 15 days. In the case your account was compromised, this cooldown gives you time to recover your account and reinstate your security without losing your items.

引用自 Guinness96：

It is really ridiculous that we have to wait half of a month just to trade and sell things on the steam market.

You don't. The mobile auth. only has to be enabled for 7 days, for there to be no more trade holds.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1047-edfm-2932#appadded

Mobile Authenticator Added

A Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator provides additional security for your account. Adding an authenticator does not immediately remove existing restrictions. Trades created within the first 7 days of adding the authenticator will still have up to a 15 day trade hold. This allows your items to still be protected and gives you time to recover your account if a malicious actor were to ever add an authenticator to your account.

It is a "restriction", not a ban. And if trading with a friend on Steam that you have been friends with for over a year, the trade holds are only one day.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8078-TPHC-6195

Trade holds last up to 15 days. If you're trading items with a friend, and you've been friends for more than 1 year, the hold is 1 day.

引用自 Guinness96：

I've known multiple people who have accidentally removed their authenticator and got a ban.

Again, it is not a "ban". And mayby they can stop "accidentally" removing it, just like a hijacker can also "accidentally" remove it.

引用自 Guinness96：

This needs to be resolved for the people's sake......

There is nothing to resolve. It was either this or get rid of private trading altogether, which some wish they had done for one reason, so people would stop making the same suggestions about it here over, and over, and over again..............and over again.

引用自 Guinness96：

I can't sell it and it is making me have mixed emotions so please resolve this.

This is clearly explained on the support page linked below.......

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1047-edfm-2932#appremoved

Important:
Steam Support cannot modify trading or Community Market restrictions, regardless of the circumstances under which your account became restricted.

Finally...........................................

"This topic has been pinned, so it's probably important"

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/135507548120407092/

If you have come here to propose a suggestion for the Steam client, whether it be a new feature or an improvement of an existing one,

you have come to the right place. Please consider searching before posting, as your suggestion may have already been brought up before.

[Guinness96]

Wow... So the trade and community market restriction is not 15 days, but only 7 days? However, to further prove that you are the owner so you don't get a cooldown or restriction you could provide purchase recipts, right? This could be something that could be added.

[The Giving One]

引用自 Guinness96：

Wow... So the trade and community market restriction is not 15 days, but only 7 days? However, to further prove that you are the owner so you don't get a cooldown or restriction you could provide purchase recipts, right? This could be something that could be added.

As long as you don't disable it once enabled, it is only 7 days and then you are done forever. During this 7 days, there will be holds on any trades you make. That is unavoidable. After that 7 days, then there are no more holds on NEWLY created trades.

And if you want to move the auth. to a new phone, do not disable it. Transfer it instead.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8625-wrah-9030#transfer

"Can I transfer my authenticator to my new phone?"

Yes, you can.

To transfer your authenticator to a new phone, you'll need access to the phone number associated with your account (so we can send you a text message to confirm it's you).

From the Steam Mobile app on your new device, try to log into your account. When the app asks for your authenticator code, select "Please help, I no longer have access to my Mobile Authenticator codes." Follow the steps the app provides and you can either transfer your authenticator to the new device or remove it from the previous device.

After transferring the authenticator, any new trades or market listings will be held for a couple of days to protect your items in case your authenticator is ever transferred by a malicious person. See our Trade Holds FAQ for more information about trade holds.

[Guinness96]

Seeing that I disabled it, then reactivated it does that mean I can trade once again after my 7 days or is that for the first time?

[The Giving One]

引用自 Guinness96：

Seeing that I disabled it, then reactivated it does that mean I can trade once again after my 7 days or is that for the first time?

I am 99.9% sure you have to wait the full 15 days, because a hijacker could also add an authenticator and be in at 7 days instead.

Someone can correct me if they wish, and I am wrong. But you are free to just check again in 7 days. Note the times shown when you try to trade are in PST USA (Washington) so don't think that in 7 or 15 (which ever it is) days by your local time that it should be over.

[The Giving One]

引用自 999999999：

Removing or disabling triggers the 15 day restriction.

That is under app removed.

Right but I think he was asking what if it was immediately readded. That is still a 15 dayer, correct ?

[The Giving One]

引用自 999999999：

Once it was removed, that is all it takes to trigger the 15 day restriction.

Thanks, as I was pretty sure that adding it back immediately does not get around that, and turn it into 7 days instead. I appreciate the clarification.