I really wanted a HIB 7 BTA, so I made a thread in steamtrades for it, and offered The Walking Dead for it. Someone added me, and asked me to go first. I did so, because I didn't really have any rep, and he had lots of rep on his profile, a bunch of +rep and "good trader" comments. Well, I gave him the game, and he gave me a used url, so it didn't work. He then blocked me. THEN I checked steamrep, and lo and behold, he was a listed scammer. I really hate myself now.

Edit: The worst part is, I don't even care about TWD, just that I didn't get the bundle.

Edit: The guy was http://steamcommunity.com/id/733581001111260369711664/ , Michael_B.I.G.

11 years ago*

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Going first with gift? Good job. o.O

11 years ago
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I had no rep, he "supposedly" had lots of rep.
As in, 10 pages of "+ rep" and "good trader" comments.

11 years ago
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Made the same mistake once, my very first trade. learning hurts...

11 years ago
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Same here, I got scammed on my first trade. Very similar.

11 years ago
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AC Director's Cut, and AC 2

11 years ago
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similar but with tf2 items

11 years ago
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Same also got scammed on first trade but havent made the same mistake since.

11 years ago
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Rep means nothing as you discovered. As far as I am concerned (and I tell people this), if I can produce a physical 'gift' in the trade window, that is my rep. Take it or leave it. If they don't like it, well --it's their loss, not mine!

11 years ago
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I got scammed on my first trade too :( next time offer something that's on sale for 2.50 or something

11 years ago
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Steam profile rep is not the rep you're supposed to be looking for.
It's merely a guideline for other trades to see if you're going to have to deal with someone experienced and whatnot.

You should check steamrep, ask for sourceop or (I believe, don't use it) steamtrades rep when you're doing a trust trade.

11 years ago
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If you have the gift/physical copy you should always go second. It is acknowledged that keys do go first unless otherwise stated by the user.

11 years ago
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way to kick a man while he's down. +2 for style (I guess)

11 years ago
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How did you know it was a gift? O.o

11 years ago
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My first trade I got him to go first with key. I hadn't even bought the game I was going to trade him, yet. Better yet, the game was Borderlands 2. I traded him Don't Starve for it.

11 years ago
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Getting +rep comments are very easy, so they are in no way showing someone being honest in trades.

11 years ago
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The Walking Dead for HIB 7 BTA sounds fishy why would you accept that :(

11 years ago
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Cause I wanted it, In fact, I asked for it.

11 years ago
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seriously?

11 years ago
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the guy looks like a total piece of sh1t

11 years ago
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He looks like an arse...

11 years ago
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That sucks, especially since TWD is a really great offer for the HIB. You sound like you've already figured it out, but yeah, always be sure to check Steamrep. As a general rule, I'd also recommend being cautious about dealing with private accounts and about trusting +rep comments on Steam profiles. Unfortunately, they're very easy to fake, or for the user to delete any negative ones.

11 years ago
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^^ all of this is good advice. Also, unless the trade involves only gifts, always do background checks on people before trading with them.

11 years ago
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Yup, and as I mentioned elsewhere in the thread it's also good to check if any reports have been filed at SteamRep. I've had scammers that looked clean at SteamRep because the files reports on them hadn't been verified by the admins yet

11 years ago
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yes, that falls under part of what I meant by background checks. always search the SteamRep forums with the trader's Steam ID #.

11 years ago
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Or get a middleman from steamrep if you're uncertain. Especially for larger trades.

11 years ago
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they dont do anything with keys... I've tried z.z

11 years ago
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Profile rep doesn't mean anything... He could have writen them himself. If the profile rep comments occured in a short period (like, with a few hours difference), that's a pretty obvious redflag for scammer.

11 years ago
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some of my reps are just a few hours apart.

11 years ago
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heck some of them are only a few minutes apart

11 years ago
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There's an edit button you know? :-P

11 years ago
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editing is too mainstream

11 years ago
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you should just trade more, maybe with more time in between, if you are concerned about that specific thing

11 years ago
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i'm not really concern with it.
i kind of stopped trading

11 years ago
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Contact Steam about this, they can track everything. Describe your transaction. Post it in their fraud section.

11 years ago
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Are you speaking from experience or out of your ass?

If it was a Walking Dead key from Amazon then Steam support won't bother. The best they could do is return The Walking Dead if was a gift and hasn't been redeemed yet.

