Trading Tips
We fight SCAMMING
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Our aim is to help fight scamming by providing upto date trading info, tips and alerts. Read the following advice to help protect yourself from dishonest traders.
If you are unsure about a trader you can check SteamRep ban list: SteamRep Ban List and Scammer Database |
Keep the following tips in mind for an enjoyable trading experience.
- Pay attention to the background color of the items being traded, signifying Rarity.
- Always re-check items being traded after seeing the "Offer has changed" message.
- Trades should be conducted with patience. Don't give into the other player's pressure if they're pushing you into a trade you're not happy with.
- Keep your backpack tidy. A well-organized inventory will allow you to easily show a trading partner the items they're looking for.
- Respect goes a long way in a trade.
- Always remember that patience is the key. There will usually be somebody who will want to take your trade.
- Keep in mind that certain sites or forums such as the official TF2 steam forum has a trading section. This is handy for setting up fair trades and a good place to consult if one is not sure about the value of an item.
- Avoid trading for cash/games, especially without a middleman. The trader could take your game/cash/item and you have no way to ensure that they give it back.
- Check the reputation of who you deal with, and make sure that the person you are trading with is the same person that you looked up. Click on their avatar during trade to inspect their profile.
- If you decide to use a Trusted Middleman (MM) then ALWAYS initiate the trade (send trade request) to the middleman yourself. A scammer can easily change their in-game name to falsely look like the middleman and then take your items in trade.
Due to the wide range given to trading, players may be subject to scam attempts and/or offer disagreements.
Scams include:
- Glim-Dropper: A common scheme made by multiple accomplices (most likely two). The primary accomplice will declare that they desire a certain item (usually of low value), and are willing to trade one of their valuable items for it, to a victim who does not have the certain item. At another time, the second accomplice will approach the victim and say that they have that certain item and want to trade. The victim, thinking to profit, offers an item (or multiple items) with value between the certain item and the valuable item, to the second accomplice. The main accomplice, after this trade is conducted, cannot be found to complete the trade, and the victim is left holding the certain item, which is less valuable than the items traded for it. If a trade is too good to be true, don't buy it.
- Raffle contests: These usually consist of players giving a low value item, such as scrap metal, to enter a raffle for a chance to win a high value item, such as a hat. There is no way to guarantee the contest is carried out fairly; in all likelihood, the "random winner" is in on the scam. An alternative outcome to this scam is that the host of the raffle, i.e. the person receiving all the entry items, may simply leave the server with the low level items they have collected.
- Fake Middle-man: A scheme in which someone offers a valuable item for more than the trade box will allow. When someone accepts their trade offer, the scammer offers to use a middle-man to ensure the victim that he will get his items. The scammer uses his own middle-man in the trade. When the scammer's accomplice (the middle-man) receives the victim's items, he then leaves the server.
- Impersonation: A scammer in a risky trade pretends to be a trusted trader or middle man. Possible variant of fake middle man if the scammer impersonates a trusted middle man.
- Re-naming: A scam where a player will re-name the item something different to give the illusion of a higher rarity. Commonly named "Unusual..." or "Vintage...". Perhaps the most common example is when someone attempts to pass off a re-named Rocket Launcher or Sticky Launcher as "Rocket Jumper" or "Sticky Jumper".
- Bait and Switch: A rare scam in which you make an agreement in a trade and the scammer ask to add more items, such as crates or weapons. As the victim is putting the items, the scammer switches the valuable item with a less valuable item. Fortunately, the October 20, 2010 Patch added a notice in chat whenever the person you're trading with adds or removes an item, making this scam less effective.
- Double Team: An uncommon scam where two people working together join a server and the first person states he/she desires an expensive/rare item. When the first person receives a trade, he will offer something, usually of low value, to the seller, should the seller decline the trade, the first person will ask the seller to price check the item on the server, now the second person will give a price similar or lower then the item that the first person offered, now the seller will either decline altogether or accept the trade, after the trade is complete the person will change servers and repeat with a new screen name.
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