Valve has stopped reimbursing Steam in-game item scam victims

Steam users who are scammed into fake item trades will no longer be reimbursed by Valve, the company has said.

The reason? That they really should know better, the company argues.

We provide enough information on our website and within our trading system to help users make good trading decisions,” an FAQ statement explains, as reported by PCGamesN. All trade scams can be avoided.

Ignore pressure and do not rush the trade. A common tactic by scammers is to force you to trade quickly so they can change items/gifts in the trade without you noticing. If you are trading with a user who insists that you trust them, they are probably attempting to scam you. Mouse over every item to ensure that the item/gift properties are correct.

Pay attention to the trade log while making the trade. All changes, additions, removals and actions will be recorded in this box. You may also use it to communicate with the trader. Do not trade items outside of the trade window. If another user requests that you do, they will likely scam you. Always insist to trade within the trade window in Steam.”

All the T&Cs, as well as Valve’s guide to avoiding scams, can be found here.