You have all probably seen this group "network" at some point. They send out invites to everyone. They giveaway bundle games here in mass quantities as part of their recruitment. They also advertise giving away AAA titles to whoever invites the most people to their groups. Sadly those giveaways are rigged, as they are not done on SteamGifts, but rather in his group's forum, and no winners are chosen truly at random as the system here allows.

But that's not what I'm here to tell you about.

First, let me show you exactly what I am talking about, in case you are unfamiliar with the OTG Network.

Original Traders Group
Original Curators Group
Original Giveaway Group
German Giveaway Community
Original Society Club
Duck Society

The above 6 groups are what's known as the 'Original Network'. It originally started as just the top group. It's recently expanded unnecessarily into the other groups. You can do everything the 4 groups do with one group, after all. The groups are also all populated by the same people, so don't let the numbers fool you. The Original Society Club is for the most loyal of his followers, where he supposedly does non-bundle game giveaways. Duck Society is...I don't even.

They are all run by a lovely fellow named SalzStange. His username here on SteamGifts is AngryErpel.
Confirmed with SteamGifts Support that this is not calling out..

SalzStange was recently outted on Twitter for trying to blackmail a developer for a free Steam Key. This kind of activity has been known to occur in this "network" but was covered up by his loyalists. When things like this happened in the past, or someone wrote a negative review for a game SalzStange obtained keys for, he would ask his loyalists to downrate the hell out of the review, which they sadly did. According to other 'victims', his loyalists were also asked to harass people that did not agree with SalzStange's methods or people who called him out on his bullshit. It's safe to say some are blindly following him in the hopes of free games. This is, of course, unacceptable, and since this was brought public, some of his loyalists left the group. Namely a few (most) of his admins and even a co-founder. He now has a new set of followers and Admins/Mods, and they are still up to the same routine.

SalzStange thinks giving away games is charity, and refers to his groups as "the biggest charity groups on Steam".
Charity is helping people who are less fortunate (IE Homeless, starving, etc), donating clothes and food to homeless people, or volunteering at a shelter....things of that nature. Not giving away games to privileged people on SteamGifts. He lists hundreds of giveaways for bundle games and games he's received from devs here on SteamGifts. The bundle games he asks members to donate to him so he can give them away here or in his group's chat (this has been confirmed by many former members). Either way, he is unfairly benefiting from contributor value here on SteamGifts because of this. He is currently a LV 9 contributor here on SteamGifts.

There is a reddit thread where a lot of people have come forward to share their experiences with SalzStange and his groups. and there is also a NEOGAF thread.

Proof, evidence, chatlogs, examples of his behavior and other things.
Take a look at these and find out for yourself what kind of person SalzStange is. Don't listen to his long-winded excuses or lies he's posted here and elsewhere.

2706 line OTG Group Chat Log
Full email conversation - This is the 'unedited' screenshot SalzStange provided that he claims absolves him of all accusations. It, in fact, makes him look worse.
My experience with SalzStange and his group
Chat harassment
SalzStange's SteamRep Report
SalzStange's "apology" to the dev he blackmailed
SalzStange thinks there's no proof
Valve is at least aware of this situation
SalzStange thinks those "against" him are all trolls
SalzStange denies allegations concerning his rigged giveaways, which were already confirmed as true
SalzStange's official statement after he was caught
Former Mod's response to his 'official statement'
SalzStange's post history on the Steam forums. A great example of his attitude and how he talks to developers
OTG Head Admin is okay with SalzStange's actions.
SalzStange has been permanently banned from SteamCompanion.
SalzStange calls those who caught him and spread awareness of his lies 'troll' and 'haters'..
SteamCompanion Group Chatlog where SalzStange was invited to discuss his ban

If you are still a part of this "network" I advise you all to leave to avoid being dragged down with him. It will happen eventually. WGN got shut down for doing less than this.

If you would like to combat this network and it's practices, there are a number of things you can do.
If you are a member of any of their groups, or any of the groups that SalzStange associates with (Such as Hookups where he is an Admin), simply leave them. You can also share this thread with people on your friendslists who are members of these groups and advise them to leave as well.

TL;DR:

SalzStange threatened a dev, got caught, and is still trying to lie and cover up the facts, acting like he did nothing wrong.

He claims to be an adult, but is refusing to own up to his actions. Everything we do in life has consequences. It's time he faces them.

View attached image.
9 years ago*

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In the interest of avoiding similar situations with other developers in the future, I will share the information from this case with every developer and company that I have had contact with. I'm sure that many users from different websites would appreciate a ban of SalzStange/DuckHead/AngryErpel on Steam, SteamGifts and all other websites which are related to this incident.

