Steam Card Scams Are Out Of Control: Here’s How To Stay Safe

Steam is a massively popular online platform for PC gaming, boasting millions of active users worldwide. It’s a hub for purchasing, downloading and playing games, as well as connecting with other gamers. The convenience and wide selection offered by Steam have made it a go-to platform for gamers everywhere.

Unfortunately, the popularity of Steam and its associated gift cards has also made it a target for scammers. Incidents of Steam card scams are on the rise, with fraudsters employing various tactics to trick unsuspecting users.

This article aims to educate you about these scams, explain how they work and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to protect yourself.

Quick Guide: Spot & Stop Steam Card Scams

➤ What’s A Steam Card Scam?

➤ Most Common Scam Tactics

➤ 10 Signs You’re Dealing With A Steam Card Scam

➤ How To Dodge Steam Card Fraud

➤ Scammed? Here’s What To Do

➤ VPN.com’s Take On Steam Scams

What Is A Steam Card Scam?

Steam gift cards are legitimate prepaid cards that can be redeemed on the Steam platform to purchase games, software and other digital content. They are a popular gift for gamers and a convenient way to add funds to a Steam wallet. Steam card scams are deceptive schemes where criminals trick individuals into giving them the activation codes for these gift cards.

Unlike a legitimate gift, in a scam, the victim receives nothing in return for the card’s value. Scammers often employ manipulative tactics, such as impersonating legitimate entities or creating fake scenarios, to gain the victim’s trust and coerce them into handing over valuable card information. This can involve:

→ Impersonation: Posing as a friend, family member or representative of a trusted organization

→ Fabricated Scenarios: Inventing emergencies, offering “limited-time” deals or claiming prizes to create a sense of urgency or opportunity

→ Exploitation of Trust: Leveraging existing relationships or building rapport to manipulate victims

How Do Steam Card Scams Work?

Steam card scams generally follow a similar pattern. The scammer initiates contact with a potential victim through various channels, including social media, email, messaging apps or even phone calls.

They then use a variety of manipulative techniques to gain the victim’s trust or create a compelling scenario. This often involves:

→ Initial Contact: Contacting the victim via various means of communication

→ Manipulation: Using tactics such as impersonation, fabricated narratives or creating an air of urgency

→ Request for Card Code: Asking the victim to buy a Steam card and hand over the activation code

→ Redemption: Redeeming the code immediately by the scammer while the victim suffers a loss

For example, a scammer might send a message on social media claiming to be a friend who needs a Steam card for an urgent medical expense. Alternatively, they might send an email pretending to be from a gaming website, informing the victim they have won a prize but need to provide a Steam card code to claim it.

Why Do Scammers Want Gift Card Numbers?

Steam cards, like many other gift cards, are highly attractive to scammers for several reasons:

→ Untraceable Transactions: Once the code is redeemed, the funds are immediately available and it’s very difficult to track who used the card or where the money went

→ Easy Resale: Steam cards can be easily resold on online marketplaces or used to purchase digital goods that can then be resold, allowing scammers to quickly convert the stolen value into cash

→ Anonymity: The relative anonymity of online interactions makes it easier for scammers to operate without revealing their true identities

Why Are Steam Card Scams on the Rise?

Several factors contribute to the increasing prevalence of Steam card scams:

→ The anonymity of the Internet: The anonymity provided by the Internet provides scammers with an environment where they can carry out their activities without worrying about being detected

→ Global Reach: The international reach of the internet enables scammers to scam people all across the globe

→ The popularity of Digital Platforms: The growing popularity of digital platforms such as Steam has provided scammers with a bigger market

→ Lack of Awareness: Many people are still unaware of the various tactics used by scammers, making them more vulnerable

→ Ease of Redemption: The ease with which gift card codes can be redeemed and the difficulty in tracing them also contribute to the appeal of this type of scam

Main Types Of Steam Gift Card Scams

Following are types of Steam gift card scams scammers might use to trick people:

Steam card exchange scams

Scammers also target traders or forum users by proposing apparently lucrative trades for other digital commodities or in-game assets in return for Steam gift cards. Their proposed Steam cards are most often counterfeit, hijacked or already used.

The victim has parted with their authentic commodities by the time the scammer vanishes without a trace.

Steam card phishing emails

Phishing emails are crafted to appear as legitimate messages from Steam or associated services. The emails may include links that redirect to imposter login pages.

When a user provides their Steam credentials on the imposter pages, the scammer obtains the details and gains control of the user’s Steam account and wallet.

Wallet scam on your Steam gift card

Scammers can try to gain direct access to a user’s Steam wallet using several approaches, including phishing attacks, malware or security flaws exploitation. With access granted, they will be able to drain the contents or steal the associated payment data.

