Why do obviously fake profiles try to friend me?

[=CrimsoN=]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets random requests from obviously fake profiles? Usually profiles that either don't have an avatar or or clearly feature a woman model ripped off Google image's first page

What are people hoping to achieve? Are they attempting to scam? Sometime's Ill accept the request just to see what they will do, but usually I never get a response. I don't understand what they are trying to accomplish. Especially the ones that are just an profile picture of a woman model taken straight from Google? Are they hoping to bait people?

[Cassidy]

Probably bots set up for scamming purposes.

[/.]

Miss Ann Thrope eredeti hozzászólása:

They're attracted to your publicly viewable inventory full of Team Fortress 2 items.

That's probably the case. Once I set my items to private, I stopped getting friend requests from random bots/scammers/traders.

Once upon a time I unboxed an Unusual hat in TF2... People wouldn't leave me alone until I finally asked one of them how they kept finding me, and apparently there are websites that help you sniff out users that own certain items like that (or there were, at least)

[Chuuya Nakahara]

Well yeah, they eventually find that gullible user who gets scammed.

[Manuel]

Idk had it a few times too
if u accept the request - you'll get an instant trade request..

i think those are bots trying to scam us

[Zekiran]

500 games, 33 groups, and an open for viewing inventory.

[/.]

Miss Ann Thrope eredeti hozzászólása:

ƤŁȺᎢiƝՄM ȺƝGԐᏞ eredeti hozzászólása:

That's probably the case. Once I set my items to private, I stopped getting friend requests from random bots/scammers/traders.

Once upon a time I unboxed an Unusual hat in TF2... People wouldn't leave me alone until I finally asked one of them how they kept finding me, and apparently there are websites that help you sniff out users that own certain items like that (or there were, at least)

Yep. If anything on your profile is publicly viewable, it is at risk of being automatically indexed and recorded by third-party sites. Not just inventory, but user uploaded content, and every name and profile picture you have previously used.

Geez, I didn't know people bothered with user uploaded content... Now I'm glad I set my profile and reviews to "friends only". At least now only people on my friends list can get access to that info.

I used to be skeptical of private profiles, but in this day and age, it makes more sense than keeping it public. Freakin' third-party sites...

[Cassidy]

ƤŁȺᎢiƝՄM ȺƝGԐᏞ eredeti hozzászólása:

Miss Ann Thrope eredeti hozzászólása:

Yep. If anything on your profile is publicly viewable, it is at risk of being automatically indexed and recorded by third-party sites. Not just inventory, but user uploaded content, and every name and profile picture you have previously used.

Geez, I didn't know people bothered with user uploaded content... Now I'm glad I set my profile and reviews to "friends only". At least now only people on my friends list can get access to that info.

I used to be skeptical of private profiles, but in this day and age, it makes more sense than keeping it public. Freakin' third-party sites...

That's why I always use a fake name online. Nobody online knows my real name, ever.

[=CrimsoN=]

What I really don't understand is the fixation with a lot of these supposed scammers thinking that a clearly obvious female model will actually bait people.

I mean, that shows either one of two things:
1. They are dumb enough to think people will fall for that
or
2. People really are that desperate for feminine attention that they will get suckered into such an obvious scam

[Sjslsk]

What?

[alicerinz]

Zekiran eredeti hozzászólása:

500 games, 33 groups, and an open for viewing inventory.

[Esoteric]

Define "fake" profile.

[GetToTheTop]

Good thing I wouldn't know anything about fake profiles

[Your Mom's Oshi]

Zekiran eredeti hozzászólása:

500 games, 33 groups, and an open for viewing inventory.

We don't count. We are mature adults who know how to protect ourselves on the internet.

[Azza ☠]

Add them...

Then wait...

They are commonly scammers, who might wait a couple of days or so for you to 'forget' you just randomly added them, but then message you a scam comment and link. Perhaps you magically won a free game, just click this phishing link and enter your steam account login, etc. Silly scammy stuff like that.

So avoid clicking the link, but report their Steam Profile and that URL when they do! Optional: Screenshot and report the account on SteamRep.com to warn others too.

Profit.

[MancSoulja]

Are you a fake profile OP? I assume you're not a glowing red skull and crossbones in real life?