In short
Most common fake: I accidentally reported your account, contact this Steam admin to avoid a ban.
Safest check: Type help.steampowered.com into your browser to check your account or contact Steam Support.
Where to report it: Report the scammer or phisher to Steam through Steam Support.
What Steam says
Steam keeps a list of known scams in its Support FAQ, including messages saying your account was reported and will be banned, fake tournaments, vote for my team links and offers to buy your items. It locks accounts that post links used for phishing or account theft, and real account help is handled through Steam Support at help.steampowered.com. Source: Steam Support
Common fake Steam messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake Steam message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something Steam itself does.
- I accidentally reported your account, contact this Steam admin to avoid a ban
- Vote for my team or join a tournament, just sign in through this link
- Offer to buy your skins or items for real money off Steam
- Steam gift card code needed to pay a bill or fine
- Cheap Steam accounts or items from a third-party trader
Steam's real web addresses
Genuine Steam links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: steampowered.com is real, but steampowered-support-center.com or steampowered.com.account-check.top are not.
- steampowered.com
- steamcommunity.com
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a Steam message safely
- Type help.steampowered.com into your browser to check your account or contact Steam Support
- Check the address bar before signing in: real pages are on steampowered.com or steamcommunity.com
- Never share your password or Steam Guard codes, and keep the Steam Guard mobile authenticator turned on
- Treat any request to pay with a Steam gift card for something outside Steam as a scam
How to report a fake Steam message
- Report the scammer or phisher to Steam through Steam Support. Official details on help.steampowered.com
- If you paid a scammer with a Steam gift card, report it to Steam Support right away, and in the US tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official details on consumer.ftc.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at steampowered.com, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from Steam security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Report the scammer or phisher to Steam through Steam Support, then delete the message.
More help: Phishing links and fake login pages and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Turn on two-step verification, ideally with a security key
With two-step verification, a stolen password isn't enough on its own. A hardware security key goes further: it simply doesn't work on a fake site, so it can't be phished.
Free: Two-step verification is free. Switch it on in the security settings of your email, bank, WhatsApp and social media accounts today.
- YubiKey (Yubico) Partner link A small USB or NFC key you tap when you log in. It will not work on a fake site.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does Steam send messages asking for payment or personal details?
Steam keeps a list of known scams in its Support FAQ, including messages saying your account was reported and will be banned, fake tournaments, vote for my team links and offers to buy your items. It locks accounts that post links used for phishing or account theft, and real account help is handled through Steam Support at help.steampowered.com.
How can I check if a Steam message is real?
Type help.steampowered.com into your browser to check your account or contact Steam Support. Check the address bar before signing in: real pages are on steampowered.com or steamcommunity.com. Never share your password or Steam Guard codes, and keep the Steam Guard mobile authenticator turned on. Treat any request to pay with a Steam gift card for something outside Steam as a scam.
How do I report a fake Steam message?
Report the scammer or phisher to Steam through Steam Support. If you paid a scammer with a Steam gift card, report it to Steam Support right away, and in the US tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
I clicked a link in a fake Steam message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing steampowered.com yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: report the scammer or phisher to steam through steam support.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Scam FAQ (Confidence Scams and Trade Scams) (Steam Support)
- Scam: I Have Been Reported and Will Be Banned (Steam Support)
- Suspicious Content Lock (Steam Support)
- Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams (Federal Trade Commission)