11 years ago
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They do not support cd-key / paypal trades.

11 years ago
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As I said, If it was a Walking Dead key from Amazon then Steam support won't bother.

11 years ago
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I check SteamRep before I accept people who add me.

Contact HIB and tell them he was giving out that URL, hopefully they'll ban his Humble Account or better yet, invalidate the Steam keys.

11 years ago
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but what if the scammer stole the humble URL from an innocent user?

11 years ago
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It is possible that he scammed someone for the URL, used it and then scammed this person with the used URL.

It's also possible that you're the scammer trying to detour the OP from doing this, who just don't know. :p (I don't actually think so, just saying, anything is possible)

11 years ago
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yeah i feel you, it's just that if there is one thing i hate more than a bad guy not receiving punishment, is some random dude getting punished while being innocent. I'm all in for reporting on steam and steamrep tough.

11 years ago
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A lesson that is taught on these forums every time someone posts one of these threads. Why couldn't you learn it then?

11 years ago
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Comments mean nothing as rep.

11 years ago
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Also contact steamgifts and ask them to block his account here (since he is using the site to scam people <-- and explain it to them from this point of view). Basically, he is using their Trading system to scam people.

11 years ago
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This guy is very busy, he has already seven offenses

11 years ago
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From May.

11 years ago
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Thats good, the more DJ999 will bitcX about it, the more likely it is that his account will be suspended. This redneck (Michael_B.I.G.) can only push this to a certain limit. I would just complain plenty to steam to finally get his account banned, since he had already so many offenses and steam let him be. Its partially Steams fault!

11 years ago
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There is also a button on his profile "Report Violation". Post your problem there as well. Basically create as much steam for Steam about this issue as possible.

11 years ago
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+rep comments on the Steam profile are really worthless. You can delete whatever you want there yourself and just have your friends or even alt-accounts post something there. Go to steamtrades.com and do your trades there. Getting +rep there is not that easy and you always track who gave them and their rep and you can't delete -rep there yourself. And of course check steamreps before doing trades.

11 years ago
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Nothing more to add, except don't go first on keys

11 years ago
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I've gone first on keys a couple times but I make sure that I check SteamTrades and Steamrep first. I also find it worthwhile to search for their user id to see if any reports have been made against them at SteamRep hat haven't been verified yet.

11 years ago
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Yeah, you may be right. It depends on the user, but if he hasn't, idk a 100+ rep on steamtrades, i'm never going first with my giftable copy.
in fact i didn't have to go first ever, all the traders with key went first.
except for my first trade, see post above, but i was naive at that time.
didn't know steamrep or trade or anything related. but that kind of scarred me for life

11 years ago
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I fail to see how it's any less risky going first with a key as opposed to a giftable copy.

11 years ago
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He can see my copy in the inventory, i can't see his key. I'm relying on his word, that he has it. He can even check, if something is different about my copy. Like RU Version, ROW Version, not working in this or that country. That's the difference in my opinion. Sure i can scam someone too, by not gifting him afterwards, but he at least knows it's there, and can check it too

11 years ago
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I meant how is it more/less risky for you whether you go first with a key compared to a gift. Whether you send one or the other you can still get scammed by not receiving anything in return when you go first. It's doesn't matter whether it's a key or gift, or whether you can see the other party's inventory or not.

11 years ago
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you should always steam rep when trading, lot's of scammers out there, and you don't just stumble upon them, they are actively seeking out people to scam. I was trading the games from bethesda collection, and like 4 scammers tried to trade with me.

Also rep in profile can easily be faked, if you want to be more through, check the reppers profile if they seem legit. Also ask them for their steamtrades profile, and you can also search steamrep forum for the guy's steamid, in case they haven't been added yet to the database.

If you get trough this things, trading can be a very successful and rewarding experience.

11 years ago
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You don't just "ask" for a SteamTrades URL, that's how people are impersonated. They send you the URL, the person is too dumb or lazy to verify the person they're talking to and they get scammed.

If you check the SteamTrades URL, be sure to click the "View Steam Profile" and verify the amount of games, number of friends, etc to ensure you're talking to the real person.

11 years ago
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yeah of course, you should always verify anything he sends you, be it his steam profile, steamtrade profile, steamrep profile.

In fact, this is a good way to know if they are going to scam you if they are sending fake profiles.. let him send you the links, then compare.. you will know fast if he is lying and you won't lose time with that scammer.

