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[Suggestion] Can we add a scammer / imposter warning to all user profiles?

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Nerney9

EDIT:

TL;DR: New-ish traders need to make sure the SteamGifts Profile and Steam Profile match up, and many simply don't have the experience to do so without a warning (until they get scammed).

To clarify, I am seeking a general warning about impersonators posted at the top of all profile pages, just so trade-newbies linked to a profile know to check first, trade later, before they lose $50 buying AAA games from a scammer. There will be no calling out or specific warnings about any given person.

I, and many other high level gifters/traders, get scammers pretending to be me, linking my SteamGifts profile page from a copied Steam profile. These impostors then use my rep and gift level to scam unsuspecting people who aren't active enough on SG to know better. A warning on profile pages about scammers or even a personal textbox to add your own info or warning message would help prevent thieves from impersonating high level gifters/traders to scam unsuspecting Steam users.

Currently, I put warnings on all my trades, and even managed to sweet-talk my first reppers to edit their feedback to include a warning message, but this still does not appear on my basic profile page (only if they expand feedback). If we could get some kind of warning at the top of profile pages (ideally near to the feedback numbers), I think it would be a very positive step to preventing trade scams.

====(Sample warning below. Images courtesy of MuIIins / Zomby 2D)=====

IMPORTANT NOTE:

BEWARE SCAMMERS / IMPERSONATORS!

If linked to this rep page, PLEASE make sure you are trading with the real user, not an impostor running a scam. Click the 'Steam Profile' button to make sure the profile is the same.

Muiin's warning example <-- I'd prefer something like this
Zomby2D's warning example

9 years ago*

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Is adding a scammer/imposter warning to user profile pages a good idea?

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Yes
No
Maybe, but I would prefer a personal textbox.
What me warning? Potato!
72 Comments
BigTxT

This comment wont get me any good but i have to say it wont help anything. Same for a Trade faq since the people who get scammed lack common sense and dont bother to check anything. So they wont read your faq and this notification wont change anything.
If they would 2 seconds google would show them any such tricks to verify possible scams. That arent new scam methods thats used probably since steam trading was implemented.

8 years ago*
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adam1224

No impersonator could fool me, but that big red banner would be generally useful

8 years ago
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honestkiddy

I'll bump this topic everytime I see an impersonator scam.

Bump

8 years ago
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marfo

Bump!

Some visible warnings in our profiles would be useful.

8 years ago
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falsifiable

Yes, please! Do this already. :(

Another scammer is impersonating one reputable user after another, ravaging noobs left and right. Steamgifts has a responsibility to educate users on how to use the feedback pages correctly.

I like Zomby2D's example best out of the two that the OP provided. Make it happen!

8 years ago
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Tristar

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8 years ago
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tso184

I already wrote a post earlier, but with all the impersonation scams going on, this deserves a bump. Can't be that hard to implement.

A few suggestions:

  1. Make the text box encouraging checking the profile clickable, and linking to the Steam profile ("click here" instead of "click the link to the left")
  2. If the text is only shown on the feedback profile (which I think it should), remove the feedback numbers from the profile page, and replace it with just a "Trade feedback" link, so just linking to the profile can't be used as a "workaround", the user wanting to check the feedback must then visit the feedback part of the profile to see number of successful transactions/comments, which would be the page that contains the warning.
  3. Add a line in the red warning box about verifying the account by also checking that the user has the same Steam level / number of games / latest played games, so the people with the least experience don't take "same name/profile picture" as being the same account.

I already suggested 3. in my previous post a few months ago but wanted to put everything in the same place

8 years ago
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