9 years ago
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I read this joker's posts in the first page (missed it last day).

He's indeed a joker. Just ban him from Steamgifts. What a fukin douchebag.

9 years ago
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I reeeally hope that... sub-species of human doesn't reproduce... damn.

I just... I... wow, I... Leaves.

9 years ago
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They're actually the most likely to reproduce. Haha.
▄︻̷̿┻̿═━一 (Ͼ˳Ͽ)

9 years ago
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we can hope they're both infertile lol

9 years ago
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good, I hope that shitehead gets perma banned from steam. I left one of his stupid groups I apparently was in (not active in any shape or form) and left as soon as this got out. People like this disgust me. Blocked him and his "charming" wife/gf, I did not know them, but you never know what it's good for. Hope he gets it served just as hot as he dished it out. Also, I read of all the crap that got posted and it seems that either he is mentally retarded (since he talks like and seems to have the logic of a 12 year old while being 28) or just as dumb as a flaming pile bag dog poo. also: R.I.P. English.

All of that was very unprofessionell!

9 years ago*
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I still have to figure out the steam-account of his wife/gf to block and blacklist her. Any suggestions?

9 years ago
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She commented on the front page:
http://www.steamgifts.com/user/Medea9999

9 years ago
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Thank you very much, now she's blocked and blacklisted too.

The following sentence is in german, just to say it clear without any language barrier:
Jeglicher Umgang mit solchen Personen ist meinerseits absolut unerwünscht!

9 years ago
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bump

9 years ago
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I've had him in my friendlist for some reason.... Always thought there was something fishy about his constant begging for upvotes and inviting me to more ridiculous groups..

9 years ago*
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I support this thread with a little bit more promotion to reach the base.

http://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/Lebcd/moorhuhn-crazy-chicken

  • Giveaway comes as gift
  • Paid with my own money that I earned through working
9 years ago
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Hahaha nice one dude : )

9 years ago
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Thank you very much. :-)

9 years ago
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9 years ago
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9 years ago
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9 years ago
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9 years ago*
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That's why i don't like curator feature over the steam. Yet still i don't know what's truely happend, and i don't even want to know.

9 years ago
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this needs to be bumped!

9 years ago
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free bump

9 years ago
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9 years ago*
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Haha, Dev Stalker needs to get a life and grow a 8===D

9 years ago
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Wow that is actually kind of creepy how he goes around doing that.

9 years ago
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Secret bump.

9 years ago
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What for? I'm pretty sure mostly anyone who visits the forum frequently already saw this thread.

9 years ago
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Sneaky. ;)

Nah not everybody. There's been some new people since then and reminders never hurt anyone.
I still have a few friendslist people in his groups. And some directly on his friendslist. :s

9 years ago
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Sneaky button. :D

View attached image.
9 years ago
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Learning new things every day on this website. 8)

9 years ago
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9 years ago
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Hi AngryErpel,please read (again!)

---> The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet. <---

9 years ago
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Wow... Can he like... Stop? Srsly, what a creeper.. He never learns, eh? "Oh yea, I spent over 7K euro for giveaways, yet I'm always begging to every developer I see for steam keys, herpdederp" .... facepalm

9 years ago
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:o

9 years ago
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Sorry for bumping this and maybe this was already common knowledge or something, since putting up a comment in this thread saying that I quit the groups I've been in, I was added by the duck guy himself on Steam(ignored and blocked him) and I just got another invitation from another member of the original traders group. Why the hell are they adding me?

9 years ago
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...because (quote from MilleW Page-1)

"They keep mass inviting and spamming because the owner only gives free keys out to people who invite more people so hence people getting spammed with invites all the time."

You have to block these salt slaves or simply ignore them.

Btw:Nice Reason for bumping,thx :)

9 years ago
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we shall not forget!

9 years ago
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WOW

9 years ago
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sorry friends,nothing new here but people unfortunately forget very quickly...

...therefore BUMP

9 years ago
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Ok well... not nice.

View attached image.
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View attached image.
9 years ago
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Nothing happened then? Shame really, thought Valve might take a stand on the group.

9 years ago
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Bump.

9 years ago
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Small update, he's admin of these groups too:
Big Play Raffles
Have More Friends
Hookups
Impius Studios

Needless to say that I once again blacklisted and blocked every admin and moderator of the groups he's involved - also left the groups I was a member there.

9 years ago*
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lol hookups. That sammy guy is also shady as hell, begging for games with pretense he's piss poor exhausted working two jobs LOL

9 years ago
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Yeah, a similar situation happened in the Hookups group a year or so ago - read about it here: http://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/9IJ1b/drama-at-hookups

9 years ago
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Bump

9 years ago
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Closed 6 years ago by Khalaq.