Steam card scams: why anyone demanding a Steam gift card is a scammer
Quick answer
Anyone who tells you to pay with a Steam gift card is a scammer. The FTC says no real business or government agency will ever ask you to pay with a gift card. Don't share the card number or a photo of it. If you already did, contact Steam Support and report it.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text, Email, Social media
- Last updated
How it works
The scammer contacts you by phone, text, email or social media and says you owe money or must act fast: a fine, a prize fee, a family emergency, a refund mix-up. Then they say the only way to pay is with a gift card, and Steam is one of the cards named in the FTC's examples.
They may tell you to buy the cards at several stores so cashiers don't get suspicious and to stay on the phone while you do. Once you read out the card number and PIN or send a photo, they drain the balance. The FTC says that money is almost impossible to trace.
Red flags
- Any demand to pay with a gift card, for any reason
- Pressure to buy several cards, at different stores
- Staying on the phone while you buy and read out the numbers
- A request for the card number and PIN, or a photo of the card
- A story with a deadline: fine, arrest, prize fee, emergency
- Told not to tell the cashier or your family what the cards are for
Example message
You have an unpaid fine and a warrant will be issued today. To clear it, buy [amount] in Steam gift cards, scratch off the codes and read them to me over the phone. Do not tell the cashier what they're for.
What to do
- 1
Stop, and don't share the codes
Don't read out the number and PIN, and don't send a photo of the card. If you haven't paid, hang up or stop replying.
- 2
If you paid, contact Steam Support at once
The FTC says to report a gift card scam to the card company right away, and to ask whether any money is left on the card. Keep the card and your store receipt: the number and the receipt help with the report.
- 3
Report it
The FTC says every report helps and may help law enforcement start investigations.
- 4
If you shared other details
If the scammer also got a password or bank details, change them and tell your bank. See what to do after a data breach.
- 5
Ignore "recovery" offers
Anyone who offers to get your gift card money back for a fee is a second scammer.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Gift card scammers phone or message huge numbers of people, but the ones that use your name, your town or your family's names rely on details from people-search sites and data breaches. Serus finds the people-search sites and data brokers that list your phone number and address and removes them, and alerts you when your details appear in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a story around you.
Frequently asked
Does a real company ever ask for payment in Steam gift cards?
No. The FTC says no real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them.
Can I get my money back from a Steam card scam?
Maybe. Contact Steam Support right away and give them the card number and receipt. The FTC says some gift card companies are helping stop these scams, so it's worth asking, but there's no guarantee.
What do I do if the scammer already has the code?
Report it to the gift card company and the FTC straight away. Once the code is used, the money is hard to trace.
I'm outside the US. Does this still apply?
The pattern is the same everywhere. This page links the US reporting channel; use your own country's fraud reporting service as well.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