They can also use social engineering tactics to trick people into exposing their wallet information.

Steam gift card purchase scam

Victims are deceived into buying Steam gift cards for the perpetrator. It may be by means of an imaginary job posting, a claim of prizes or discounts or a plea for assistance from an acquaintance in need.

The victim buys the cards and turns over the codes and then the perpetrator goes away without coming through on the promise or returning the money.

Steam card scams on your PayPal account

Scammers can try to associate the PayPal account of a victim with fake Steam card purchases. They could do this through phishing for PayPal login information or by convincing the victim to allow them to make a purchase on their account.

The scammer uses these funds from the victim’s PayPal account to purchase Steam cards for themselves.

Impersonation of Steam admins

Impostors will on occasion impersonate Steam administrators in order to make users reveal their login details, personal data or other significant in-game commodities. They will state that their account is being hacked or request that they check their information.

This strategy entails instilling panic or urgency with the intent to coerce the victim into hasty action without reflecting.

Steam trade scams

Scams that target the Steam trading system. Scammers can make good deals for trades and then exchange useful items for trash at the very end. They can use bots or automation to rig the trading system.

Another usual trick is a “free” item for someone “verifying” their account by trading in a valuable item first and it is never returned.

Steam Wallet Gift Card Scam

These scams usually start out on Discord and promise free or reduced Steam gift cards. Scammers either make fake accounts or servers and promise gifts in order to get people in. The following tactics are commonly used in Steam Gift card discord scams:

→ Fake Giveaways: Offering free Steam cards in return for joining a server, sending a message or inviting others is a common tactic in Discord Steam gift card scam

→ “Too Good to Be True” Offers: Selling greatly discounted Steam cards, usually by saying they’ve received them via special promotions or insider connections

→ Phishing Links: Posting links to fake websites that impersonate real Steam or Discord sites with the intention of stealing login credentials

→ Impersonation: Presenting oneself as a legitimate seller or member of the gaming community

These scams usually depend on establishing an environment of urgency or shortage to coerce victims into making a decision quickly without checking the validity of the offer. They can also employ social engineering techniques to establish trust and trick victims into surrendering their information or funds.

10 Ways To Spot Gift Card Scams

Following are the points you must always consider to avoid gift card scams:

Unexpected Requests

Be suspicious of anyone you don’t know or trust asking for gift card numbers at unexpected times, especially if it is unsolicited. Legitimate entities don’t ask to be paid in gift cards.

Pressure to Act

Scammers tend to make you feel a sense of urgency, rushing you to act before you can think or check the request. Legitimate offers do not usually have such drastic time limits.

Unusual Channels

Be wary of requests that come through unusual channels, such as social media or messaging apps, particularly if you have not communicated with the person or organization using that channel previously.

Unrealistic Rewards

If an offer is too good to be true (e.g. gift cards for free, massive discounts), it likely is. Scammers use such incentives to trick victims.

Poor Communication

Typos, grammatical mistakes and unprofessional language in communications are usually an indication of a scam. Legitimate organizations keep professional standards.

Remote Access Requests

Never allow anyone remote access to your computer unless you are absolutely sure who they are and why they need access. This is a trick used by scammers to steal data or put malware on your computer.

Want to take extra precautions to safeguard your information? Read this detailed guide on data protection.

Suspicious Links

Be extremely wary of clicking links in emails, messages or posts, especially if they appear suspicious or are shortened. Hover over links to view the true destination URL before clicking.

Refusal to Authenticate

If the person refuses to give evidence of identity or authenticity of their request, it is a serious warning sign. Legitimate organizations can be verified on their claims.

Consistent Disinformation

Watch out for inconsistency in the information being given, including conflicting information, varying tales or evasive explanations.

Unconventional Payment

Reputable businesses usually take conventional forms of payment. Demands for payment in unconventional ways, such as gift cards or cryptocurrency, are usually indicative of a scam.

How Do You Prevent Steam Gift Card Fraud?

Preventing Steam card fraud involves carefulness and acting ahead. Following is some advice that can be acted upon:

→ Be Cautious of Unwanted Messages: Be cautious of any unwanted messages, emails or calls demanding gift card information, even when they seem to be from a known source. Genuine organizations are not likely to make contact like this

→ Never Share Gift Card Information with Strangers: This is the most important rule. Never, ever give gift card numbers or codes to anyone you don’t know and trust entirely

→ Confirm Steam Representative Identity: If the person claiming to be from Steam support approaches you, independently confirm their identity by calling Steam support directly from their official website or support platform. Avoid using the contact information given by the individual claiming to be from Steam

→ Strong Passwords & 2FA: Have strong, one-of-a-kind passwords for your Steam account and turn on two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA provides an additional layer of protection, making it significantly more difficult for scammers to get into your account even if they know your password