11 years ago
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^^ this. yes, always ask to be linked to their Steamtrades profile, then compare it to the profile of the person you are chatting to in the chat window and make sure they match. if you have added them to chat then it should say you are friends on their profile as well. some scammers will try to impersonate other legit traders that have a lot of good rep.

11 years ago
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His profile on linkedin or FB

11 years ago
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be careful, he may be just impersonating that linkedin account, that may be an innocent man.

11 years ago
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Of course, we don't know if this is his real profile picture.

11 years ago
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given that he is a scammer I think it likely that he would be using someone else's photo ripped from somewhere

11 years ago
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Should make a phone call to the university he works for and inform them he is a thief and a liar.

I love when people think actions on the internet won't have repercussions in the real world.

11 years ago
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I know how we can all help.
1st. Block any communication with Michael_B.I.G
2nd. Report Violation: Misconduct or whatever, stating that he scammed user DJ999.
If Steam gets a lot of these report I guarantee you his account will be banned in the next few days, just from the shear number of violation reports that Steam will have to deal with :)

11 years ago
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DJ999 eh? I'm sure they'll know which one.

I know you're trying to help, but I don't go to a garage and tell people how to fix cars because I don't know a lot about cars. Get my drift?

11 years ago
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Peroxide why are you such a pessimist?

11 years ago
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I'm just amazed that someone who has no trade record on SteamTrades, their profile or anyone else I've looked can be so knowledgeable about what to do.

Speaking from personal experience, everything he's suggested won't do anything.

11 years ago
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uhhhhhhhhhhh no. That doesn't seem appropriate to me for random people to go and do that based on what is essentially hearsay at best. Unless you are a victim of the scammer or witnessed the scam yourself then people shouldn't be getting involved. It would be very easy to make up a scamming story about someone who you don't like (that is innocent) to troll them and get people to make frivolous reports against them. I'm not saying that's the case, but you have no proof either way.

11 years ago
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You got a point there :)

11 years ago
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its just money.think it can be something much bigger. just try to smile and youll feel better .

11 years ago
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Ok I think I found him. On LinkedID website found by Fynal. He is listed that he is a "Web/IT Director at Ksun Radio".
I check the Ksun Radio and there is a single Web/IT Director there. The persons name email and photograph is listed there. DJ999 now you can write directly to him and his friends or even give him a call!

11 years ago
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be careful, he may be just impersonating that linkedin account, that may be an innocent man.

11 years ago
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thats true but you can always contact that person and see how they respond then you will know if you are dealing with the right guy

11 years ago
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well, always check the steam account before risky trade, now you have learned this :D

11 years ago
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I NEVER complete a trade until I can verify what I am receiving is legitimate (i.e. I refuse to complete a trade if can't verify the key I am being given). Besides, it was a risky trade to begin with.

11 years ago
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how do you verify the key before the transaction is completed?

11 years ago
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You can't.

11 years ago
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Actually, you can. Just use it on your steam account.

11 years ago
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i reported him for you

11 years ago
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Everyone can create fake accounts add them as friend and comment with them on his profile "+rep and good trader". Looking at his Steam profile comments is useless. Well you learned your lesson. If you trade, check SteamRep.

11 years ago
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But steam can see where he is sending the gifts that he receives via his scams, and even track his other accounts using his credit card purchases, etc.

11 years ago
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I was talking about the "+ rep and good trader" comments. I know that steam can see your trading history.

11 years ago
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No way, man. I NEVER complete a trade until I know what I am receiving is legitimate (even if my rep is low). If you have a physical gift in your inventory, that is proof enough that you own it. You can place it in the trade window to prove you own it without actually completing the trade. Do you remember his Steam username? I'm sure the admins and everyone else would appreciate knowing who this person is. I certainly don't want him coming to SteamGifts and pulling that scamming crap here.

11 years ago
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please report it to Steam Support and that does not go unpunished

11 years ago
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http://steamrep.com/profiles/76561198008816908

Yea, check Steamrep next time. However, you do need to go beyond that. Check their profile by clicking on their name (don't trust a link to "their" profile because it may be someone else's). If there's not many games or the +reps they get are all from people with no/small amount of games steer far, far away from them.

So far, you're the only scammed person I've seen so far here I have sympathy for. Rest of the complainers here thought they were pulling the wool over someone's eyes before they got scammed.

11 years ago
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Closed 11 years ago by DJGamer.