Steam Gift Card Scams: How to Avoid

You don't have to be a gamer to have heard of Steam but if you are a gamer, chances are you may have already stumbled upon Steam scams such as the ‘This account has violated the Steam Terms of Service’ scam and  Steam Wallet Code scam.

Another popular Steam scam is the Steam Gift Card Scam. At the time of writing this article, these scams have been around for years and yet, no one seems to know about them. Most people only find out about them after they have fallen victim. With the rise of online scams, it's important to stay informed and know how to protect yourself. In this article, we'll discuss what Steam Gift Card Scams are, how they work, and how to avoid them.

Why would someone need a Steam gift card?

A Steam gift card is a prepaid gift card that can be used to purchase games, software, and other items from the online gaming platform Steam. It's an easy way for gamers to get their hands on the latest titles without having to use a credit or debit card. Unfortunately, there are also scammers out there who try to take advantage of unsuspecting people by selling fake Steam cards.

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Steam gift cards are popular among gamers because they provide a convenient way to buy games without needing to enter personal information like credit card numbers. They're also great gifts for friends and family members who love playing video games. However, it's important to be aware of potential scams when buying Steam gift cards. Scammers may offer seemingly legitimate cards at discounted prices, but these often tend not to deliver.

How Steam Gift Card Scams Work

Steam gift cards are popular gifts for gaming-loving friends and family members, but they can also be a common target of scammers. Here are some of the most common ways in which Steam gift card scams work:

   1. Steam phishing scams

Scammers are always getting clever despite stakeholders' best efforts to raise awareness. One of the ways that scammers can get to gamers is through phishing emails. They will send you an email claiming to be from Steam and either offer you crazy deals or claim they “noticed something wrong with your account.” All this is aimed at getting you to send them your Steam login information.

Steam gift cards are sent to the recipient via email or an in-app message. The user then redeems the Steam Gift Card code which is credited to them in the form of  Steam Wallet funds.

The problem is that many scammers will send out fake emails containing codes and steal your account when you try to redeem your gift card. This is done by directing you to a fake Steam login page. 

    2. Steam trade scams

Scammers may try to trick you into some sort of Steam gift card trade. Some may go for straight swaps, offering theirs at a cheaper rate or offering other gifts. 

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Another common Steam trade scam involves someone asking you to buy them a Steam card in exchange for something else, such as game items or virtual currency. The scammer will then ask you to send the code from the back of the card via email or text message. Once they have the code, they can use it to purchase items on Steam without ever paying you anything. 

Another type of Steam trade scam involves someone pretending to be a legitimate trader who offers to buy your game items at an inflated price. However, once you've sent them the items, they will disappear without ever paying you. 

To protect yourself from Steam scams, always remember to never provide your personal information or credit card details to someone you don't trust. If you come across a suspicious offer, take some time to research it and make sure that it's legitimate before agreeing to anything. Additionally, be careful when trading with other users, as there is always the risk of being scammed.

3. Impersonating Steam officials

Fraudsters may attempt to impersonate Steam officials in order to gain access to your account or personal information. They may contact you via email, social media, or even through the Steam platform itself. These scammers will often claim to be from Valve Corporation and offer free gifts such as game codes or Steam gift cards if you provide them with your login credentials.

It is important to remember that no legitimate representative of Valve Corporation would ever ask for your password or other sensitive information. If someone contacts you claiming to be a Steam official, do not respond and report them immediately. Additionally, never click on any links sent by these fraudsters as they could lead to malicious websites designed to steal your data. 

4. Bait and Switch

Bait and switch is a type of scam where someone offers an attractive deal or product but then switches it out for something else when the customer has already committed to buying. This type of fraud is often used in Steam gift card scams. A scammer may offer a discounted Steam gift card on a website or social media platform. When the victim purchases the card, they are sent a code that does not work or a completely different item than what was advertised. The scammers will usually disappear after this point, leaving the victim with no recourse. 

Victims should be wary of any deals that seem too good to be true, as these could be bait-and-switch scams.

How to Avoid Steam Card Scams

As always, I'm a huge proponent of ‘buyer beware. When it comes to Steam gift cards, one should exercise caution when buying and selling these cards in secondary markets. While many transactions will go off without a hitch, there's no shortage of scammers out there. Those who are most vulnerable are those who don't know about these risks in the first place. Educating yourself and being able to recognize a scam is the best way to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Only purchase Steam gift cards directly from Steam or authorized retailers. Purchasing from an unknown third party is risky and can lead to fraudulent activity. Additionally, never give out your personal or financial information online to someone you don’t know. 

On top of this, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers often use bait-and-switch tactics to lure victims into purchasing fraudulent gift cards. If something seems suspicious, it’s best to stay away from it.

How to buy Steam gift cards from the official site

The process of purchasing a Steam gift card is fairly straightforward: Users visit the store page for a gift card that interests them and click "Add to cart" when ready to complete their purchase. Once confirmed, a pop-up will appear asking for payment information, including the recipient's email address and shipping address if required. After entering this information and clicking "Confirm," the user will be sent an email with instructions on how to redeem their Steam gift card code at checkout when making a purchase from Valve's website.

Steam gift cards can be redeemed immediately after purchase by clicking "Redeem" in the bottom right corner of any page on Steam's website. When using a Steam gift card, users can purchase games, software, and other digital entertainment items at discounted prices through the Steam Store.

Bottom Line

Steam has been a go-to destination for gamers since 2003, with more than 125 million active users worldwide. While the platform has become a haven for developers and publishers to release their titles, it’s also a hotspot for scammers looking to exploit its community.

Overall, Steam gift card scams are becoming increasingly common on social media platforms. To stay safe online, it’s important to only purchase cards from official sources and to never give out the personal or financial information online.