Security
Scams, phishing and keeping your Steam account and funds safe.
14 articles tagged #steam#steam
SecuritySteam Guard, trade holds and Market holds: what still applies to CS2
CS2 trades no longer sit in Steam's 15-day hold, but Steam Guard still decides when you can trade, list and confirm. The current rules for the authenticator, holds and cooldowns.
SecurityThe Steam API key scam: how trade redirection works and how to check
Why a Steam Web API key you never created is a red flag, how the trade redirection scam uses a hijacked account, and the steps to revoke the key and lock the account down.
SecurityHow to spot Steam phishing sites and fake login pop-ups
Phishing pages now fake Steam's login window down to the address bar. How fake pop-ups, lookalike domains and QR code tricks work, and the checks that expose them before you sign in.
SecuritySteam account security checklist for CS2 traders
A practical checklist for locking down a Steam account that holds CS2 skins: authenticator, recovery codes, email, devices, API key, and what to do the moment something looks wrong.
SecurityThe Steam QR code login scam: how fake scan-to-sign-in pages take over accounts
Steam's QR sign-in skips your password and Steam Guard code by design. How scammers put their own sign-in codes on fake pages and streams, and the one rule that stops it.
SecurityThe "I accidentally reported you" scam: fake Steam staff on Discord and chat
A friend says they reported you by mistake and a fake Valve admin offers to fix it. How the false-report scam runs on Steam chat and Discord, what it's after, and why it's always fake.
SecurityVAC and game bans in CS2: what they block and what happens to your items
How VAC bans, CS2 game bans and VACnet cooldowns differ, what they block, why a banned inventory is frozen, how phone numbers and parties are affected, and what Steam Support says about appeals.
SecurityFake tournament, team-vote and giveaway scams on Steam that end in phishing
Vote for my team, join our tournament, claim a free case: three lures that all end at a fake Steam login. Dated examples from 2022 to 2026 and the checks that expose every one of them.
SecuritySteam trade bans, community bans and holds: what each means for CS2 traders
Trade bans, trade probation, community bans, account locks, trading cooldowns and holds: what each one is, what triggers it, how long it lasts and what Steam Support can and can't change.
SecurityMalicious browser extensions and Steam: documented cases and how to vet one
An extension that runs on Steam's pages works inside your signed-in session. Documented cases from 2016 to 2026, what extension permissions mean, and a checklist before you install one.
SecurityRecovering a hijacked Steam account: Valve's process and what you get back
What to do the moment your Steam account is stolen: the self-lock link, Steam Support's recovery and proof of ownership, what Valve will and won't restore, and how to lock the account down afterwards.
Security