→ Keep Software Up to Date: Update your operating system, web browser and antivirus software regularly. This keeps your computer safe from malware that scammers can use to steal data

→ Report Suspicious Behavior: If you see any suspicious behaviour on Steam or get any suspicious messages, report it to Steam support right away. This allows them to act against scammers and keep other users safe

→ Watch Out for “Too Good” Offers: Be very careful about offers or deals that look too good to be true. These are frequently employed by con artists to trap victims. If it looks too good to be true, it is likely to be so

Make sure to inform yourself about current scams and tell your friends, family and fellow gamers about them. The more informed people are about these scams, the less powerful they are. Knowledge is your best defence.

What Can You Do If You Are A Victim Of Steam Card Scams?

If you’ve been a victim of Steam card scams, it’s crucial that you act as soon as possible to limit the damage and perhaps regain some of your losses. Here’s what you need to do:

Report to Steam Support

Report the incident to Steam support right away and describe what occurred. Share as much information as you can, including your interaction with the scammer. This will enable Steam to act against the scammer’s account and maybe even recover the stolen money.

Report the scam to the Contact Platform

If the scam happened on a given platform (such as Discord, Facebook or email), inform the administrators or customer support for the platform about the scam. They can often respond by acting on the scammer’s account within their platform.

Report to Authorities

Report the scam to the proper authorities. This could be your local police station, your nation’s consumer protection agency or online crime reporting agencies such as the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) in the US.

They may not always be able to recover your loss, but reporting the scam allows them to trace these crimes and possibly prevent other people from becoming victims.

Change Passwords & Enable 2FA

Change your passwords for your Steam account, email account and any other applicable online accounts immediately. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever available to add an additional security layer.

Monitor Accounts

Make sure to keep a close eye on your financial accounts, such as your bank accounts, credit cards and PayPal, for any signs of unauthorized activity. If you ever catch something suspicious, immediately report it to your financial institution. Monitor your Steam account for any suspicious purchases or trades.

Always remember to stay informed and not to fall prey to these types of unwanted scams and unfortunately, if you do, immediately seek help from customer support and report the issues to the authorities.

VPN.com Against Steam Card Scams

VPNs are important for security and privacy online, especially in the case of Steam card scams. A VPN will add some layers to help you feel less vulnerable and mitigate your risks. Here’s how:

→ Encryption: VPNs encrypt your online traffic, which makes it more difficult for scammers (or anyone else) to snoop on your data, like login details or payment info, if you find yourself on a hacked network. This is particularly relevant if you’re on public Wi-Fi, which is a hotbed for scammers

→ IP Masking: By concealing your actual IP address, a VPN increases the difficulty for scammers to trace your location or target you based on your geolocation. Certain scams may be geographically targeted, and a VPN can save you from being a victim on the basis of where you reside

→ Improved Security: A VPN can provide an extra level of defence against certain kinds of cyber attacks that scammers could employ in tandem with their cons, like malware or phishing attacks

Popular VPN Services (and why they are important to Steam users)

Having a good VPN provider is important. A few examples include:

→ ExpressVPN: Its quick speeds are great for people who game and want to keep their connection smooth but still have the VPN on

→ CyberGhost: Provides an equal balance of security and ease of use, so it’s a decent choice for overall online protection, such as keeping your Steam account safe

→ NordVPN: Its high level of encryption and extensive server base offer solid security and anonymity, which are crucial when handling any online transactions, including Steam-related ones

A VPN is not a replacement for completely secure online behaviour when you don’t keep yourself fully alert. You must still be careful about dodgy messages, never provide gift card details to strangers and adhere to all the other advice in this article for preventing Steam card scams.

VPN.com

At VPN.com, we are dedicated to making access to trustworthy VPN solutions available. We assist users by:

→ Providing Best-Rated VPNs: We have a list of top-rated VPN providers, including the above-mentioned ones, to provide you with a variety of options

→ Affordable Pricing: We make every effort to provide these VPNs at the most affordable prices

→ Customer Support and Value: We are committed to delivering the best customer support and providing you with the best value for your money

VPN.com wants to help you pick the suitable VPN to assist with your global online security planning, including covering you from Steam card scams as well as any other online vulnerabilities.

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The Bottom Line

Vigilance and awareness are the key to avoiding Steam card scams. The scams are getting more and more sophisticated, so it’s important to be aware of the most recent tactics and to be cautious in all online interactions.

By taking the tips from this article and passing this knowledge along to friends, family and other gamers, we can all contribute to a more secure online community and help shield ourselves and others from becoming victims of these scams.

Stay smart, folks it’s the best defense against cybercrime.