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How To Report A Steam Gift Card Scam
The growing popularity of Steam gift cards has led to an increase in Steam gift card scams. It is one of the most popular gift cards in Nigeria and almost every part of the world. Many people have fallen victim to Steam gift card scams. It is important you learn how to report a steam gift card scam. This article will guide you on the necessary information to know. Let’s find out how steam gift card scams work.
How Do Steam Gift Card Scams Work?
Most Steam gift card scams are successful because they majorly disguise as a popular brand. These scammers contact victims via diverse ways like calls, emails, or texts.
Commonly, they insinuate that there is something wrong with the victim’s account which needs to be fixed. They normally request that victims should buy Steam gift cards and share the activation codes or PIN.
Once that is done, the scammer sells the gift card, buys items online with it, or contacts Steam support that the card was used in error and demands a refund. There are also several ways steam gift card scams happen. Continue reading to find out.
How To Identify A Steam Gift Card Scam
The following is the list of possible steam gift card scams. Scammers work in diverse ways to defraud victims. Familiarize yourself with them.
- Phony PayPal Invoices
Many online shoppers use PayPal as a payment option, hence, the need for an invoice. Scammers leverage this opportunity to change the terms and conditions of the purchase to make it look like the buyers still have some money to pay. Then they request for balance in form of a Steam gift card. Another common PayPal scam involves asking victims to buy and share their Steam gift card numbers with the promise to be refunded via PayPal.
- Steam Trade Scams
On certain websites, scammers ask to engage in a Steam trade and end up not keeping to their promise. Scammers can make purchases online and promise to pay with a Steam gift card. They end up sending fake Steam codes or using stolen credit card details to purchase the Steam gift card. Offering to buy items at a high-price than the original price calls for suspicion. Certain scammers offer to buy digital content on Steam for a high price.
- Steam Phishing Email
One of the most common scams in general is via email. Some steam gift card scammers also use emails in disguise of Steam mails. They either offer promotions or discounts. They do include phishing links in the mail for you to claim the offer. Clicking on the link gives them exposes your credit card details for their use.
- Payment Using Steam Wallet Gift Cards
Please, be aware that you are not to use a Steam gift card as a payment option except on Steam. Some scammers selling stuff online insist you pay with a Steam gift card before they can authorize the purchase. This is very much likely to be a scam.
- Impersonating Steam Administrators
Scammers may reach out to you via any means disguising themselves to be Steam administrators. They may claim that there is an issue with your account which needs to be fixed. Then, they request payment via Steam wallet codes so that they can look into it. Another form of scam is reaching out to you because your account was reported mistakenly. They request you provide your login information for account recovery.
How To Report A Steam Gift Card Scam
Steam recommended an effective means Steam gift card scam victims can report their cases.
Follow the steps below if you are a victim of a Steam gift card scam:
- Go to the Steam profile of the scammer.
- Navigate to the top-right corner of the page and click on the “More” drop-down icon.
- Select “Report Profile”
- Select the offense category the offending user falls into.
- Chose the offense among the list.
- Enter a summary of the scam experience.
- Click on the “Submit Report” button.
Tips To Help You Avoid Falling Victim
- Purchase Steam Gift Cards From A Reputable Platform
Ensure to carry out due research before buying gift cards online or offline. There are several fake gift card platforms online. You can read reviews to ascertain the reputation of the platform. Whether you want to buy or sell, it is important to deal with a reliable platform. You can also sell Steam gift cards with a platform with high rates but trustworthy.
- Enable MFA On Your Steam Account
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your Steam account is very important. It is another layer of security offered by Steam to ensure your account safety.
- Avoid Buying Steam Gift Cards In Bulk Online
Buying gift cards in bulk online can create space for scammers. Every Steam gift card has its individual PIN. So, it may not be easy to remember the steam gift cards you’ve activated.
- Do Not Attempt To Redeem Anywhere Except On Steam
It is important to know that steam gift cards can only be redeemed on Steam.
Just the way you can only use Amazon gift cards on Amazon. Do not attempt to use your steam gift cards on any gaming platform except Steam.
- Be Cautious Of In-store Signage About Steam Gift Cards
Whenever there is a discount too good to be true, ensure to double-check the gift cards. There are fake steam gift cards. So it is important to cross-check with the ones on the Steam website.
Best Practices For Online Transactions
- When trying to create a password online use a mixture of upper-case, and lower-case numbers, and symbols.
- Ensure the website you want to carry out the transaction starts with ‘’https//:’’
- It’s advisable to change passwords often. You can keep a jotter where you write down these passwords so that you won’t forget them.
- Avoid clicking on links contained in emails asking for personal information.
Conclusion
The rise in Steam gift card scams calls for every gift card trader to be on alert. It is essential you learn how to avoid or report any suspected Steam gift card scam. Ensure to enable MFA on your Steam account and stay guarded against online fraudsters.
