Cover-Credits:
cottonbro / Pexels
The internet isn’t always a safe place. There are several scammers in online spaces, including on Steam, who use clever tricks to get access to your private information like IDs and passwords. The “I Accidentally Reported You” Steam scam is just another one of the new tactics affecting Steam users, including Dota 2 and CS:GO players. MalwareBytes reported on this scam in March 2021, however earlier reports of the scam date back to 2018.
“I Accidentally Reported You” Steam scam: What do the scammers do?
The basics are that a person approaches you on Steam or Discord with something important to tell you and says they have “accidentally reported your steam account” for some reason.
u/Moritz_M05 / Reddit
They are worried that you will get banned unless you contact a fake “Steam admin” and give you details of an authentic looking Valve employee profile to fix the mistake.
IngenueRabbit
If you contact the “Steam admin”, they will ask you for a screenshot of your chat with the scammer.
The fake admin then asks for a screenshot of your purchase history and your Steam linked email address to prove your identity. The fake admin will finally ask for the Steam Guard code you receive for final “verification” to stop the ban.
If you follow their instructions, you will lose your account, all items, purchases, and money in the Steam wallet.
Other tactics used in “I Accidentally Reported You” Steam Scam
There are some variations on this scam. The reason for “accidentally reporting” your account may differ. The scammer gets your Steam ID through a Discord server if you’ve linked it to your profile. The fake Steam admin may show you a fake authenticity certificate to prove their identity and an official-looking edited screenshot of a ban notice in your name. The fake admin will pressure you saying you are “running out of time” before your account is banned.
IngenueRabbit
For CS:GO players, the fake admin may ask you to trade an item with them to "verify its authenticity". If you do end up trading the item, you're not getting it back.
These scammers take advantage of Steam’s ‘Forgot your password?’ option which requires your Steam linked email ID and the Steam Guard code you get in your mail to steal your account.
Some safety tips to avoid getting scammed on Steam
Never give anybody your Steam Guard code.
A Steam moderator will never contact you through Steam chat or apps like Discord for any reason. Do not believe anyone who approaches you this way.
A Steam moderator will never mediate between you and another user.
If there is a problem with your account, or you have a ban headed your way, Steam will let you know either via email, a Support ticket, or account alerts.
