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Am I walking into a scam?

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meister245

EDIT: Thank you for your quick feedback everyone! Blocked the scammer right away.

EDIT: Same scammer as in this thread, confirmed with Mohsin
http://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/Imcvz/just-got-scammed-100-worth-of-games

Hello everyone,

I've been doing trades now and then on Steam and I always managed to stay clear of any scams. I always do the background work on profiles, check rep threads, but I've come across a situation I really can't decide whether I risk it or not. I would like to ask your experience on this:

Basically I'm doing a Steam Gift - PayPal trade / Game trade, here's the rundown:

  • Buyer wants the game to join his friends in the game, but can't pay with PayPal
  • Claims his parents are monitoring his internet traffic, so he can't purchase anything online. Probably a minor.
  • Claims he has a Mastercard gift card he received for his birthday, but he can't use it to shop online because his parents will know.
  • We talk about alternatives, I would be happy to trade the game for another game of the same value in $$$.
  • He suggests he gives me the gift card info, so I can go and buy the games I want and I give him the Steam Gift.

Now this would be a huge leap of faith, especially on the internet.

I lookup his Steam profile

  • 1 year old account, level 2
  • under 15 games
  • ZERO hours played
  • not registered on any rep sites, steamrep shows account is ban free, no comments on Steam profile
  • I think he started adding friends just recently, under 5 friends
  • uses trading info after his Steam name. eg: "Username [H] Game [W] Keys", at least he has the game in his inventory.

Is this a scam? It sounds nice but damn it looks dodgy as hell.

9 years ago*

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35 Comments
Gainja

I didn't read your post, but if you think you might be walking into a scam you should just walk away.

9 years ago
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ZeoMause

Usually, if someone with a level 0 and a private profile is a scammer or a bot. Bots will send a text message saying something about trade or something but is a live virus or scam.

9 years ago
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Pesm

As soon as someone comes up with excuses or stupid stuff you don't care about most likely it's a scam :c

9 years ago
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3P1C

If you use best practices on the internet, you're pretty much immune to scams. I don't trade with (or even add them as a friend) anyone of a low Steam Level, to start with. Anyone who has some Steam Level already put enough dedication/effort, and most likely won't scam because they'd be risking their account. Scammers will always have low Steam level (usually 0-5), because they know they'll get reported, and won't want to use their mains (or they don't have a main). They are almost always people who have few games/things and either don't have means of working to get it or don't want to - maybe 15-18 year olds who don't have jobs and don't get cash for games from their parents.

I have trusted people even by giving them things first, several times, and never got stolen, because everyone I trusted had Steam Level 30 or more. See that? Steam level, many think it's something useless and just a lame stat / vanity achievement, but it tells you people who you can trust.

Obviously Steam Level is not the only thing I consider when I'm about to trade with someone. Always make sure the person actually has whatever they offered, and if someone is too eager to make a deal that is advantageous to you, don't do it. Every trader will try to benefit himself, if someone is making a deal that is beneficial to you and bad for them, you can be nearly sure it's a scam.

9 years ago*
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Closed 9 years ago by meister245.