How to check wich accounts your phone number is linked to?

[Arghaab]

Hello everyone !

I was about to buy some VAC protected games, and decided to read everything there's to know about this system before doing so. I've came accross the fact that if an account has the same phone number as mine and get banned, even in a few years, then mine will get banned as well.

So, in order to avoid any risk to get banned without any involvment of my part, and since I changed my phone number a few months ago, I was looking for a way to make sure nobody was using this very same phone number on any Steam account before me, and still has it registered as its current phone number.

Is this even possible?

[gwait]

Nope.

[VaLiuM]

That all depends on where you got the phone number. You can't just enter anything and there you go (for example a friend of yours knows your number, that won't help much without having access to the phone too), it is a longer process of authentication. So if a phone number is attached to a account, it's been authenticated properly and that's the only requirement for attaching a number to a account. There is no way for anyone to trace certain number back to a certain individual, or make it exclusive to one specific person. Steam is a platform dedicated to gaming, not a telecommunication provider company but indeed it could help pinpointing to other accounts but since that's private information that wouldn't be disclosed anyway, the only proper answer to that could give Steam Support, i suppose.

[ReBoot]

If it's YOUR phone number and you haven't been tieing it to Steam accounts left and right, you can be reasonably sure you're out of trouble.

[danzel curry]

if you are going for a voip number no.

[Vault Hunter 101]

Bans for sharing phone number transfer ONLY at the time of infraction...

So if you got new phone number from SIM card you are safe... if you used some website or VOIP or whatever "free number online" then you can get banned for it

[Arghaab]

Originally posted by Vault Hunter 101:

Bans for sharing phone number transfer ONLY at the time of infraction...

So if you got new phone number from SIM card you are safe...

Not at all, since phone numbers get recycled all the time.

So the phone number I have since a few months, from a SIM card, could very well already be linked to one or several accounts, without me knowing it, but making me entitled to these accounts and to any infraction commited when using them.

[Snaggle]

There is no way for you to check which accounts are linked to your number. Although the chances of getting a number currently in use (especially in use by a cheater) are small, the possibility does exist.

Best to contact Steam support and outline your concerns. Though there is no promise they can or will do anything.

[budozero]

Originally posted by Arghaab:

Not at all, since phone numbers get recycled all the time.

So the phone number I have since a few months, from a SIM card, could very well already be linked to one or several accounts, without me knowing it, but making me entitled to these accounts and to any infraction commited when using them.

If a number is in use, whoever using it will have to confirm you adding it. If you mean "recycled" as in, no longer used by someone else, there is no issue.

Then again, using a free number found online is kind of by passing what the system is intended to do, imo worthy of a ban in itself, certainly no sympathy would be given to someone doing this, and earning a ban.

[Snaggle]

Originally posted by budozero:

If you mean "recycled" as in, no longer used by someone else, there is no issue.

Why is there no issue? If a person gives up their mobile number, it doesn't mean it gets removed from Steam. The number is still linked to the account unless the account owner removes it.

OP could (albeit very unlikely) be given a number that was used by another Steam user and is still linked to that account.

[budozero]

Originally posted by Snaggle:

OP could (albeit very unlikely) be given a number that was used by another Steam user and is still linked to that account.

I said no longer used, so thats how there is no issue.

What you are saying is, someone uses a number on STEAM, then stops using that number for their phone (gets a new one) but keeps its linked on STEAM, and continues to play, with an account linked on a number they dont have access to? Then this number is recycled and just happens to go to another STEAM user, and the original owner then cheats? Theoretically possible in a sense that statistically it could happen.

Would I worry about it or trust it as an excuse? Not a chance.

[Arghaab]

Nobody is using it as an excuse. I was just wondering if there was a way to check if somebody else was already using my phone number for his/her account.

Seems there is none.

[✮Granadexd✮]

if you own simcard you are fine but
i dont know what will happend if simcard expire.
all i know they can lock number but somone can use it well thats one question ;p

[budozero]

Originally posted by Arghaab:

Nobody is using it as an excuse.

I feel like I cant make myself clear lol, I didnt say so.

But why this worries you is just strange to me, there are far greater statistical dangers out there so I wouldnt worry about it.

[Snaggle]

Originally posted by budozero:

I said no longer used, so thats how there is no issue.

No longer used as in on Steam? Or no longer used as in, not their number anymore? If you mean the former then that is not really what is being discussed here and hence my question.

Originally posted by budozero:

What you are saying is....

Yes that is what I am saying and what I believe OP is concerned about.

[✮Granadexd✮]

best solution for that is go to operator of your sim card and ask i think its simple
i know it sound dumb but you can ask if you are the only one owner of this number