Trades to Never Accept


Trades involving money
The Steam trading interface does not support the transfer of money in any form. This includes Wallet credits, PayPal, gift cards or any other type of currency.

Trades involving CD Keys
Trading for CD Keys is not supported in the Steam Trading interface. CD Keys that are offered are often for a different game, fake, used or region restricted.

Trading items/gifts for nothing in return
You should complete any trades in a single trade. The trading interface supports an unlimited amount of items to be included with each trade so there is no reason to perform multiple trades. If you choose to trade an item without receiving anything in return, you will receive a confirmation dialog prior to completing the trade which lets you know the item you are sending is considered a gift.

Trades offering Steam Wallet credit
Steam Wallet credit cannot be traded, moved, gifted or automatically added to accounts by other users. Never accept trades that offer Steam Wallet funds.

Do not lend or allow others to borrow items
If you give a user an item, there is nothing to stop them from keeping it. In most cases, if a user wishes to borrow an item they will not return it. Do not lend items to other users.


Things to Watch Out For


Ensure that you are trading with the correct user:
Scammers often try to impersonate friends and trusted traders. Make sure to review the information in the trade window to ensure you’re trading with the correct person. It is your responsibility to verify who you are trading with.

Steam provides plenty of information within the trade window, including how long you’ve been friends, Steam level, how old the account is, and what groups they are moderators of:


Trades involving purchasing an item in order to trade the item to another user


A scammer may attempt to convince you that they will trade you an item if you purchase and trade them something that is for sale on the Steam Market. The scammer will have an excuse as to why they cannot buy it themselves, and they will often have a reason for not being able to trade for it directly (the seller of the item will not communicate with them). After the item is purchased, the scammer will unfriend you and even ban you from communicating with them. The person selling the item is working with the scammer and they just sold a cheap item for a significant amount of money.

Do not trade items outside of the trade window
If another user requests that you do, they will likely scam you. Always insist to trade within the trade window in Steam. Wallet credit and money cannot be traded or added to the trade window.

Avoid using middlemen
Middlemen should not be needed if you are trading within the system. A middleman can scam you by impersonating another trader, working with a scammer or keeping any item that you give to them.


Trading Tips
Below are a couple tips to take advantage of when trading:


Take your time
What’s the rush? Take your time when completing a trade. Scammers often try to rush a trade to avoid you seeing the switching of items before it is completed. Double check the items in the trade window by mousing over them to ensure they are the ones you agreed to receive. Information about the item/gift will be stated here including the quality, name, description, expiration date and any effects.

Utilize the chat window
All changes, additions, removals and actions will be recorded in the chat window. Here you’ll be able to easily see if the user has changed items in the trade. You may also use it to communicate with the trader.